Favorite Project

[britman]

With the snow coming soon a lot of us start thinking about a winter project, but basically for me this year there is a long list of maintenance requirements and a few add ons for the herd that should keep me more than occupied.  There have been numerous British and Japanese machines in varying states of disrepair that have come through the garage door through the years.  I have made money on a few, lost on others, but have enjoyed the process of bringing them back to the life on every occasion.  Sitting in the corner of the garage, covered and on a tender is a 1973 Honda CB450.  The paint has blemishes, there is a dent here and there, the chrome is pitted, but the damn thing runs like new.  It was supposed to have been sold long ago. It is my Wife's true nemesis, in her opinion the calf shit brown paint adds to it being one of the most ugly motorcycles on the planet.  It gets ridden very little, to work once or twice a month, or a quick trip to hardware store occasionally.  I am a good size fellow and I readily admit that I resemble a chimp having sex with a football when I do take it out, and you certainly aren't going to get anywhere real fast on "Gertrude."  (Ugly bike-ugly name.)  I found the bike while on a delivery for my employment.  It was leaning against a huge oak tree with leaves up to the side covers.  The owner was an old time wrench turner who at at the age of 75 still builds Ford racing engines for a select few.  He is semi retired and works out of his home now days.  According to him the bike was dropped off at his shop well over forty years ago by a young fellow he thinks was in the military.  He wanted him to extend the front end and add custom exhausts, but never showed back up with any funds to have the work done.  Numerous attempts to get in touch with the young man through the years proved futile.  The bike sat in the back of his business until he retired and then found a home in the stand of woods behind his home where I first spotted "Gertrude".  Of course there was no title and the keys had long since vanished well before the small copperhead snake had made a nest in the battery box and the squirrels filled the rotted mufflers with acorns.  To my amazement the engine was not seized and for $100.00 in cash the bike was lifted onto my trailer that afternoon.  Preliminary inspection of the inside of the gas tank and clutch basket was enough for me to start the long process here in Virginia to obtain a title, both looked like brand new.  The speedometer showed a little over 4k on the clock and more I explored I really do think it was somewhat close to true mileage.  Valves were in adjustment perfectly, and with new points, carb kits, fluid flush, and new oil, it fired on the second kick and sat and idled perfectly with very little help from me.  Of course fork seals, wheel bearings, chain, front caliber and various other parts that time had destroyed have been added or rebuilt.  Will the old girl ever be sold, I don't know, but anything that survives that long in the elements deserves a second chance in my opinion.  I apologize for the lengthy post and do realize this is a "Goose " site, but thought it might be interesting to see what others with much more talent than me have done to save a project or see what you have on hand for the up coming winter.........









 

[Scud]

Great work on a bike worth saving. Glad to see it brought back close to original, rather than chopped into a cafe racer.

I wouldn't claim to have more talent than you, but I do have a different project. I've been fixing up my K75s commuter that was a mess when I got it, but still a runner. So I'm doing it in phases - basically working from back to front. Here' are a couple mid-process pictures for entertainment value. I find it satisfying to bring a nice motorcycle back to what it was - and to personalize it a bit in the process.





But my Scura is taking up a lot of time right now with the removal of all the problematic bubbling crinkle paint and all the other "while-you're-in-there" tasks.

[Chuck in Indiana]

My favorite project is the one I'm working on at the time.  There have been many Guzzis and one MZ over the winters, but the current one is a 1930 Lambert powered Monocoupe, still sitting where I left it last Winter. We had the first few flakes of snow today, after I rode the AeroLario for the last time yesterday.
Time to get back to the 'Coupe. 
2016-03-05_05-00-17 by Charles Stottlemyer, on Flickr

[Tom]

With the snow coming soon a lot of us start thinking about a winter project, but basically for me this year there is a long list of maintenance requirements and a few add ons for the herd that should keep me more than occupied.

    There have been numerous British and Japanese machines in varying states of disrepair that have come through the garage door through the years.  I have made money on a few, lost on others, but have enjoyed the process of bringing them back to the life on every occasion. 

Sitting in the corner of the garage, covered and on a tender is a 1973 Honda CB450.  The paint has blemishes, there is a dent here and there, the chrome is pitted, but the damn thing runs like new.  It was supposed to have been sold long ago. It is my Wife's true nemesis, in her opinion the calf shit brown paint adds to it being one of the most ugly motorcycles on the planet.  It gets ridden very little, to work once or twice a month, or a quick trip to hardware store occasionally.

     I am a good size fellow and I readily admit that I resemble a chimp having sex with a football when I do take it out, and you certainly aren't going to get anywhere real fast on "Gertrude."  (Ugly bike-ugly name.)  I found the bike while on a delivery for my employment.  It was leaning against a huge oak tree with leaves up to the side covers.  The owner was an old time wrench turner who at at the age of 75 still builds Ford racing engines for a select few.  He is semi retired and works out of his home now days.  According to him the bike was dropped off at his shop well over forty years ago by a young fellow he thinks was in the military.  He wanted him to extend the front end and add custom exhausts, but never showed back up with any funds to have the work done.  Numerous attempts to get in touch with the young man through the years proved futile. 

     The bike sat in the back of his business until he retired and then found a home in the stand of woods behind his home where I first spotted "Gertrude".  Of course there was no title and the keys had long since vanished well before the small copperhead snake had made a nest in the battery box and the squirrels filled the rotted mufflers with acorns.  To my amazement the engine was not seized and for $100.00 in cash the bike was lifted onto my trailer that afternoon.  Preliminary inspection of the inside of the gas tank and clutch basket was enough for me to start the long process here in Virginia to obtain a title, both looked like brand new.  The speedometer showed a little over 4k on the clock and more I explored I really do think it was somewhat close to true mileage.  Valves were in adjustment perfectly, and with new points, carb kits, fluid flush, and new oil, it fired on the second kick and sat and idled perfectly with very little help from me.  Of course fork seals, wheel bearings, chain, front caliber and various other parts that time had destroyed have been added or rebuilt. 

     Will the old girl ever be sold, I don't know, but anything that survives that long in the elements deserves a second chance in my opinion.  I apologize for the lengthy post and do realize this is a "Goose " site, but thought it might be interesting to see what others with much more talent than me have done to save a project or see what you have on hand for the up coming winter.........









 

I edited for paragraphs to help the reading of your post.  Cool restore.    My brother had two of these.  A green and a brown.  I used one for awhile.  Totally enjoyed it.

[Tom]

Scud.  A friend of mine is getting rid of his K75s.  I'll be going down your road soon but maybe not as deep as you.  I'll get it into running condition then decide on cosmetics.

[Scud]

Scud.  A friend of mine is getting rid of his K75s.  I'll be going down your road soon but maybe not as deep as you.  I'll get it into running condition then decide on cosmetics.

The K75s is turning out to be a really fun bike - and of course it's practical, blah blah blah...  I have a parts bike too - so let me know if you need something. Parts bike had 180,000 miles on it - was still running great with water and oil mixed in engine and radiator, but the tranny died.

Chuck - I agree that the favorite is whatever I'm working on at the time. And DANG that is a COOL plane project.

[Tom]

Hey thanks.  Just got off the phone with Mike.  We made a tentative deal.  He's glad that it's going to someone that will use it and can work on it.  I may need some stuff but we'll see.  He said that it last ran in April.  He had knee replacement surgery on both knees and wants a HD trike or a sidecar set up.  It is a K75S.  44K miles on it.   

[canuck750]

Nice Honda!! looks great and well worth saving. I really like the big twin Hondas.

My current favorite project is the 750cc Honda Super Hawk AKA Laverda SF1

[Sasquatch Jim]

  I had a CB450 that I bought new in 71.  Rode the hell out of that bike and traded it for a Volvo when I got married. ( at the behest of my new wife )
 She abandoned me less than three years later and I have never paid attention to a womans' opinion of motorcycles since.

[Mark Dasher]

My fun winter project that just arrived last week.  It's 1929 Triumph Model NSD 550cc that looks like it's been sitting for 50+ years.  Missing magneto and associated bits, plus the piston is stuck in the bore.  The later 30s or 40s tank is the only non-original part I can find.  There is evidence that a sidecar was attached at one time.  I'm not the owner, but have been tasked to "get it running".

 

[lti_57]

Nice Honda!! looks great and well worth saving. I really like the big twin Hondas.

My current favorite project is the 750cc Honda Super Hawk AKA Laverda SF1

I thought SF-1 had drums on the front and SF-2 had the dual disks
Of course you could have swapped front ends
I had a 1975 SF-2 for about 13 years when i rough necked in Oklahoma  amazing motorcycle
would ride it from Lawton,OK. down to Dallas all the stinking time and never had an issue ever.
 look forward to seeing more pics.
Also here in Spokane I actually meet Roger Slater   of Slater Bros fame

http://www.slaterlaverda.com/profile.htm
lives near by now 

[giusto]

Mark,

Nice Triumph I am very interested in seeing how you bring it back to life...keep the pics coming

I've got a few Italian projects going....this is one.

[Mark Dasher]

Mark,

Nice Triumph I am very interested in seeing how you bring it back to life...keep the pics coming

I've got a few Italian projects going....this is one.

   Nice!  Is that a Monkey Ward Benelli?  Going by the last pic you've already made good progress!

I've already poured acetone/ATF mix into the cylinder to start the freeing up process.  At least the piston is not at TDC and is about 1/3 from the top of it's stroke.  I'm telling myself "patience, patience..."   

[canuck750]

I thought SF-1 had drums on the front and SF-2 had the dual disks
Of course you could have swapped front ends
I had a 1975 SF-2 for about 13 years when i rough necked in Oklahoma  amazing motorcycle
would ride it from Lawton,OK. down to Dallas all the stinking time and never had an issue ever.
 look forward to seeing more pics.
Also here in Spokane I actually meet Roger Slater   of Slater Bros fame

http://www.slaterlaverda.com/profile.htm
lives near by now

This SF1 came with a complete SF2 front end including the switch gear, the previous owner imported the bike from Milan in this condition. No idea on the history of the swap, it is a late number SF1 and SF1 is stamped on the engine case. Initially I wanted to swap it back to a SF1 drum front end but the dual discs have grown on me and I do like the potential of better braking.

[lti_57]

Those big cast iron disks and the dual leading shoe rear brake instill a lot of confidence in the bike
as well as it rail like handling

[webmost]

Add a couple layers of pigeon schidt embedded with feathers, add a network of cobwebs, subtract the rust, and you have the exact image of the first bike I bought when I came to Delaware.

Sold my schooner in Santa Cruz, piled what belongings I could into a Dodge slant six van, and started East. Chased across country by a blizzard that hit in the Sierras. About this time of year, in fact, Thanksgiving 35 years ago. Landed in Dull-Aware cause I couldn't go any farther, on account of there's another ocean in the way here. Rented a cottage on a horse farm raising pacers, down in Felton. Sulky driver won this CB450 at an auction on a whim. Couldn't keep it running cause it ate batteries. Dead battery = wouldn't kick Took it three, four times to Diamond Motor Sports, where all they did was sell him a new battery each time ... until he gave up and parked it in the barn. Told him I'd give him fifty bucks for the bike and a can of gas. We shook. Told him fetch the title and gas can. Back to the cottage, snipped a bit of lamp cord and snatched a Grant. Back to the barn, made sure he signed the title. Twisted the lamp cord from battery to selenium rectifier, cause as any of you who had an old CB knows, when that battery vent tube works loose, acid eats that damn wire. So. A splash of gas, a couple kicks, and I was off. Up and down that country road 70mph blowing her out.

I still remember whiffling past that huge front yard adjusting the rear view, there was the sulky driver in the mirror, turned round and slow walked ruefully back to his house shaking his head.

One good scrub down and she looked brand new!

I met the RedHead next Spring, the CB450 was the first bike she ever rode. First bike I ever put a sissy bar on, too, cause I discovered she would fall asleep pillion! Scared hell outta me. Once I got a sissy bar, any time I felt her go slack, I'd lean back and clamp her against the sissy bar so she wouldn't fall off.

Wait a minute. Now this story's got me reminiscing about her awesome boobage.





I gotta take a break. I'll be back.

 

[Tom]

Ah.....the mating ritual.......

[webmost]

Well, thing is, see... the Jackal IS my winter project. Never rode a guzzi before. Not a basket case .. just needs some TLC

[giusto]

Wards/Riverside/Benelli is current...but my next favorite project is waiting in the wings.

[Kentktk]

I need to get a winter project bike. Time to peruse CL!

[Swedemoto]

My recent SP purchase still needs some love. Still not running right. It was rich on the left side and improved with a hotter plug and leaner mixture, but needs attention. My BIG project, which is now front and center in the dining room to keep my attention, is the Capriolo75.
The engine is 95% done, still needs new wiring harness, then a new seat. Just need to keep motivated.
Then
Now

[Aaron D.]

Capriolo! Awesome! Love the face cam.

[Swedemoto]

Yeah, very cool semi-desmodromic valve actuation. Sorry for the bad pic. Hopefully, I can do better soon!

[Carlo DeSantis]

Winter project for me will be to finally get the wiring replaced and customized for upgraded components (Yamaha left switchgear; modern fuseblock; H4 headlight) on my '73 Eldo.

Cosmetics will stay pretty much as they are (semi-rough, but all the pieces are there).

Best,

Carlo

[Tom]

I have to replace the shifter spring on my Eldo/hack.  It's stuck in 1st/2nd gear. 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I will be resuming work on the project formerly know as the "Ambovert" soon. Plans for it have changed, so now it will be built with a five-speed from a T3 instead of a Convert transmission. Once finished it will be for sale. Haven't decided for sure what color(s) it will be, but I'm leaning towards burgandy with white fenders, though all black may sell better(?).