CB 550 restoration

[Chris whit]

Hi Guys , not posted on the 550 section of this forum before as I’ve got a 400 four , but a good friend of mine has had a reasonably good condition 78 CB550 that he acquired 2 years ago . He originally bought it for a restoration project but has never got round to it and is too busy to complete. I’ve had a quick took at it today and everything is intact and original except the colour and its got a four into one exhaust.
He asked me if there is any of you guys that recommend or would like to restore this bike for him . I think the engine is ok but the carbs may need attention . He would like a full restoration and I’ve told him he would be looking at 2 to 4Kto get this bike to original condition . Might be a good winter project for some cash for any of you 550 guys out there .

[Bryanj]

550 k3? Carbs are a nightmare and original exhausts none existent, apart from that easy to work on.

[Chris whit]

Thanks Bryant , do you fancy a project this winter . I would of took it on myself but I’ve got a Z1 and Z1000 that I’ve got to finish by spring .

[Bryanj]

Not really mate, got to get back to real work to pay the mortgage. Just waiting for DVLA to extricate their digit, unless they have changed the rules again!!

[deltarider]

550 k3? ... and original exhausts none existent, ...

Belgium seems to have them: http://www.gp-classics.be/onderdeeltype/uitlaten/
€ 1082,- only... bargain 

[heliwilly]

Have you any idea of what sort of a restoration he wants.
1/ Just get it into a clean and tidy roadworthy working state.
2/Everything give a good clean and all rusty parts removed and replaced.
3/ A full nut and bolt restoration involving a complete strip down of the bike
and the engine removed, stripped and repainted, carbs vapour blasted and recalibrated.
All damaged parts, ie exhaust, removed and replaced. New battery fitted.
I am retired now so the main expense will be cost of parts replaced. I was a mechanical engineer before I retired and have the ability to sort most things mechanical. I am at the moment working on my own '77 CB550 F2.
Bill Worsley.

[Trigger]

yep, there is restoration and then there is restoration.
Maybe worth selling what he has and looking for a mint one. I know that Paul Gledhill has a minter in his way that he may sell 

[matthewmosse]

Costs wise its surely a no brainer. Plenty of bikes out there that have receipts totalling more than the asking price for bits as folk enjoy the challenge of doing a good resto. If someone is being paid by the hour at any kind of a reasonable rate then it's going to cost more than the finished bike is worth. That is unless you find a retired hobbyist with skills and tools from pre retirement and spare time on their hands, but that's putting a lot of trust out there on both parties part. I intended to take turning self employment into a chance to turn my projects into bikes and clear some space, quickly found that going and throwing paint over someones spare room paid better than trying to resurrect an old bike. It's not fun when you cost your time into it  and need to pay the credit card off the proceeds. On the other hand a basic clean up and get it running and up to mot standard could prove worth subbing out, often to someone familiar with the make and model it's a relatively small job to turn a dormant shed ornament into something useful.

[Colonial-Clive (yindi)]

Yep tell me about it I could of bought 2 runners for what it will have cost me by the time my mistake is fixed! Ring the wrong way on!

[masonmart]

I think you are wildly underestimating how much a really good restoration will cost. I'm doing a CB500 now and have just flashed past £8k in spending and I will have another £2k to finish. My 68 Bonnie has bills for £13k in todays money for a good 1992 restoration. I would say £10k if the bike is in poor nick and you restore properly. People are charging upwards of £4k to restore Bonnie engines!! It will always be cheaper to buy a good bike than restore and that is my philosophy now especially if you don't know who did the restoration, it is just not worth the hassle unless you want to do it. I may be looking for a good 500 or 550 if anybody has one.