VF750FD project

bikeboy

Over 1,000 Posts
Just to let you know the reason why work on my CB400F project has stalled...

I picked up an '84 VF750F that was close, and the right price. The PO says it ran, but had a low speed misfire. I can work with that I reckon.

home01.jpg


She's a little rough around the edges, but that's what a project is right?

While I wait for a new battery I decided to open the carbs to see what condition they were in. Obligatory before shot:

carbsBefore.jpg


Anyway, when I opened them up, they were bone dry, and only had a slight film of filtered rust. Pulled the jets and they were fine too, so I pulled the rack apart and gave them a going over with the glass-bead blaster after taping them all up. I'll replace the caps later.

and after, fitted up again:

carbsAfter.jpg


I gotta say I was expecting all sorts of hassle removing and installing these, but in the end it was all quite painless. I've had more trouble with the CB900 and the airbox issue. I did have to remove them once to re-fit the throttle cables tho. Won't make that mistake again.

So I turn my attention to the fuel pump. I hooked up a temporary petrol supply and found the connector to the pump and ran some wires to the battery. Got my squirt of fuel, so I figure the pump is OK. Reconnect the connector, and turn on the ignition. Now the battery that came with the bike has just about had it, but I thought it would be ok to do some circuit tests. The pump worked when wired directly, so I think there's enough juice. It won't crank the motor, but I'm not ready for that yet anyway.

Lesson #1. Test any replacement parts before refurbishing them:

rearCaliper.jpg


I used a spare pair of cb1100 calipers on the front while I attack the VF's, so I just assumed the rear would work as well. Not so. There is a clearance issue with the mounting points and they don't bolt up.

On another note, I got her running :) I have an audio file on my phone, just need to figure out how to download it.

So having established it as a runner, its time to start dismantling. An hour or 2 later and you get to this stage:

pieces.jpg


and of course every project motor needs a stand while you work on it:

stand.jpg


so onwards and upwards.

Gee I really like these gold boomerangs but bugger me the hubs are a pain to clean and repaint!

frontBoomie.jpg


mmmm. Fresh powder coating ;D

freshPowder.jpg


Did the rear wheel today. Spent an hour or 2 masking to paint the hub. Didn't come up as well as the front, but it'll do me.

rearWheel.jpg


and a bit of work on the motor

motor.jpg


I'm having a spare set of valve covers polished, but don't want it to hold me up when I re-install the motor. I realise there are implications for setting valve clearances if the motor has to be out, so I'm hoping they'll come off in-frame.

The inside of the tank was pretty manky. I had to take it in to a locksmith because none of the keys I have would open it. Wasn't all that impressed when I got to look inside.

On the other hand, it gave me an opportunity to try the electroysis method to remove all the rust.

electrolysis01.jpg


Something must be working because its bubbling away quite nicely.

Also had a chance to paint the fork lowers with satin black epoxy while I wait for my fork seals and the rubbers for the anti-dive mechanism.

lowers.jpg


a few more days of this and I'll pour out the solution and see how successful it was.

anode.jpg


total extent of re-assembly so far

assembly01.jpg


My son came over today, and we were looking for things to do.

motorIn.jpg


as you can see, things are getting tight in the shed :-\

We have a roller.

roller.jpg


... then I realised I should have fitted the chain-slider before installing the swing arm :-[

Have a spare tank to help position those decals, and the sidecovers are straightforward, but had to make a stencil to help me align the tail piece stripe

stencil.jpg


Now all I have to do is match the blue paint. Having the PPG code didn't work out in the end. Seemed to be the only Honda blue my paint guys didn't have on computer :-(

Damn it! trying to chase a few powdercoated threads and broke my first ever tap. Time to bust out all those internet handy hints on how to get the sucker out ::)

tap.jpg


Had to use an Isolator coat on the lower cowl because due to its flexibility (I guess) it's painted with a different type of paint that reacted badly with my Acrylic primer. I've run across this before primarily with front mudguards made from a similar plastic, and you have to remove all traces of the old paint before priming. This piece was a more complicated molding and I wasn't sure I could get it all, so an Isolator primer was recommended by my paint guy. He reckons the original finish was most likely enamel, and incompatible with the acrylic.

isolatorCoat.jpg


Man there's a lot of parts to paint on these things. And I haven't included the tank!

primer.jpg


Should get to shoot the base coat tomorrow.

Base coat is on. I didn't take any pics, because it looks just the same as the white primer.

Should get the white pearl on tomorrow. Which will probably also look just like the white primer in pics. Decals on after that, then masking for the blue.

Got a chance to apply the red stripe decals to all the panels:

tankDecal.jpg


redDecals.jpg


Then it was on to masking off the white areas

tankMasked.jpg


Then finally the blue paint:

tankBlue.jpg


Got the wings to put on the tank later, then some clear coats when this has had a chance to cure.

unmasked:

sidecovers.jpg


The money shot ;)

Still needs the clearcoat, but you get the idea.

tankDone.jpg


Picked the seat up from the upholsterer's tonight. Fairly straight-forward affair.

seat.jpg


excuse the dust all over everything.

Got the first of a few clear coats done on the weekend

clearCoat.jpg


Well, I take back what I said earlier about these carbs being easy to work with. I've had to remove them again to re-route the wiring harness I thought needed to be on top of the rack. Turns out it runs under it. Anyway, I removed the 'air chamber' from the rack to give me more manoeuvrability to pull them out of the insulators. I think it made them a bit too flexible, because I ended up snapping the end of 2 of the plastic connector tubes.

fuelTubes.jpg


Now I have to wait until replacements turn up. :mad:

Bugger.

Oh, the idle speed screw was also seized in the casting, and the plastic knob also split in 2. I've replaced the set up with one from a spare
bol d'or rack, although I had to drill and tap for the 5mm screw/bolt. Least of my problems.

Oh dear. So... I put the speedo cable bracket in the plating solution the other day. Then forgot about it :-\

The 40 minute process continued on unmonitored for about 24 hours.

speedoCable.jpg


You can get an idea of how thick the coating is by looking at the copper wire.

The good news I guess is I now have a spare anode.

Took the wheels into have some Sports Demon tyres fitted. Lots of tread left on the BT45s, but the sidewalls are cracked all over the place.

sidewall.jpg


Was all set to get a pair of the Avons, then realised the rear on this thing is an 18 and not 17 like the R.

I do have a spare 17" off the 1100, but that's only a 2.75. I also have a spare set of R wheels, but I think I'd have trouble with the rear brake set-up. The 1000F 3.5" boomerang would probably bolt straight on, but it's black of course. ???

Having more stuff lying around only confuses me more ???

Just for a bit of fun...

vf750r.jpg


Well, I reckon she's done. Only thing left to do is peel the protective plastic of the new screen, and wait for my chain riveting tool to turn up so I can tick that off the list.

rightSide.jpg


rightRear.jpg


vf750-vf1000r.jpg


next step: off to get an inspection and club reg. whoo hoo!

cheers
ian
 
Very nice resto.
How did you manage to get the broken tap out? spark erosion?

Those brake calipers look identical when looking at them but the rear caliper has larger pistons than the front ones.
 
notlob said:
Very nice resto.
How did you manage to get the broken tap out? spark erosion?

Just brute force ;-) Because they're so brittle, I just smashed it to bits.

Those brake calipers look identical when looking at them but the rear caliper has larger pistons than the front ones.

Yeah. I discovered that when I tried to use some spare pistons to rebuild the original. They didn't fit. Ended up getting a new pair and seals, which I should have done in the first place. Oh well.
 
bikeboy said:
Yeah. I discovered that when I tried to use some spare pistons to rebuild the original. They didn't fit. Ended up getting a new pair and seals, which I should have done in the first place. Oh well.

Thats exactly how I found out
 
Beautiful job. Did you restore the VF100R as well or is that one original and is that a 500 minicepter in one shot?
 
teazer said:
Beautiful job. Did you restore the VF100R as well or is that one original and is that a 500 minicepter in one shot?

Nah. The Vf1000R is a 'survivor'. I'll clean it up one day, but there's nothing much wrong with it. Not sure where you're looking, but the only bikes I have are the two VFs, a CB1100F and a 900F, with the 400F still languishing on the lift :-(
 
Back
Top Bottom