'72 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread

Hoosier Daddy

Hoosier Daddy

Earache my eye...
Right in the middle of my GL1100 Bobber build I ran across this little CB-350 four. Today I swapped a guy straight up for my no title, seized engine '81 GL parts donor bike I am relativley sure I won't be needing any more parts from. This one is supposed to be a runner ::) and I have the title in hand. 11,900 mile on the clock. I can tell once upon a time it was layed down lightly on the right side, seat road rash, right side cover missing, the right headlamp ear was bent, the handlebar was a lil tweeked and the home made mufflers on that side.. Nothing I am going to keep anyway! Seems those ugly ass highway bars and luggage rack had protected all the vitals ;D






Unloading it from the trailer today I was reminded at how light a motorcycle CAN be when it's not an 1100!!! Want to get the stale gas out, new plugs, battery and change all the fluids, maybe clean the float bowls before I fire it up for the first time as MINE. Then, once running, this ones gonna be an all out cafe build and plan on loosing must of what you can see here! Thats where you all come in.
Even though she's older... because she is a flyweight compared to the GL, I dub thee "LIL Sister"
Stevie Ray Vaughan- Look At Little Sister (montreux 85')
 
Re: '74 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread

I was able to make a little progress today, drained the old oil and filled with straight weight 30 and a 1/2 quart of Marvel Mystery Oil, Lubed the chain, cables, etc. With a little fresh gas, rolled her over a couple times with the kicker, I worked the throttle while I lubed the linkage and closed the choke, connected my 12v booster box to the battery terminals and gave her a kick. Fired right off, first kick!!!! ;D
Once she warmed up some, I started letting off the choke and after a short time she settled into a 1000rpm idle, kinda rough, but would idle all on her own with no choke. Working the throttle had to be slow to rev without a stumble at first but that improved quite a bit the more she ran. The tach is awefull sslow to respond, I verified each header pipe was getting hot and shut her down. I turned the key back on and checked all the lights, only things that didn't work was the high beam and the T/Signals light but don't flash.... no biggy!
Took off the crash bar / highway pegs and the rear luggage rack. She looks much better. Front brake didn't release so I loosened the caliper... More work there to do I guess, huh.
Wound up firing her back up 3 times, and she ran better every time. I got out my meter and she is charging 14.6V. Original owner thought the starter switch might be bad, yeah I had my doubts... but even the starter motor works when I jumper the solinoid.
Now when I pulled #1 and #3 plug wires there is not much change in idle. I checked the plug wires go to two different coils. Pulled the plugs and they were damp, cleaned them with a brass brush and rechecked. Now she is smoothing out off idle but she is not consistant at idle, I can hear cylinders come in then drop out.
So I still have more work ahead of me.... but she's officially a RUNNER!
 
Re: '74 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread

Today it got up to almost 60 (F) degrees, I took the Lil Sister out for a bath, the day I brought her home it was right after a bad snowstorm and there was salt EVERYWHERE! Started out with Simple green and a couple of brushes, then soapy sponge and a good rinse, followed by a little 0000 steel wool on the chrome parts I was planning on keeping. She looked so good, I felt kinda bad about cafe'ing her out... NOT!

Next thing ya know, she looks like this.




Clubmans should be here any time, then off comes the fork covers and the front turn signals. Going to my "new old mates" Thursday to make a seat out of their mold. Then time to buy more parts.
 
Re: '74 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread

Clubmans came in the mail. I drilled them for the pins on the controls and then notched them for running the wiring internal like the originals... then pulled the wires WHAT A PITA!!! I had even deburred the slots I cut with a rat tail file, but pulling the wires past that welded corner SUCKED..
But finshed product was worth it, looks good. I re-routed the thattle cables and got it to where it's free even when full left or right.
Next I gotta make a seat and figure out what tabbs to grind off.
 
Re: '74 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread

Have been posting on other threads here while ignoring my own... ::)
After getting the Clubmans on my eye was constantly drawn to the ugly headlight ears these things were bent and rusted and stuck out like a sore thumb. When the bike was laid down the headlamp ear on the right side must have got folded and the lowers both had nasty creases, and those HUGE turn signals gotta go!




So off came the front forks, I had the intent of doing away with the ears and lower covers, and probably still will later, but the forks were pretty nasty and the tubes were kinda spindley looking. This bike was so close to being a runner for this summer I decided to just spruce them all up a bit.



I chucked up a round steel rod in the vice and got out my old body hammers and dollys and massaged out the dents, then stripped the paint and wire wheeled the rust. A few coats of primer then 4 coats of aluminum color and they looked a heck of a lot better.




Next came the rusty tubes. I used a wire wheel, scotchbrite, 0000 steel wool, and a little Mothers aluminum polish in that order and all is well...



Reassebled, installed the bar end mirror and the right side cover I got from "Honda guy", stood back for a look-see. Much better!




Remounted the stock seat, installed the new Battery and actually went for a RIDE! Not far, started out just to the corner and back, but then turned and went around some curves on a side road, maybe 3 miles total.. first time in a LOOOONNNNG time I felt the wind in my face. Fuckin awesome!

Still need to do a seat and now I am going to paint the sun faded top and upper sides of the tank silver, leaving the knee dents and side covers red as their paint is in decent shape. Oh and a tail light, probably ought to get one of those before Johnny Law sees me out and about.
 
Re: '74 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread

Fun little machine isn't it! I read somewhere it was Soichiro Honda's favorite. Let me know if you get pics of the tail light bracket. I'm still interested.

BCB
 
Re: '74 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread

Wow, what a great little bike! I would love to have a 350 or 400 four! I cant wait to see this one play out!
 
Re: '74 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread

tWistedWheelz said:
Wow, what a great little bike! I would love to have a 350 or 450 four! I cant wait to see this one play out!
Click to expand...
She is pretty fun to blast short bursts around on the back roads here! The original plans were to clean this one up and flip it but now I have had a change of heart and plans are to get the seat finished,. Need then a partial spray bomb paint job and call it good for the summer. Need to refocus on the GL1100 Bomber build balls out. Then this winter tear this bike completely down for a total rebuild into an all out cafe'.
Muuu Haa Haaaaa
 
Re: '74 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread

Nice start man...If you need any parts hit me up, I have a whole box of take-offs.
 
Re: '74 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread

Looks nice! Seems like you're goin the same route i went in the beginning! Clubmans and strip off some "un-necessary" items! Cant wait to see where you go with it.
 
Re: '74 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread

clean looking scoot. Looks way better already and man you've already felt the wind in your face! What more can you ask? ;D
 
Re: '74 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread

When I saw "Lil Sister" the SRV soundtrack began in my head. 8)
Good name for a sweet bike.
 
Re: '74 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread

That's a nice job you have done cleaning up that little bike. I just read your Bomber thread as well and am duly impressed.

Tony
 
Re: '74 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread


What do you have to do to get the ears and covers off I've never done it before? do I have to worry about compressing the springs or anything?



Hoosier Daddy said:
Have been posting on other threads here while ignoring my own... ::)
After getting the Clubmans on my eye was constantly drawn to the ugly headlight ears these things were bent and rusted and stuck out like a sore thumb. When the bike was laid down the headlamp ear on the right side must have got folded and the lowers both had nasty creases, and those HUGE turn signals gotta go!




So off came the front forks, I had the intent of doing away with the ears and lower covers, and probably still will later, but the forks were pretty nasty and the tubes were kinda spindley looking. This bike was so close to being a runner for this summer I decided to just spruce them all up a bit.



I chucked up a round steel rod in the vice and got out my old body hammers and dollys and massaged out the dents, then stripped the paint and wire wheeled the rust. A few coats of primer then 4 coats of aluminum color and they looked a heck of a lot better.




Next came the rusty tubes. I used a wire wheel, scotchbrite, 0000 steel wool, and a little Mothers aluminum polish in that order and all is well...



Reassebled, installed the bar end mirror and the right side cover I got from "Honda guy", stood back for a look-see. Much better!




Remounted the stock seat, installed the new Battery and actually went for a RIDE! Not far, started out just to the corner and back, but then turned and went around some curves on a side road, maybe 3 miles total.. first time in a LOOOONNNNG time I felt the wind in my face. Fuckin awesome!

Still need to do a seat and now I am going to paint the sun faded top and upper sides of the tank silver, leaving the knee dents and side covers red as their paint is in decent shape. Oh and a tail light, probably ought to get one of those before Johnny Law sees me out and about.
Click to expand...
 
Re: '74 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread

Konasty said:
What do you have to do to get the ears and covers off I've never done it before? do I have to worry about compressing the springs or anything?
Click to expand...

just remove the top tripple tree... no difficulty at all... the just slide off.
 
Re: '74 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread

To pull the ears and covers I put the bike on the centerstand, put a jackstand under the front of the engine to rock back onto the rear wheel and then removed the front wheel,. Loosen the pinch bolts in the upper and lower triple trees and slid out the tubes. Then the headight ears and covers slid out sideways. There are rubber cushions that hold everthing snug but if you are sliding it straight side ways they come right out.

Yea Von, I have been working on the seat, I cut out a cardboard template and trimmed it for a mocked-up.



Then I transfered it over to an old sign I found that was aluminum sheet metal. I cut it out with my bench top jig saw and bent the two pieces using a brake I made from two pieces of wood, a pair of hinges, and a broom stick cut in half. ;D
Found a coffee can was about the right size for the curve of the bum stop. Then I found out TIG welding isn't as easy as it looks! but they are tacked together and I got a buddy who will finish welding it for me.

 
Re: '74 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread

Seat looks clean man, great work on that, should really look killer on there! Any thought on paint scheme? Also, you may have said and I missed it, but do you plan on tearing it down and painting the frame. These fours can be a bitch to completely take the engine out and back in, so you may want to paint the frame with the motor in place! Some aluminum foil (actually a lot of it) can mask the engine nicely and make it a lot easier to get it painted! Just a tip. Alex and I did his frame on Dolores, his CB750 four, this way and it turned out great!
 
Re: '74 CB350F "Lil Sister" build thread

I plan on taking it down to the bare frame for a total re-work once the snow starts flying here again... *shudder*
Really like the OEM Candy / metalic red, but it is in BAAAD shape... regaurdless of the tank / seat colors the frame is getting painted aluminum.
Thanks for the tip on the tin foil, never thought of using that for masking paint.
 
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