Project CB350F cafe brat

[stubsryan]

Hi all. Picked up a 1972 CB350F on gumtree in adelaide, Australia. Everything was disassembled, bar the engine bottom end when I picked it up a couple months back. There are a bunch of missing parts like rear brake assembly, fuel tank, air box, side covers, battery mount and probably a heap of other crap. Because of all the missing bits I'm turning the old girl into a cafe brat. This is my first bike project which should be fun and educational along the way. That being said, I'm a duel trade refrigeration service technician and electrician so I am familiar with tools and the importance of accuracy with moving parts ie the engine etc. I have all the Cb350f manuals on the iPad so with some time, $$ and perseverance I might end up with a cool little bike to get around on. I kind of figure that if I document the build and even 1 person looks at it, it might give me a bit more drive to get it done. Cheers legends


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[stubsryan]

Here are some photos of all the bits I have and the shed with all the spares

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[stubsryan]

Oh and that's a cb360 in the shed. That's another nightmare to deal with


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[stubsryan]

So I have decided to do some work on the forks. The Cb350f forks are rusty but not so much where the seal would be touching under compression. Alternatively I could use some cb360 forks. Not sure which way to go with it

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[stubsryan]

Just took of the alternator and found a bit of rust. Will ohm test the windings to see if it's ok and clean what I can and cover in some spray oil

If at any point anyone what's to tell me I'm doing it wrong then by all means let me know.


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[stubsryan]

So the engine top end was disassembled when I picked it up. It also came with gaskets. I was thinking of getting new rings and putting it back together with honing etc but money is a concern. It's $100 for a set of rings. The history from the PO is that he wanted to rebuild it all and get it back to original but he got too old and worked out that it would never happen and decided to sell. Now I'm thinking I just put it back together and check the compression and if it's ok just continue on with the project. Worst case I remove change the rings etc. hope I'm doing the right thing ‍


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[stubsryan]

Dropped a piston pin clip in the bottom end! Don't build engines and drink! guess I continue and drop the bottom out later ‍


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[stubsryan]

Engine build on hold. Found I'm missing two top rings. Don't know how I missed this. Looks like I'm ordering a new set! It's probably for the better anyway


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[stubsryan]

Ok if anyone is out there, I need new rings and they are $100 odd. For $150 I can get overbore cylinders and rings. Obviously would need matching which from a quick google is $65 a cylinder. Seems a lot to me. Should I get rings or go the ton and make a bigger engine? $400 vs $100


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[Antennaman346]

Hey, I bought that same seat. Can I ask how you plan on fitting it up to the tank? I think I'm going to cut into the white plastic base so that the tank mount doesn't prevent it from snugging up. No matter how you place it, it's got that wicked gap. Your thoughts?

 

[stubsryan]

Hey, I bought that same seat. Can I ask how you plan on fitting it up to the tank? I think I'm going to cut into the white plastic base so that the tank mount doesn't prevent it from snugging up. No matter how you place it, it's got that wicked gap. Your thoughts?

Yeah I was thinking the same thing man. Hopefully I don't butcher the seat but I can't think of another option. It should work


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[stubsryan]

Finally got some piston rings from japan. Hopefully get the engine top end back on soon. Then drop the sump and check the bearings and a general clean and check. Then a soda blast and paint.


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[Odontologist]

So you went with $100 option? I would have done same. Keep it up. I'm in.

 

[stubsryan]

Summer has been busy with air conditioning and freezers but we just hit autumn so I’m getting back into the bike


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[whynot]

What are you doing with the forks........i just had mine off and they seem to be fine.

Hopefully have mine rolling again today.

 

[stubsryan]

Decided to mock up a bit of the bike yesterday. The back rim is the wrong one. So I wanted to change the tank rubber mount locations so the tanks underneath edge runs parallel with the seat. Currently the front dips way down because it’s not a Cb350f tank. The tank I’m using came with a cb360 I got but I feel it might even be a cb250 tank maybe. So the next job is to cut and weld the tabs, fasten the tank and move down the bike to the seat. That’s a bit I’m not real sure about yet. I’m wondering if I should make a seat pan that is hinged so I can easily open the seat or not bother. See, I have the side covers which will be removable and obviously that will give me access to the battery and electrics. So once I work out the seat I will move on to the back loop I need to weld. Then I need to work out the back mud guard so it passes the annoying Australian motorbike laws. All easier said than done ‍


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[stubsryan]

What are you doing with the forks........i just had mine off and they seem to be fine.

Hopefully have mine rolling again today.

I wasn’t going to do anything With the forks BUT I just noticed oil coming from one of the seals. I figure that’s not normal so will need to look at that. Do also have a spare set that I may paint to save some money OR I redo the set. I haven’t read anything up about it yet so I almost have no idea at this stage. Will sus it soon


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[stubsryan]

So you went with $100 option? I would have done same. Keep it up. I'm in.

Yeah mate, hopefully it’s all good. I did snap 1 ring putting them on so I had to use an old ring which sucks.


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[farmer92]

Yeah mate, hopefully it’s all good. I did snap 1 ring putting them on so I had to use an old ring which sucks.


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Hopefully you used the sane ring that was in that location initially. Once rings have seated, they won’t function all that well if you switch them around.

Did you give the cylinders a good hone before putting the new rings in? If not, you can always use my patented poor man’s hone.

Did you get the circlip out of the bottom end? Best to stuff some shop rags around the con rods when the cylinders come off so nothing gets down there.

Keep at it

 

[stubsryan]

Hopefully you used the sane ring that was in that location initially. Once rings have seated, they won’t function all that well if you switch them around.

Did you give the cylinders a good hone before putting the new rings in? If not, you can always use my patented poor man’s hone.

Did you get the circlip out of the bottom end? Best to stuff some shop rags around the con rods when the cylinders come off so nothing gets down there.

Keep at it

Not sure what piston it was from. 1 in 4 chance I guess. Even then, it probably depends where the gaps are lined up with, don’t know.
Yep the boars got honed.
Will keep that in mind about the rags for next time, I think I had been drinking while doing that part ‍still need to open the bottom up to get the steel that fell in. Will be doing that kinda soon now that work has slowed up a bit. Cheers mate


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