Well here it goes... My first build 1971 cl350

[Docta Jones]

Well I've posted on here a little bit and it's time I think to start my build thread. I am doing this almost all completely myself with the exception of a little help from my friends. The motor had an oil leak on the second gasket down. It took me a while to figure how to get the engine apart even with the chilton's. I knew nothing about the internal workings of the engine, but I'm learning. I had no clue where the cam chain tensioner was, but I figured it out. Thank God. Anywho this is what it looked like when I brought it home (or to my bosses house):

Cleaned up a little bit:

The gas tank paint was very faded and had some small dents and rust spots. So I stripped the paint off to do bare metal and found that the tank was previously bondoed, so I fixed all the bondo and got it ready for paint again.

I ordered clip-ons from roccitycafe. Awesome, I recommend them. Some headlight ears and bar end mirrors. New Avon roadriders, header wrap, new rear shocks, cat eye turn signals and I'm sure some other stuff that I've forgetten and sure there are more to come.

I roughly put the front end together:

The headlight bucket is getting the speedo added to it as long as some nice black paint:

Parts:

Most of this is not going back on:

The engine as it sits:

The frame ready to be sandblasted and painted:

And the new tires:

I am planning on it looking like this when I am done:

I will be using black appliance paint for the wheels and the frame and other parts and shooting the tank.

So yeah, wish me luck...

 

[saywhat]

Good luck man, looks like you have a good start, and a nice pile of old parts.

 

[mrkil]

what size and shape are your old tires?

 

[Docta Jones]

The rear is 4x18, the front I believe is 100x19. And thanks. I have a 'ton' of work cut out for me over the next month. Get the pun?

 

[goodfornothing]

The rear is 4x18, the front I believe is 100x19. And thanks. I have a 'ton' of work cut out for me over the next month. Get the pun?

I don't get it.......


JK!

 

[Docta Jones]

Wow, it's been at least 120 days since I posted in this topic last... Where has the time gone? Well anyways, I've been working away as much as time and money permits. I have had many trials and tribulations with this damn thing, especially that stupid fricking gas tank that I dropped and dented seconds before finishing the paint. but here's where we are for now...

This was supposed to be the original color scheme. Sadly it was way too Harley and I did a shitty job on the prep and forgot to tack cloth it down before painting the orange.

Here's a stretched out semi-mock-up of the bike with the old orange color. Trust me, the orange was a lot more Harley in person, so much so that my boss went halvesies with me to get a different color.

Here are some painted parts and the polished top of the triple tree.

Polished fork lowers. They are actually very shiny, I just got a little bit of oil on them getting them back together.

Cheap headlight brackets and the freshly painted headlight.

Frame and wheels.

Shiny triple tree top again.

And the new color for the top half of the tank. It will still be nice and shiny black, the same as with the orange with the emblems and a nice white pinstripe separating the colors.

Well, that's that for now, going back tomorrow, weather permitting, to finish prep and paint for some other small parts, then starts the reassembly.

 

[boomshakalaka]

sweet build..

where did you grab those head light ears from? They look like the ones you can find everyone except they dont have the 3 holes in them, so they could be trimmed down to whatever size! I def want a pair!

 

[Docta Jones]

I wish I could remember off the top of my head. I bought a whole bunch of stuff all at once. I want to say some store off of ebay right now, but it could've been somewhere else. I will check out my box full of goodies next time I'm out working on it.

 

[troybilt]

Nice job man! I love what you plan to do with it and that paint is tits! Really nice job on that. Keep the progress comming.

 

[dcwp]

Looking good! I love that paint color, really unique. It's understated and eyecatching at the same time.

In your 'what i want it to look like' photo, I thought those whited out areas were smoke at first and you were showing an exhaust blowing under the seat like some superbikes have. Then I thought "why is he predicting that the gas tank will catch fire?" I get it now.

Keep up the cool work.

Dan

 

[Docta Jones]

Thanks for the comments everyone! It's been a long time coming. Yeah, a lot of people thought that was smoke too. Some friends thought that it was snowing.
I have the covers of the engine polished as well. I may paint the jugs. Not sure yet though.

 

[ridesolo]

Really nice color, Doc. Looking good.

 

[Docta Jones]

Well I got a little accomplishes on Sunday. I had to work all weekend, so not much time to spend on the bike. This is how the green turned out:

Got the front end mocked up a little just to see something resembling a bike...

And started prepping the engine for paint. Everything that's shiny will stay shiny. Everything else will be black minus the sides of the fins.

I'm heading out on Wednesday to finish the last leg of prep to be completely done with painting...

 

[Docta Jones]

Well, I got the tank pinstriped and finished. I still have to repaint the badges. I'm very happy with the way it turned out. I got the engine painted, on the top side at least. I'm headed out to finish that tomorrow. I am the slowest bike builder ever. I suppose going to Jamaica for a week will set you back.

 

[whiteflagwar]

I'm diggin that tank! nicely done!

 

[smurph]

Nice! like the color slow progress is still progress. Keep it up can't wait to see more.

 

[Docta Jones]

Thanks guys! Yeah I'm extremely happy with the color combination. Can't wait to finish the f*cker.

 

[Docta Jones]

Motor's in. I've become a pro at getting that engine in and out of the frame... I like it.

 

[martell06]

Love the bike. Color scheme on the tank is perfect. What grips are those on the bars?

 

[Docta Jones]

Love the bike. Color scheme on the tank is perfect. What grips are those on the bars?

They are the stock grips I believe. They came on the bike. I like them. They are period correct . I know you can replacements through JC Whitney. Thanks for the compliments!