CB350 build..

[stu]

i found this site awhile ago after searching CB350 on the web. it's been a great source of info and ideas which i've been filling my head with while i waited for the bike project to get it's turn. the time has come.

there's a thread on the intro board....

http://dotheton.com/index.php?topic=7244.0

about five years ago, a mate asked me if i'd like his bikes as his mum had had enough. they'd been there for quite some time. yes, he is a very good mate.

the bikes went straight to another friends place where i stored them for 2 years and then that friend moved. i jammed them in my tiny back yard and there they sat while i renovated the house. time came to demolish the old lean-to shed and they were shipped to my girl friends house. there they sat for 2 more months.

they went on holidays and left me to look after their dog for a week and the time came to get started.

this is the bike i'll be attempting to get running and then road-worthy.



it's a 1972 CB 250 frame no. CB250 302****

is there any difference between the frames for 250's and 350's?
is there any difference between the transmission for the 250's and 350's?

i also have another whole bike. i can't seem to find the frame no. were they stamped in a different place on the later frames?

i also have another frame. it's a 1971 frame no. CB350 204****. it was almost a bike when i got it. the trees and the forks had been removed.

there was also this.......



it wasn't in boxes like this.


















the instruments look ok.


the light went in the bin. i have three others.




i hope to use this 350 motor on this bike.


i like this tyre. looks nice and vintage. i'll let someone who knows what they're talking about decide whether it's any good.


her name is dizzy. it's actually a pig in a dog suit.

there's quite a bit of stuff but there's also some stuff missing. it'll be hard to build three bikes but two shouldn't be impossible. the third may be a 350 frame and engine but i'll use modern parts off other bikes.

most, if not all of the stuff has been weathered.

[dentedvw]

Holy smokes! that's certainly "barn fresh". 
I like the paint scheme on the tank, are you keeping it, or planning on another color?

Gotta say, you have your work cut out for you.

The 250 motor looks a lot like the 350, I have to wonder how much difference there really is.

[BigBSBusa]

That's a lot of stuff.  Should be fun trying to put it all together.

[Wee Todd]

nice pup,,,and your stuff is barn fresh!!!!

[stu]

my plan is to put it together with little spent as possible. i'm going to strip everything off, check it for wear, grease it back up. get it started, ride around the block and then replace the bits that are needed to make it safe and reliable. paint and delux parts will come after it's road worthy.

so i began sorting through the boxes.

lots of top end engine bits. heaps of fork bits. a few mirrors. heaps of wires.

there are some odd brake parts. they're not from a cb350. i also have a suzuki tail light. go figure.





the top plate is from a cb350 for reference. anyone?

i think this bottom tree is a bit off. if i bend this back, how do i do it without weakening the metal? heat?



i had heaps of wheels and i began pulling the brakes out. i liked this rim the best but the brakes were so so...





this is what fell out. it's like shell grit. i think its oxidised aluminium.



not beyond hope but too much for now.

i found a good one.



i did the same for the rear. there's a bit of surface rust on the rim but it all adds to the patina.

not too bad fro a day.

[stu]

days two and three were spent on the forks.

i bought some fork seals and oil and was pleasantly surprised at how easy the forks were to remove. the one with a missing top cap took some persuasion but stripping them down was easy too.

the seals didn't fit.

the threads in the top of the right fork pipe were rusted out as was the pipe.

all of my spares had various problems.

it was a stretch but i had the parts for a pair and i would get the right seals the next day.....

they didn't have my seals at two different shops.

i decided to use the old seals and pull the forks off again later when i rebuild for roadworthy.

getting them back into the trees while they were still on the bike was a challenge. to make the fork pipe remain extended while i slipped it up the gaiters and ears i cut down an old, partially-stripped fork-cap, slotted the top for a screw driver and made a plug. 



forks back on. wheel in place.



handle bars on upside down. the fat fork look with the gaiters and ears is growing on me. i may spray them with some matt silver to try and get them to look like the legs. i like the slapped together way this is turning out. i like it with no fender and this old tyre but its getting a fender. eventually.

end of day three.

[stu]

so i pulled the rear wheel then decided to play.

so to answer the question earlier about the tank...

i have this one.



this one.





cd i75 i think. i like the vintage thing but it'll need some persuasion.

this one.





i like this fat gas cap. i also have the same tank in green.

i think there's a red version of the first gold one too.

i also have this seat. it's a side mount and mine is a rear mount. i was planning a two-up. i think half the reason i want to ride is to have my girl wrapped around me.



i was hoping for something more like this.



i pulled the old seat off.



put the new rear wheel back on.



pulled the motor. and rolled it outside and degreased the frame and gave it a quick scrub. it wasn't too filthy considering it's 38 years old.



i started sorting out the bars and the controls.

all of my accelerator / front brake controls are broken. i'm going to need a replacement.

if any one knows of a motorcycle wrecker in melbourne, australia that has vintage bikes, especially honda, could they let me know. actually any wrecker as i may replace the controls and the bars. suggestions for a swap? i need cable front brakes.



definitely going with dropped bars.

end of day four.

[goodfornothing]

Wow that's cool! It's like having a box of legos without the instructions. Good luck on the build man! Can't wait to see it when it's finished!

[hillsy]

if any one knows of a motorcycle wrecker in melbourne, australia that has vintage bikes, especially honda, could they let me know. actually any wrecker as i may replace the controls and the bars. suggestions for a swap? i need cable front brakes.

G'day Stu,

Go to any wrecker or bike shop that does aftermarket parts and ask to look at their MCS catalogue. They have replacement generic switchblocks that will suit. For the brake lever, think dirtbike (still with MCS) and buy the lever AND perch. All Jap bars are the same diameter so they will bolt up. Keep the updates comin' 

[gunnabuild1]

Mate I hope this is of some use,I've got a clymer manual here that says the only difference between the 250 and the 350 is the cylinder bore so I would assume the frames are pretty much interchangeable as well.Like the 250 and 400 superhawks.
My first bike was a gold 250 I wish I'd kept it.Young and dumb never heard that before.
Dont be too quick to get rid of that twin leading shoe front  drum from memory it worked quite well with just a little bit of regular adjustment.
Polishes up nice too.
Also this manual covers from 64 to 74 so you should be okay with swapping back and forth between years to make up one working bike.
Also with your selection of frames CB and CL are the same but the SL has slightly less steering head angle.
Got pictures of mine stuck in the front cover of the manual,it was old then[1985]
For parts http://auction.netbikes.com.au/index.php? might be useful.
Good luck be watching with interest if you need info from the manual give us a yell.
Glenn

[stu]

thanks for the brake / wrecker info. i'm going to spend some time on the phone tomorrow.

i agree with you about the 250 / 350 similarities. the frames are the same. the barrels and pistons seem to be the only difference in the engines. i imagine the heads and the bottom ends are the same. i'm sure someone will correct me if i'm wrong. i can't see honda retooling unnecessarily.

i spent today playing with wires. it was relatively painless and i ended up getting the harness mostly connected and taped to the frame with the headlight together, although no globe yet. the bucket needs some fiberglass on the top where the rim hooks on. it looks like a standard break for these things.

i found i also need an ignition switch, a rear stop light switch, a pair of indicators, the 360 ones i have are way to big and new looking, some rubber tank mounts and the hardware to attach the brake rod to the arm.

this arvo i dragged the motor out and degreased it. it cleaned quite easily and still has nearly all of it's silver paint on the fins. as i was leaving it to dry i noticed one of the bottom front engine mounts is smashed. i'm going to install the engine anyway and test it in the bike. if all is ok i have a couple of bottom crank case spares to swap it over with. yay, more challenges.

sorry about the lack of pics today i just got lost in the tasks. i'll take some tomorrow.

end of day five.

greasy grins.

[stu]

first up here's a few picks of yesterdays efforts.



controls, headlight and wiring. i took my time and cleaned things as they went together. it is a lot like lego with no instructions GFN. it's worse in the respect that bits are missing and when you have a choice, who know which one works.

i can't bear to look at it with the bars up so i reversed them and dropped them. they're unusable this way, the brake levers busted anyway. i can just flip 'em and stand them upright if i have to, but i'll prob have something else by the time i need to.

i slapped the tank and seat back on for proportion and i'm liking this combo more and more. besides this tank fits and the other two need encouragement. i may make all three fit eventually and swap 'em over when my mood suits. play dress ups.



i think i'll reduce the seat though. cut it down and strap it back together.

nice clean-ish engine.



busted right front bottom mount. yeah yeah i'll fix it. honest.



the washers did actually grab it a bit...

hardware ready



and in it goes.




this angle gives me vertigo.

it went really smoooothly. i would have scratched a fresh frame but with a bit of practice, and i know i'll get it.....

the arvo was spent putting on the right side stock pipe, easy, and then trying to get the generator off the 250 motor. it was tough trying to stop the engine turning.

the manual says.... "place a metal bar through one of the little end bosses. (what are they?). rest this bar on pieces of wood placed on top of the crankcase . ?.

anyway, with heat, two of my largest screw divers, the final drive sprocket, my leg and a good socket wrench with the medium bar on and pop, out comes the bolt.

i had to do the same with the gear puller and the generator.

i'd like to know an easier way, i'm sure there is one, and i know i'll have to do it again.

i think the same way with gaskets. i'll use silicone if i have to but if you pull that part again it's a hassle to clean. i bought paper.



i didn't take any picks after i stood the bike, except gaskets. they'll come tomorrow.



this site's diagrams for my year and model are great. considering that not much was where it should be and that which was has been slapped on. knowing bolts and washers is a great help.

http://www.cmsnl.com/honda-cb350-super-sport-350-k2-general-export_model16560/partslist/


i didn't get to the phone todayy. spent the whole day wrenching and the same is planned for most of tomorrow.
 
end of day six

grease.

[stu]

i've been perving on this pick for a bit.



i want to lower the forks with out losing that chunky bit. i think something as simple as some later model trees and forks, still using the gold bits. cut down or not.

i want the seat to be a third of it's thickness. the lines of the tank and seat will come together with a rear tank mount. 

i can also see a head light with a speedo in it, for rego. crappy and old i hope.

i like the idea of a bike that is basically stock but twisted to go faster. i've looked at the addiction of perfection but i'm better at rat. (the ratting of parts together).

still thinking.....

grease

[stu]

here's some shots of yesterday arvo's work.

left pipe,



and generator.



today i had to clean up the house and the garage. both came up well. i managed to get the right pipe, the starter motor, (whose days are numbered), and the right side covers on.

i slapped the seat and tank back on for pondering. i like the look of the bike with neither on.



getting warmer....

i'm going to clean the carbs over the next few days.

grease

[mnc2fan]

Nice another cb350 build, well in that same ball park that is.

Coming along nice. Any updates on this one?