Trav's 1971 Honda CL350 build

[travstoll]

Bought this bike last week...I have wanted to do this for quite sometime, I have just been way too busy and involved with "life" until now. That being said, things are starting to slow down, and what better thing to do, that build a bike.

Over the years, dotheton.com has been my inspiration for this project, watching others transform bikes into something worth while.

This build may take longer than other on here (I am guessing 6 months from start to finish), but I will try to keep up weekly updates on my progress.

Without further to do.....

...the beginning...

The tank I think I am going to use. I don't have a lot of cash to drop on an aftermarket tank, and I am also a big fan of the classic lines of this tank.

The tank I am getting ready to cut up to make my tailpiece.

...This week I hope to get the dimensions finalized for my tailpiece, and starting fabbing it up. I may also strengthen the frame a little bit, and start sanding it and getting it ready for paint...

 

[BigBSBusa]

Should be a great project! Did it run before starting the teardown?

 

[travstoll]

Should be a great project! Did it run before starting the teardown?

Yes it did...started the first time every time. When you would give it some throttle and rev it up a bit it started to sputter though unless you eased on super slow...I am thinking probably just something to do with the carbs...either way, when I was pulling the engine I noticed some oil residue around some of the gaskets. I am still going to tear the engine down at least part of the way and replace piston rings, gaskets, and other parts that may have worn out over the past 40 years. I know very little about engine work, so this will be a new experience for me.

 

[travstoll]

So...I grew up in the country, worked on farms, and was a pretty damn good arc welder if I do say so myself. Up until this weekend I had never touched a mig welder, much less welded anything thinner than 16 gauge steel... Needless to say, I spent most of the weekend getting up to speed on the whole mig welding and thin metal thing...I was a very frustrating Saturday.

I got the parts tank cut up, and then cut into to halves and then to make the them a little thinner. I decided to use a tank, almost identical to the one I will actually use on the bike to make the tail, mostly to keep the geometry and lines close to matching for the tail and tank. The tail is far from being done. I need to fill in the back, and get the lines and geometry right, not to mention filling in all the pin holes from where I blew through the 22 gauge or whatever steel these tanks are made from.

Next project after the tail will be fabbing up a seat pan for it to sit on, and chopping a couple inches off the back of the frame.

 

[SrgtBear]

Looks like a good and not to difficult project bike. Like the stock colors on that tank and the one you cut up. Also like the look of the strips on the cowl you cut from the tank.

 

[travstoll]

...and its been a while since I posted an update...

finished cutting all the useless crap off the frame this weekend. Also finished up the seat pan, and got the rear cowl / tailpiece welded to it. Also tore down the forks to start rebuilding them.

Ordered my rearsets, clipon's, new headlight, mounting bracket for the headlight, and new rear shocks. The frame, and all other pieces that bolt to it will be ready for paint by Thanksgiving.

ya...sorry I don't have updated pics...I will post those soon.

Its coming along though.

 

[travstoll]

Ok...so work has been unusually busy the past while, and my bike has suffered from it....no longer though....


Since my last post, I have been hard at work buttoning up the frame, and getting everything ready to go back together.


Weld....grind....weld....grind....sand.....paint....ect....


Nice and shiny, ready for new rubber next week.

Tank and tailpiece ready for paint...

I started rebuilding the forks, only to find that the shop gave me 33mmx46mm instead of the 33mmx44mm oil seals I needed...So they lay in pieces on my workbench eagerly awaiting seals.


I also have new rubber on the way to mount up next week along with the clip-ons and rearsets. After its in the rolling chasis, and the tank and tailpiece are off the painter's, I can worry about tearing this engine down and replacing the gaskets and piston rings, and hopefully I don't find anything else that needs my attention.

 

[Boswell]

Really digging the tail piece, being cut from another tank, makes it a little different than most I've seen. I came up with this very idea earlier today, looks like someone beat me to the punch.

 

[stik70]

Outstanding! Looking very clean and smart!
Kev

 

[travstoll]

Outstanding! Looking very clean and smart!
Kev

Thanks. It's been really hard for me because I am a perfectionist. The farther I get into this build, the more I realize that this bike isn't going to be perfect, but I am still trying. When I pulled out some of the new chrome pieces I ordered I was almost disappointed by how perfect they were...Now the rest of the bike has to look as good as the new chrome.

 

[travstoll]

Really digging the tail piece, being cut from another tank, makes it a little different than most I've seen. I came up with this very idea earlier today, looks like someone beat me to the punch.

Don't think I came up with that...as much I as I would like to take credit, there are others who have done this as well. I actually got the idea from someone's build here on this site....don't remember who though.

 

[travstoll]

Needing some advice now....as I get near to tearing down the engine, I am wondering what parts I need to replace. It ran when I got it, but I am at least going to tear it down and replace all of the gaskets, and sets of piston rings.

My question is on the clutch/gearbox/ect. Do I need to tear into this? I have never been into an engine this far and am kind of nervous about doing this anyway. Also on the cam chain...can I just break a link, and then put a master-link back in its place to get to the pistons or do I need to replace the entire chain?

Any thoughts, recommedation, or direction here would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[travstoll]

its off the blocks.......


-New rubber
-rebuilt the forks & got the front end on
- tank mounted


tank and tail are ready to go to paint........its engine time


but for now.....more pics:

 

[HondaCBGuy]

Any updates on this? Looking sweet