1973 CB350F

[sumomo]

So I've been doing my fair share of lurking and I just recently picked up a CB350F, well at least pieces of it from a fellow dotheton-er whose username I do not know (but if you're reading this you might want to know that you mounted the rear wheel backwards lol). Anyhow this will probably be one of those slow and shoddy builds on a budget being that I am a student and girlfriends don't come cheap. The OEM seat is nice and unripped so it is unlikely that I'm going to rip it apart for it's seat pan. The tank is pretty bad but I haven't gotten the keys to look inside yet.

Pics:

Things to do:
re-prime and paint frame (or powder coat pending price but I picked up some rattlecans)
strip paint from tank and coat with POR15 or some other anti-rust agent (I want a metal semi-chrome finish)
add knee dents to existing dent
make a seat (might origami some sheet metal with pliers)
rearsets (mounted on passenger peg mounts) & clipons (or the cheaper clubmans)
pod filters & associated jets

oh yea..and put her back together and into running order.


So I'm studying Human Kinetics (kinesiology) at UBC which means that the last mechanical course I ever took was in grade 9 though I did work as a lot guy part time for 5 years at a car dealership and know some techs. Other than that I've done a lot of searching and googling to read up on concepts most of you consider second nature. So here goes nothing!

 

[dcmspikes]

love those tanks. welcome aboard.

 

[sumomo]

Well progress has been pretty slow... I haven't been able to arrange a time to go get the keys and so I can't do anything with the tank. The weather has been wet so I can't really paint - the frame is half done.

Things that have arrived in the mail: chain, POR15, pod filters (non K&N). I pulled the sparkplugs and they were quite black so i decided against my better judgement to take apart the top end and see how things were in the cylinders. Wasn't as bad as I thought but now I have my engine looking like many pictures I've seen on here. Except for the fact that I dont know what to do with it.

Still need to figure out something for pipes down the line. Tried to do a handlebar swap and ran into the issue with the wires that run inside the bars. Has anyone ever made themselves some JB Weld clip-ons? (collar + bar?). I was also looking into something called Sintra to build a seat out of... it's moldable plastic board and I figure I could give it a shot since it seems easy to work with. Anyone have experience with it? And know where I could find some in vancouver?

 

[bikeboy]

Has anyone ever made themselves some JB Weld clip-ons? (collar + bar?).

Please tell me you're not thinking of doing what I think you're thinking of doing???? ???

That is *not* the way to build motorcycles. Do it properly for your own safety's sake.

please excuse me if I've misinterpreted your intentions.

ian

 

[Tristan]

DO NOT RIP THAT SEAT APART!!!

I sold my seat on ebay for $110

You can buy yourself a fiberglass seat that's more proportionate to the tank with that cash.....

Tank too, mine was in worse shape then yours appears to be and I got like $125 for it.

And if you have the tool tray with the cover, they are worth something too, $65 extra dollars towards my build.

 

[kingofthenuggets]

For your engine question now that you have the top end apart I would say a new cylinder head gasket, looks like you have some oil leakage on the front side there. Peeling off the old gasket and replacing should fix that ... JB Weld kinda sucks so I would only use it for small cosmetic issues like a broken fin or something ... NOT attaching functional parts to each other. I'm sure someone can make you what you are looking for. Good luck!!

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

+1 to what Tristan said, as I am sure you know these 350F's are pretty rare, and kinda desireable only being made a couple years. There are purists out the who cringe at what we are doing (Heh heh) and willing to pay good money for the parts we are taking off. I plan on doing the same with all my spare left over parts, once I am sure what I no longer want to keep that is.
Welcome to the "Anybody can restore a bike, but it takes a real man to cut one up!" club. ;D

 

[sumomo]

Please tell me you're not thinking of doing what I think you're thinking of doing???? ???

That is *not* the way to build motorcycles. Do it properly for your own safety's sake.

please excuse me if I've misinterpreted your intentions.

ian

Well reading through the $50 mod thread I found some pretty odd things and some people swear by JB Weld so I was just wondering if the two had ever been suggested but I guess not and for good reason.

 

[Haligonian]

I was also looking into something called Sintra to build a seat out of... it's moldable plastic board and I figure I could give it a shot since it seems easy to work with. Anyone have experience with it? And know where I could find some in vancouver?
[/quote]


We use Sintra alot in the signage industry. Sintra is a PVC plastic and is also know as other names (ie. Intecell is the same as Sintra). I live in Halifax Nova Scotia and we buy it from sign material suppliers - ND Graphics, Proveer (formerly East West Plastics), and EM Plactics. All three of these companies have Vancouver locations and should have it in stock. It comes in numerous colours including black. Don't know how well it will work for you though (I'd recommend Aluminum).

 

[sumomo]

It took me almost a year but I sort of have the engine in the frame.

Missing some mounting bolts which are on order.

 

[CresentSon]

Holy Hell, you should post this in the 'how to bring a thread back from the dead' section. Glad to see you're back at it.