Toyotacrawler
She's got the jimmy legs
A buddy and I picked up two 1975 CB360T's around December with the thought of both of us building a Cafe Racer. I've been working on mine off and on since December and thought I'd show my progress here. My buddy really hasn't had the time to work on his due to his career so he told me to use whatever I need from his to complete mine if need be. Yes, I've needed things haha!
Here is what I started with.
The bike did not run but I was told it ran before put in storage the previous year. Well, I did what any newbie would do and started tearing the bike down and removing things I knew I would replace and also trimming tabs I knew I wouldn't use. I should have repaired the bike into a solid running reliable platform before tear down but oh well. I've since learned that this was not the correct path but I can't time travel so I must move forward.
Tab trimming..
Once the reality set in that I needed a working running engine before I needed a trimmed and sleeked up frame with a cafe seat I concentrated on the parts required to make the engine purr.
I restored the tank using POR15 which came out fantastic! I purchased a couple of carb rebuild kits, a new fuel petcock and gas tank cap seal from Brenden at CB360.com. Great guy and very helpful with my questions.
Tank
New Petcock and rebuilt carbs. This past weekend I soda blasted the carbs and painted the Diaphragm covers that I got from plagrone.
I rigged up a working harness just to test fire the engine. Once everything was hooked up I tried using the starter to get her to fire. I tried all week long using the starter and a battery with no results whatsoever. I just assumed that kicking it off would never happen. Yep I was wrong. On the third kick she fired right up.
After the test fire I noticed a couple of oil leaks and decided that I would replace all the gaskets and so the tear down continued. I pulled the motor and soda blasted it then began to tear her down.
I had the cylinders honed and valves lapped as well as the pistons cleaned.
After all that cleaning I wiped the head and cylinder down with Acetone and rattle canned it with Rustoleum high temp primer and black paint. I don't know how long the paint will last but I'm not making a show bike I'm making a commuter. I let the paint cure for a day or two and in the meantime I used a brass wire wheel on the case. I originally wanted to paint the case black but I didn't want to split it and couldn't figure out the best way to paint without splitting it so that's when I tried the wire wheel approach. I like the result.
After all that I installed the new gaskets, piston rings, painted cylinder and head with the assistance of my wife, yea she kicks ass.
Here is how the motor sits now.
On days that I didn't do engine work I fiddled with the frame. Cutting tabs off, wire wheeling it etc. etc.
Here is the frame as she sits now.
Chopped front fender.
I need to buy a seat hoop and get it welded on so that I can get the frame to my powder guy. He's going to be coating a few items for me along the way.
I'm trying to get a box of parts ready for him so he can do it all at once. All will be Flat or Matte black.
I have also been polishing some parts i.e. side covers and what not. I couldn't resist placing the right side cover on a few weeks back just to see what it will look like.
I like it
More to come. I think this is enough for the first post ;D
Here is what I started with.
The bike did not run but I was told it ran before put in storage the previous year. Well, I did what any newbie would do and started tearing the bike down and removing things I knew I would replace and also trimming tabs I knew I wouldn't use. I should have repaired the bike into a solid running reliable platform before tear down but oh well. I've since learned that this was not the correct path but I can't time travel so I must move forward.
Tab trimming..
Once the reality set in that I needed a working running engine before I needed a trimmed and sleeked up frame with a cafe seat I concentrated on the parts required to make the engine purr.
I restored the tank using POR15 which came out fantastic! I purchased a couple of carb rebuild kits, a new fuel petcock and gas tank cap seal from Brenden at CB360.com. Great guy and very helpful with my questions.
Tank
New Petcock and rebuilt carbs. This past weekend I soda blasted the carbs and painted the Diaphragm covers that I got from plagrone.
I rigged up a working harness just to test fire the engine. Once everything was hooked up I tried using the starter to get her to fire. I tried all week long using the starter and a battery with no results whatsoever. I just assumed that kicking it off would never happen. Yep I was wrong. On the third kick she fired right up.
After the test fire I noticed a couple of oil leaks and decided that I would replace all the gaskets and so the tear down continued. I pulled the motor and soda blasted it then began to tear her down.
I had the cylinders honed and valves lapped as well as the pistons cleaned.
After all that cleaning I wiped the head and cylinder down with Acetone and rattle canned it with Rustoleum high temp primer and black paint. I don't know how long the paint will last but I'm not making a show bike I'm making a commuter. I let the paint cure for a day or two and in the meantime I used a brass wire wheel on the case. I originally wanted to paint the case black but I didn't want to split it and couldn't figure out the best way to paint without splitting it so that's when I tried the wire wheel approach. I like the result.
After all that I installed the new gaskets, piston rings, painted cylinder and head with the assistance of my wife, yea she kicks ass.
Here is how the motor sits now.
On days that I didn't do engine work I fiddled with the frame. Cutting tabs off, wire wheeling it etc. etc.
Here is the frame as she sits now.
Chopped front fender.
I need to buy a seat hoop and get it welded on so that I can get the frame to my powder guy. He's going to be coating a few items for me along the way.
I'm trying to get a box of parts ready for him so he can do it all at once. All will be Flat or Matte black.
I have also been polishing some parts i.e. side covers and what not. I couldn't resist placing the right side cover on a few weeks back just to see what it will look like.
I like it
More to come. I think this is enough for the first post ;D