Novafrk
New Member
Hello all,
My Big Arse Project started May 15th. The said "73 Honda CB350, runs, rides well, complete, rough, needs work - $200." Sounded like a good starter bike. I called the guy and first thing he says is "Well it's got title issues." <great I love a good challenge> He has a title that has been signed over to a guy that has since died, and the nephew of the dead uncle sold it to the guy I bought it from and I don't have a bill of sale... I'll pause for everyone to catch up... Wow that is a cluster fuch of a title issue but I ain't skeered came to mind and I went to look at the bike... what a train wreck. But it only had 9k on the odometer and I do love a mechanical challenge. <don't we all> Well the engine was froze, so the runs and rides went out the window, it was / is missing the side covers, there went complete, BUT in it's defense it was rough and did need work... so I negotiated the price down to 80 dollars... I now know I was taken... live and learn.
I got the bike home had the engine unstuck in 15 minutes, determined that the electrics were complete with no shorts but the rectifier was bad. The starter turned over the engine well, so I thought I had made good progress. Saturday morning I took the title and a bill of sale from the guy I purchased it from and went to the BMV. The woman actually said "Sir you are screwed." I laughed and she then told me I would have to take my story to a small claims court and hope the judge would award me a title. I went home slightly disappointed, to say the least.
I decided to buy a set of spark plugs and see if I could get the bike to run. The fuel tank smelled like an old can of turpentine... so I washed it out well and prayed that I got all the rust nasties out of it. Some fresh 93 octane, new plugs and a boost from the battery charger / starter and I'll be damned if the engine didn't fire up and run! Hope was restored. So on a wave of optimism I did a white pages search for the guy listed on the title. One person came back still living 5 blocks from where the bike was last titled and it had a phone number. I called and left a message and the guy called me back by 2. It was the guy that owned the bike and he was willing to get a duplicate title and sign it over to me! Yes I bought a lottery ticket, no I didn't hit.
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk43/Novafrk/CB350G%20rebuild/100_2523-1.jpg
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk43/Novafrk/CB350G%20rebuild/100_2522-1.jpg
As she stood at the end of day two. I'll post more later.
Novafrk
My Big Arse Project started May 15th. The said "73 Honda CB350, runs, rides well, complete, rough, needs work - $200." Sounded like a good starter bike. I called the guy and first thing he says is "Well it's got title issues." <great I love a good challenge> He has a title that has been signed over to a guy that has since died, and the nephew of the dead uncle sold it to the guy I bought it from and I don't have a bill of sale... I'll pause for everyone to catch up... Wow that is a cluster fuch of a title issue but I ain't skeered came to mind and I went to look at the bike... what a train wreck. But it only had 9k on the odometer and I do love a mechanical challenge. <don't we all> Well the engine was froze, so the runs and rides went out the window, it was / is missing the side covers, there went complete, BUT in it's defense it was rough and did need work... so I negotiated the price down to 80 dollars... I now know I was taken... live and learn.
I got the bike home had the engine unstuck in 15 minutes, determined that the electrics were complete with no shorts but the rectifier was bad. The starter turned over the engine well, so I thought I had made good progress. Saturday morning I took the title and a bill of sale from the guy I purchased it from and went to the BMV. The woman actually said "Sir you are screwed." I laughed and she then told me I would have to take my story to a small claims court and hope the judge would award me a title. I went home slightly disappointed, to say the least.
I decided to buy a set of spark plugs and see if I could get the bike to run. The fuel tank smelled like an old can of turpentine... so I washed it out well and prayed that I got all the rust nasties out of it. Some fresh 93 octane, new plugs and a boost from the battery charger / starter and I'll be damned if the engine didn't fire up and run! Hope was restored. So on a wave of optimism I did a white pages search for the guy listed on the title. One person came back still living 5 blocks from where the bike was last titled and it had a phone number. I called and left a message and the guy called me back by 2. It was the guy that owned the bike and he was willing to get a duplicate title and sign it over to me! Yes I bought a lottery ticket, no I didn't hit.
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk43/Novafrk/CB350G%20rebuild/100_2523-1.jpg
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk43/Novafrk/CB350G%20rebuild/100_2522-1.jpg
As she stood at the end of day two. I'll post more later.
Novafrk