Another CB750 project, code name "Guttersnipe"

I've been lurking long enough and I'm starting a new project so I thought this would be a good place to document my work.

First a little background info: I'm about to turn thirty so I've been riding on the street for almost 14 years. First bike was a KZ440 and then a 75 CB750, both of which I still own. Mainstay bikes since those two have been a 94 CB1000, Couple of Blackbirds, Couple of VFR800's, a Kwack ZRX1200 and I've currently got another Blackbird. I was looking for a CB to turn into a cafe as a winter project and I came across a 80 CB750 Custom to cheap to pass up. $350, needs a Battery, Chain and tires, but it runs. Not what I wanted for my cafe project but I had to take it. Well since I already have a go fast bike I decided to build off this Custom's heritage and keep it low, lean and dark. So it won't exactly be a Cafe bike but hopefully everyone will see something they like.

So here's how she looked after I got her home...


Then the tare down went something like this....






And thats where I'm at right now. My schedule sucks but hopefully keeping you guys updated will be my motivation to keep pluggin away at her.

Looks like a good start and a good price for that bike. That one has the better looking Comstar wheels also.

Where I live people think that their old bikes are worth a mint,until it sits unsold for about SIX MONTHS!
A bike like that they would try to pawn off at $700-800 and really THINK it's worth more!

Well I got the Motor out yesterday in between school and school (I'm a High School teacher, working on my Masters). I recommend two people to pull a 750, kind of a pain in the ass with one.





Man that motor is dirty. I think there is more oil on it that there was in it.

One trick I learned for pulling a motor was to set the bike on the side, and lift it off over the motor.

I installed my CB's engine doing this. That said, I DID have a bare frame to move (which also helps.

Druro said:

One trick I learned for pulling a motor was to set the bike on the side, and lift it off over the motor.

I installed my CB's engine doing this. That said, I DID have a bare frame to move (which also helps.

Click to expand...

Yeah, thats how it eventually happened. But even muscling the thing up on the crate was a bear when its covered in oil and grease.

I didn't have sockets big enough for the steering stem nut or swing arm, but I just realized I easily could have slid the fork tubes out. That was dumb, that's why these projects aren't always a good idea for me. I get in such a rush I make everything harder than it should be.

New parts and pics

Well I'm not making quick progress but I'm making some progress.

First I got some new parts in for the Guttersnipe.

Headlight from ebay


Got matching turns for all four corners.


Finally I picked up a front fender light that I'm going to make into my tail light. I've got to make a Red lens for it and add a different bulb and socket.


Remember I said it's going to be dark so all this chrome will probably be painted.

My first attempts at fabrication...

Well I had some time this afternoon to work on fabbing up some stuff. Now remember I teach Special Ed, so my artistic ability revolves around poster board and magic markers. We don't use scissors very often cuz they're sharp...
So with my limited ability and tools I'm pretty happy with what I was able to accomplish.

First I made a bracket for that fancy headlight above. I went to Menards and bought some aluminum stock in angle, hollow round and a flat sheet. I don't have a welder so there's no reason for me to use steel in these cases. I used two mounts that were already on the lower triple to bolt the angle bracket to. Still needs some shaping and cleaning up but it was obviously pretty basic.



And


I want to eliminate the side covers on the bike and open up that area as much as possible. So I designed a shallow tray to mount under the seat and install all my electronics in. I started with cardboard and cut a template that I mocked up from measurements.



Then I traced the template onto my sheet of aluminum.


The wife let me get out some power tools, a massive jig saw and I cut out my template. You'll notice some extra tabs that I added that the template didn't have. I'm planning on using those for mounting points.


Next I had to use some highly sophisticated tools to shape and form my tray. I used a 4x4 chunk of wood, a 1x2 cut into a wedge and a plastic mallet. I'm sure glad I decided to grab the sheet of aluminum, this would have been a bitch with steel.


Another shot


And here it is mocked up in place on the frame.


From the side...



Anyone got any advice or comments?

Pretty slick idea using the pan

Nice,
What gage of aluminum did you use?
I've got a template made out of cardboard for a seat/tail section and a gas tank.
I'll pick up some sheets by the weekend, 16 or 18 ga is what I'm looking at.

That is some pretty good work. On thinner aluminum like that, sometimes it's easier to screw it to a piece of 1/4" plywood, then jigsaw it from there. It minimizes the areas where the jigsaw catches and pulls it out of shape. On your tray, though, this issue isn't seen when it is installed, so well done. In the corners, where there is a gap, $10-$20 should pay to have it TIGed...or you could just leave it.

--Chris

Juice_Bruce said:

Nice,
What gage of aluminum did you use?
I've got a template made out of cardboard for a seat/tail section and a gas tank.
I'll pick up some sheets by the weekend, 16 or 18 ga is what I'm looking at.

Click to expand...

Not exactly sure on the gauge of the aluminum. The steel sheet I was looking at was 16 ga, but the aluminum was listed as something different I don't remember what it said. I think it might be to thin for for a seat pan. It wasn't terribly rigid until I got it bent up. Good luck.

chrisf said:

It minimizes the areas where the jigsaw catches and pulls it out of shape. On your tray, though, this issue isn't seen when it is installed, so well done. In the corners, where there is a gap, $10-$20 should pay to have it TIGed...or you could just leave it.

Click to expand...

Good tip on the ply wood.

I haven't decided what I'm doing with the corners yet. I'm on a pretty strict budget so even an extra $20 makes a difference. I'm going to just paint it the same color as the frame so I've been thinking about filling them using JB weld and then sand and smooth. Tell me what you think.

Chitown_hillbilly said:

Good tip on the ply wood.

I haven't decided what I'm doing with the corners yet. I'm on a pretty strict budget so even an extra $20 makes a difference. I'm going to just paint it the same color as the frame so I've been thinking about filling them using JB weld and then sand and smooth. Tell me what you think.

Click to expand...

I'd just leave it then; it doesn't look bad. Make sure you etch the aluminum before you paint it. Any oil--even from your hands--will ensure that a primer will not stick. Also, make sure you use a good etch primer as well.

--Chris

Chris, What do you use as etch primer? I always just degrease with acetone and slap on paint.

To me, aluminum is a pain to paint. On my car, I washed everything with a PPG metal etcher/cleaner. I forget what the product number is. Then I used an Eastwood etch primer (rattle can), then paint. I had to wear rubber gloves during the each/clean process because the primer would lift off the item where I touched it with my hand. Note that I painted as liitle aluminum as possible.

The best stuff to use is Alodyn. PPG makes an alodyn product as well, but I forget the name. What you do is let the item soak in an Alodyn bath. Then remove it and prime/paint clear. Alodyn makes thousands of tiny hook for the primer to grab on to. You know that scene in Spiderman 1 where he looks at his hands and hundreds on tiny hooks pop out? That's what alodyn looks like under a microscope.

--Chris