1972 Honda CB450 Cafe/Brat inspired build

[reesea17]

Brand new to the boards and looking to start a build thread on a bike I just bought around a week ago. I picked up a 1972 Honda CB450 from a guy who said that the bike has a hole in the left piston head and had been recently taken apart and loosely put back together. I am currently working to tear down the bike and get to the engine at least in order to see what size replacement head I will be needing along with other parts before I take a little trip to Japan for vacation.

Don't have a whole lot of stuff to show off for now but will be updating as I go. Here is a photo of the bike as I received it.

Thanks for stopping by for now.

 

[ALBATROSS]

hey,

I also just recently bought a 72 cb450, and even with the destroyed seat yours is still cleaner looking than mine. I'll be watching this thread

 

[reesea17]

Update

Not a whole lot of progress but I got a few things done and have a question for the all knowing.

Finally got the bike out of my dining room and into my "shop". As an apartment renting college student I lack the utility of a garage and had to improvise. I submit my spare bedroom workshop.

Got a lot more of the bike torn down and found this nice little bolt

Here is the bike as it sits waiting for me to pull the motor. Eventually I will be able to get in there and see what kind of damage was done to the left piston head that the seller was telling me about.

And now for my question or more so concern. In prepping to take the motor out of the frame I drained the oil, and in doing so I found a bit of creamy white gunk came out with the oil and there was what seems to be a plastic circle in the cap. I don't think that it belonged there and that it probably came off of something. Question here, since I am 100% new to this and these motors, is is this a huge deal to be concerned about at this point and do you know what it is?

The gunk

the plastic piece

Thanks.

 

[cqyqte]

Yuk I remember the finds when I tore my '71 down to bits and pieces. I am sure the whole history will be revealed to you before you are completed.

 

[Nebr_Rex]

Unfortunately the tear down has hit a snag as pretty well all the motor screws/bolts and certain screws in other places are essentially locked up tight. This build will be slow for a little while I just wanted to get it started up. I will be out of country for about a month.

You need an impact driver for the tight screws and bolts.
White gunk could be condensation from hole in piston.
Round thing,no idea.

 

[jbdillard]

I think someone creampied your motor.. >

 

[reesea17]

You need an impact driver for the tight screws and bolts.
White gunk could be condensation from hole in piston.
Round thing,no idea.

Thanks for the input, especially on the gunk.

Unfortunately I believe I may not have been clear, it's not that they are simply tight. But that they are 40 years old and when you put even a perfect sized bit into the head of the screw it still just strips to a little cone indent. And this is what most of the screws look like now on the motor as the person the previous owner took it to didn't seem to have to much concern for tearing into the fasteners. The main problems I was having was getting the handlebar controls off. However using a dremel I was able to turn the screws into flat heads and got them out in that fashion.

Luckily I found a link to a site in someone elses post that has pretty cheap full motor fastener sets in stainless steel so I'll be purchasing that soon. All sets come individually bagged and labelled. Link below incase anyone else is interested, they have sets for pretty much any bike:

<a href="http://www.stainlesscycle.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=46_55">www.stainlesscycle.com</a>

Also, I am looking into getting an angle grinder in order to cut off some of the tabs on the back of the bike and in order to cut of the seat and prep it for a brat style rounded bar. Any advice on the types of cutting, polishing, sanding heads I should get along with it?

 

[Flugtechnik]

I approve of stainlesscycle.com. Takes awhile to ship but good product.

I am not aware of any plactic bits in the engine. Maybe something in the bottom end, I never dug into mine.

I have seen some aftermarket pistons have little plastic caps instead of piston pin retaining rings.

Looks like you have a fun adventure ahead.

 

[reesea17]

Well I had about 30 spare minutes today between class and work so I decided to get the motor out of the frame.

Was able to look in through the spark plug hole and sure enough there seems to be a small hole in the piston head. Will start the tear down of the motor whenever I am granted some free time again.

Anyone have any advice on a motor mount? Should I try to just make one out of wood or are there any reasonably priced ones out there. I don't have time to look right now.

 

[johnd900]

Good thread so far, keep it up I'll be following along. I'm just starting my '73 CB450 annd I'm starting my build thread as well.

 

[reesea17]

Good thread so far, keep it up I'll be following along. I'm just starting my '73 CB450 annd I'm starting my build thread as well.

Do you have a link to your build thread? What style are you going to be going for? I believe mine is slowly moving towards full Brat, in my mind at least.

 

[Rich Ard]

A lot of people make an engine stand out of angle iron; I have one for the 450 engine that bolts to a larger engine stand on wheels. If you happen to be going to college in Kalamazoo you are welcome to borrow it

 

[reesea17]

A lot of people make an engine stand out of angle iron; I have one for the 450 engine that bolts to a larger engine stand on wheels. If you happen to be going to college in Kalamazoo you are welcome to borrow it

Well shit, perfect offer except I go to TTU. I guess It's back to the plan of trying to make one out of wood. Cant be too hard for a table top engine stand.

 

[Flugtechnik]

I made one out of wood I had lying around. Mine started to come apart near the end as I kept moving it around to paint the engine. Hopefully you can make a better one. It served its purpose though.

 

[Rich Ard]

You can use 1/2" allthread if you do it that way. Forgot about that!

 

[johnd900]

Do you have a link to your build thread? What style are you going to be going for? I believe mine is slowly moving towards full Brat, in my mind at least.

I think this link to my build thread will work. http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=44069.0 If not it's titled "Bringing the '73 CB450 Back to Life"

 

[reesea17]

Alright, time for a quick little update while on a break from studying for finals.

I got the rear wheel, shocks, and swing-arm off the frame today. Definitely looks like the rear drum brake is in need of some love. Anyways, what was concerning me, and the only reason I'm taking time to post now, is that I think my frame is bent slightly. Bottom two pictures show that at least where the level on the frame is is level, and then a further view unobstructed. Am I crazy or is it slightly bent? Is it a huge deal? Can I bend it back to straight or just not worry about it? I have a feeling the last person to drive it somehow bottomed it out hard and bent the frame a bit. They did have a dirt tire on the back after all.

 

[reesea17]

Well it looks like the teardown is 99% complete with the exception of the fork trees. Had to cut the bottom stand off as the brake lever/bolt was bent in a way that it was never going to come out without being cut or cutting the brake lever.

Also took forever to wiggle the forks out but it all made sense why they were so stuck in there once I got them out...

 

[yorkie350]

Hi mate looks like a great build thread goin on there, torn down well , the frame aint no problem so u aint gonna worry bout it thought same bout mine cb350f '72 but everything was ok it aint finished yet and its my first learnin so much as i go along the gunge in the oil is just a bit of condensate with been stud so long check inside top of oil filler plug too that collects plenty too will follw ya threadsw mate good luck if i can help answer any questions i'll give it my best shot got a bit slow here on my build British weather dark wet miserable just like the art of carb syncro haha .

 

[reesea17]

Alright, Made a little more progress tonight.

Was waiting to touch the motor until I had a mount built, thing is just to wobbly otherwise. So a I decided to make a good few measurement of the motor and mock up a mount I could make out of wood. Using a 2x4 and some steel rods I was able to make a pretty decent mount for the motor. Now comes the fun part, tearing into the motor and finding what else needs to be replaced. Gonna love coming back from Japan and starting to put everything back together.