75 CL360 Cafe Build

[MrMister]

Well im about half way with the project, but a friend of mine suggested i write about it so here i am.

Started off as a $250 ebay doorstop missing the engine. Bent forks, bent shock, dents (and wasps) in the frame with a lot of mud and rocks too. Right now its in a million pieces in a million places.

Ive gotten rid of the old rusted seat, and decided to go with a fiberglass seat from Airtech.
The speedometers mile counter was completely melted and distorted, so im looking for a good replacement.

Bought a fairly good K2 tank with rubber knee grips on ebay because i like the look more.
Took the frame, tank and seat to get sprayed a few days ago, cant wait to see it.

Bent the forks straight and got new seals. Finally got around to pulling the wiring out of the handlebars. The bent and welded handlebars that melted the wiring when the idiots welded the extra brace to the bar

Will post more.

 

[MrMister]

Frame

Stripped it and sprayed it with an epoxy enamel. About a week later i strippped it again because it chipped and scratched very easily. Getting it powder coated now.

 

[MrMister]

Tank and Seat

This is after i stripped the frame down again. Also had to make mounts for the fiberglass seat. Used flat and 90 degree aluminum strips from the hardware store to make it fit.

 

[jeffreyhardy]

Re: 71 CB350 Cafe Project

we're at the same stage right now. How much did they quote to powdercoat the frame?

 

[MrMister]

Frame

we're at the same stage right now. How much did they quote to powdercoat the frame?

Luckily i know the owner of the place, so the frame plus the tank and seat and little bits are about $500

 

[TFWG]

Re: 71 CB350 Cafe Project

Looks like we have the same tank and seat combo. Nice choice! Are you going to upholster the seat? What color scheme are you going for on the tank and seat?

 

[MrMister]

upholstery

Looks like we have the same tank and seat combo. Nice choice! Are you going to upholster the seat? What color scheme are you going for on the tank and seat?

Cool, yeah not sure what colour to make the upholstery yet, probably just black. Making the frame metalic blue and the tank and seat silver with metalic blue. something like this...
Hows the side exhaust system working for you? Ive been thinking about that as an option. Does it get hot by your leg on longer trips? Also, which rearsets did you go for?

 

[Barnburner]

Re: 71 CB350 Cafe Project

This project looks promising! What color are you powdercoating the frame? Black is always a safe choice but there's a lot of nice 350s out there with lighter colored frames that really pop. I agree that the earlier tanks have better lines. I've got a 71 CL350 I'm about to start working on, and it's got a rusted tank. I'll probably clean it up a but I'm tempted to just get a new tank.

 

[Barnburner]

Re: 71 CB350 Cafe Project

Just saw your update. The blue/silver combo should look sweeeet 8)

 

[MrMister]

Re: 71 CB350 Cafe Project

Just saw your update. The blue/silver combo should look sweeeet 8)

Thanks, i hope so ;D
How do you find the side pipes? Do you burn your leg now and then?

 

[MrMister]

Engine

I bought an engine a couple of months ago, and finally got around to working on it a few days ago. The kick start would only sometimes turn over, so i knew there had to be something broken in there. Pulled it apart and found a few pieces of the bottom engine casing is buggered. Turns out it must have heppened before. The kickstart recoil was loose and destroying everything in its path. Whoever worked on it before just used a bolt to attach it to the engine case again and when it came loose (again) it broke a few pieces in there causing them to get jammed in the gears. Top it all off, because the kickstart was no longer attached to the recoil spring it just went around in circles breaking the side cover, so (whoever) just patched it up with steel epoxy or something.
So had to get a new bottom half engine case, and kickstart recoil spring.

 

[MrMister]

Engine 2

New engine case and recoil spring ;D

 

[MrMister]

Engine

Looks like the entire top end was rebuilt not too long ago. Pistons and valves look practically brand new. Couple of rings broken on the pistons, thats about it.

 

[TFWG]

Re: 71 CB350 Cafe Project

That will look awesome! I don't even notice the pipes getting hot at all with the shield on. I am actually removing the high pipes and putting on a custom system that goes under the engine. I want to leave the midsection open, so the high pipes must go! I got the universal rear sets from Fast from the Past.


Looking forward to watching this thread! Have fun!

 

[jeffreyhardy]

Re: 71 CB350 Cafe Project

Thanks, i hope so ;D
How do you find the side pipes? Do you burn your leg now and then?

I have a set of the side pipes I can sell you for cheap Just pulled them off my CL350 which is the model they came on. They are in GREAT condition!

 

[MrMister]

Re: 71 CB350 Cafe Project

I have a set of the side pipes I can sell you for cheap Just pulled them off my CL350 which is the model they came on. They are in GREAT condition!

Thanks really appreciate it, but the shipping to australia would probably twice as much as the price. I saw this one pick of custom 2 into 1 pipes that look really good. So i was thinking of trying something like that later on. But i think ill just get some short down facing headers or something for now. Luckily dont have to worry about mufflers over here on bikes before 1974 i think.

 

[MrMister]

Re: 71 CB350 Cafe Project

That will look awesome! I don't even notice the pipes getting hot at all with the shield on. I am actually removing the high pipes and putting on a custom system that goes under the engine. I want to leave the midsection open, so the high pipes must go! I got the universal rear sets from Fast from the Past.


Looking forward to watching this thread! Have fun!

Cool thanks, i checked out your blog site too. Quite a bit done already. Yeah if i do end up going with the side pipes ill either have them without the mufflers and just heat wrap them, or do a 2 into one custom, but im not sure where ill start with trying to set that up over here.

 

[Barnburner]

Re: 71 CB350 Cafe Project

I thankfully haven't burned my leg yet. I'm missing the heat shield for the pipes so I could see it happening, though. I'm considering wrapping them if I can't find the part.

 

[TFWG]

Re: 71 CB350 Cafe Project

I tried the stock 2 into 2 headers without mufflers and they are ungodly loud. I was afraid I was going to lose my hearing so I shut the engine off in a hurry. There is a difference between sounding 'cool' and just freakin loud. ;D

 

[MrMister]

Re: 71 CB350 Cafe Project

I tried the stock 2 into 2 headers without mufflers and they are ungodly loud. I was afraid I was going to lose my hearing so I shut the engine off in a hurry. There is a difference between sounding 'cool' and just freakin loud. ;D

Haha, True, also not a good idea to attract too much attention either. Get pulled over for noise pollution then get fined for missing the chain guard or whatever All important points to consider.
Have to thank you too. When i had a look at your blog i saw how nice your forks came out with just the polish, so i went and got some yesterday to shine up the wheels and forks and they came out brilliantly.