TAO --- The South Seattle Cafe Project

[BWJ]

I am going to be putting in some Cycle X parts so I figured I could get some input from everyone on this forum as well. This first post will be the short version just to get up to date of where the build is at currently. Last September I brought home a 1978 CB750 F3 with about 32000 miles on the clock. It was not running but am sure it just needed a new battery and a thorough carb cleaning. I have since got the bike completely torn apart including the engine. I am ready to re-assemble the bottom end and have just picked up a shit ton of parts from my powdercoater including the engine cases. I will pick up the frame and swingarm from powder next week.

Parts already bought and ready to be installed in the lower end-

New cam chain, rollers, and guides
New primary chains
Vesrah gasket kit
APE HD cylinder studs and nuts
New oil seals
New OEM primary chain tensioner
All engine internals cleaned, inspected, and within spec.

Engine parts yet to bought, just saving my pennies-

Cycle X F2 valves, guides, springs, and retainers
Cycle X F2 836 big bore kit
Cycle X cam chain Tensioner
Cycle X cam
Cycle X exhaust (need to decide which one)


OK so enough jibber jabber, here are a few pics of my build progress so far. I would REALLY appreciate any advice, tips, word of encouragment, shit talk or whatever! Thanks for looking and stay tuned as progress develops!

Before!

Drilled rotors

Blasted my engine with plastic media

Broke 4 studs!

Gordon Frame Kit

Head clean up

Fresh Powder Coat

New guage faces

Ready for install

 

[BWJ]

Re: 78 CB750F Cafe

Got my internals all set in place. I am waiting on a countershaft seal then I can seal them up. This task was not nearly as hard as I had made it in my mind. Actually pretty easy. Just take your time and read the manual. I don't plan on putting oil in it for a while so I coated the gears with assembly lube. I also took a few pictures of all the seals needed on the bottom end. I didn't find much info on these items in the manual so hope this helps.

Main oil gallery o-ring

This plug is just pressed in and needs an o-ring.

Front of the engine case

Two plugs on the bottom and one on the side

Neutral switch needs a new o-ring. Note that the switch is just pressed in and not threaded. Also install the o-ring in the engine case first then install the switch. It will never work trying to install the switch with the o-ring already installed on the switch.

Countershaft seal

Crank seal behind the points

one small o-ring goes under the bearing retainer next to the mount screw

If someone notices any o-rings or seals that I did not cover please let me know

 

[BWJ]

Re: 78 CB750F Cafe

Finally got around to snapping some pictures of my engine and finished installing the clutch, starter, alternator and wiring.

Here is the old crusty connectors

New solder, terminals, and shrink wrap

Starter gear. Wished I would have remembered to clean the gasket surfaces before I put the case together!

Here she is with my new APE HD studs finger tight

Oh yea

The bottom end of my bottom end...

Wiring with new connectors soldered and shrink wrap installed. I also purchased a new engine wiring harness from CMSNL

Can't take credit for the wheels but I did install the rotors I drilled. Thank god I met tweakin. He lives close, has the same bike, and decided to put spokes on his bike! Thanks bro!

 

[BWJ]

Re: 78 CB750F Cafe

Gotta Roller. tweakin came up to help me install the engine and we got a bit more than that done!

Getting ready to install

New Kibblewhite bronze swingarm bushings

 

[BWJ]

Re: 78 CB750F Cafe

Here are a couple pictures from todays wrenching.

 

[BWJ]

Re: 78 CB750F Cafe

Took advantage of the sun today to take a couple pictures with my $hitty camera.

 

[BWJ]

Re: 78 CB750F Cafe

Installed some billet rider pegs I had laying around. I think they look bad ass!

 

[BWJ]

Re: 78 CB750F Cafe

Came up with this idea for mounting my cowl to my frame. I wanted to be able to have my seat upholstered like tweakin's so I needed a way to install and remove the seat without messing around with the upholstered portion as its riveted permanantly to the fiberglass cowl.

Using the rear battery box mount, I drilled through and will use a carriage bolt to secure the front

No nut installed but you get the idea...

Made this adjustable bracket for the rear portion of the cowl. I still need to figure out a way to attach it to the cowl.

 

[Tim]

Re: 78 CB750F Cafe

WWWWWOOOOWOWWW!

Man, can't get a word in edgewise with all that insane posting of progress!!!! Looks awesome and makes me want to take my engines apart.

So the bottom end wasn't a nightmare? Scares me silly for some reason the idea of taking all the stuff out of the bottom end and then piecing it all back together.

 

[tweakin]

Re: 78 CB750F Cafe

Nice BWJ! Glad you decided to post your build thread here also. This is a great site with a ton of talented builders. Post up some of you the drawings of the ideas you have for paint, some guys on here have a great eye and should be able to give you some more ideas.

 

[BWJ]

Re: 78 CB750F Cafe

WWWWWOOOOWOWWW!

Man, can't get a word in edgewise with all that insane posting of progress!!!! Looks awesome and makes me want to take my engines apart.

So the bottom end wasn't a nightmare? Scares me silly for some reason the idea of taking all the stuff out of the bottom end and then piecing it all back together.

Bottomend was easy actually. I had the same fears as you but knew if I didnt split the cases I would have never been satisfied. There really is not much to it. Triple check the manual before reassembly and refer to the shit ton of pictures you took during disassembly and git er done.

 

[BWJ]

Re: 78 CB750F Cafe

Nice BWJ! Glad you decided to post your build thread here also. This is a great site with a ton of talented builders. Post up some of you the drawings of the ideas you have for paint, some guys on here have a great eye and should be able to give you some more ideas.

really? You want me to show off my Crayola Photoshop?

 

[BWJ]

Re: 78 CB750F Cafe

Ok tweakin talked me into it..... here is some ideas for paint.

This is the color I want. Toxic Orange Pearl

With gloss black racing stripes

And I want a badge decal buried under clear. I have this set but don't know if its what I am going with

couple more ideas from the Crayola!

 

[BWJ]

Re: 78 CB750F Cafe

Here is the latest round of pics and what she looks like currently

 

[Keogan]

Re: 78 CB750F Cafe

holy smack this looks great, the paint job ideas for it are looking good, and I love how clean the build is going. Keep us posted

 

[my-79-750-k]

Re: 78 CB750F Cafe

Is pretty much everything getting the black powder treatment? That's one dark bike my man, I like it! Have you ridden the Avons yet, or are those new for this build?

 

[BWJ]

Re: 78 CB750F Cafe

I need to decide on what color the jugs and head are going to be but yea she is pretty much blacked out. The orange and black tins will break it up some. I have not tested the Avons yet but trust me...I can not wait!!!

 

[Ringo]

Re: 78 CB750F Cafe

Man that looks great so far. Keep the updates rollin.

 

[BWJ]

Re: The South Seattle Cafe project- 1978 CB750F

This is "probably" gonna be what paint design I am gonna go with, or at least something very similiar. Opinions?

 

[BigBSBusa]

Re: The South Seattle Cafe project- 1978 CB750F

Lovin' this build!