Lipstick for another Pig.....

As most know from my posts here, I am not happy unless there is something in the garage that needs to be brought back from the dead. Here is the latest addition, a 1974 Honda CB750. I drove 907 miles all in one day from Virginia to Tennessee to pick it up from the original owner who purchased it brand new in 74. Of course maintience through the years certainly wasn't his top priority and it has been sitting in a conex since the late eighties. It currently has a shade over 16K on the clock and of course it was a lot rougher than the pictures projected on Facebook Marketplace. I am finding that locating vintage machines for my insatiable hobby is getting next to impossible so I paid his asking price and brought it home. After fresh oil, valve adjustment, points and timing set, I hooked up my auxiliary gas tank and hit the button, enough mouse turds and baffle rust came out to cover the garage floor, but the motor ran great with good compression across all four cylinders. I am going to spend the winter months bringing it back now that I know the motor is good and have already spent some time making that presentable. I currently waiting for a ton of parts but with the Covid problem shipping is total nightmare these days. I don't know what the final outcome of the bike will be, placed in my small herd or put up for sale. I may replace the 750 Chopper I already have just to give this 71 year old back a break. Attaching some shots....

I'm interested if you decide to sell it. I gave my 78 to my son in law, now I miss it, everything else seems to get heavier every year.

Nice work! How did you clean the engine?

The cases and valve cover involved starting with a Scot Brite pad and working my way down through a couple of grades of steel wool with liquid aluminum polish. Final buff out with Mothers and micro fiber towels. About two pots of coffee time wise. The engine case and cylinders is Dupli Color Ceramic engine paint, great stuff, easy to apply and really durable.

Tripps, will let you know if I let it go. Won't be anytime soon, still a ton of pretty to apply......

Front end is done, fork seals, gators, clocks cosmetically refreshed, new tire, and still waiting on some hoses for the brakes. I swear I think the USPS must have went on strike and not told anyone. Cleared over the old paint, saved the patina, or just a lazy man's way of letting all of the touchups, scratches, and dings show through nicely. I am always happy when you get that ball of spaghetti wires back into the bucket and everything still works......

Nice

nice work, I did one about 10 years ago, sold it to a buddy and he still runs it around from time to time.

Front end is on the ground, on to the rear where a big bag of fecal matter hit the fan with rear wheel bearings. I have always despised wheel bearing installation regardless of the vehicle. A vintage Honda is a real treat because it has peened retainer rings and a axle sleeve that rides between the bearings that makes getting a chisel or punch in for drive out nearly impossible. All of the tricks of trade was used, heat, soaking with penetrate, and cursing, but still it ended up being a couple hour job getting the old bearings out on the worst of two rear wheels I have for the project. I have decided to use the better wheel, no missing spokes and completely true, so when Harbor Freight opened the following morning I was standing there with my Christmas gift card in hand and became the proud owner of a blind bearing removal tool, the slide hammer type. I may use the tool once every five years, but dammit no more bloody knuckles and wishing bad things upon the Honda Gods. I pretty much destroyed one of the retainers getting it out, but a replacement is on order and new bearings are already on the bench. I am also pleased with the new repo seat that arrived, so overall the weekend wasn't all bad. I didn't do a **** thing today expect watch the first snow of any magnitude we have had for a few years now, I had forgotten how pretty and peaceful it is when everything is covered. The new tool will come out of its wrapper tomorrow.....

Good work! However, those wheel bearings can be a real pain. On the blind bearing removal tool, I bought two types. The slide hammer doesn't work worth a chit. So I got another set that has a threaded puller. Also. some of the blind pullers have a tapered edge on the fingers, making it easier to get under the edge of the bearing. Some have about a 1/16" lip.

The bearing puller worked great, took quite a few slides with the hammer but it broke loose with no damage. I am still waiting on parts to finish up the rear wheel so on to the dirty part of the job. The swing arm, sprocket, under the rear fender, rear of the motor, and center stand area. Parts that have not seen clean since 1974 with petrified dirt and grease. When I enter the house in the evening I look like a homeless **** packer, no Honey I have no idea where those black marks on the back door frame came from.