The SC has finally landed

[6pkrunner]

Bought this bike in November and finally got around to picking it up last night. No truck so had to ride on others coattails for timing.
Its going to go somewhat along the lines of a 900C I did last winter, but a bit more removed from stock. Something along a late
60 styling/coloration.

And for all those out there with a surplus of 1982/1983 750 Nighthawk left hand side covers - call..please. :D
The right hand one I have - it just wasn't on for these photos.





Here's the 900 before and after last winter









The SC will be bit more radical - but not too insane.

[happycommuter]

 
Like the previous work very much. 
Those mirrors really don't look right on the 750.  Rusty pipes don't bother me but it looks like they'll somehow be gleaming at the end of this project.

[luckylindy]

The 900 looks great.

[Yokomo]

How'd you clean up the engine and headers so good?  Looks great!  I like the spokes.
Those forks look like they could pretzel easily. 

[Brittles]

  to the madness.

The 900 looks great. Hows it run with no carbs? 

[niteman]

Congrats on the new project. The 900 turned out great! (+1 on where's the carbs). Look forward to following the progress.

[6pkrunner]

ROFL! Those pictures were taken in March before it was finished. I had to roll it out to do some rearranging and it was a nice day. Here's what the carbs looked like that day.



And then after the kits showed up for them

[hppants]

Beautiful 900 - how did you get the carb top cover and bowl to shine so well?  I've rubbed mine with some aluminum polish and it still looks like garbage.

Good luck on your new project.

[Vermontster]

Great restore on the 900!! and looking forward to seeing your progress on the 750. No doubt it'll be all shined up and gleaming, like off the showroom floor. 

[6pkrunner]

And it gave me a good reason to go out and start it to prove its finished and runs.

Carbs on

And it idling...but I could have used a drill to move the tac.......

....... how did you get the carb top cover and bowl to shine so well?

All the factory polished aluminum has clearcoat on it and the carbs are no different. It must come off before you can polish. Use whatever method works for you. I tried paint remover in various strengths up to aircraft grade and had mixed results. I wound up sanding the clearcoat off but then had to go through the sanding/pre-polishing process to get it back to where they were with the coating. Thats increasing grades of wet/dry sandpaper/emery cloth up to 2000  grid and more if your a real masochist. If the coating is broken and there is aluminum oxide on the surface - your sanding anyway. I spent wayyyy too many hours sanding and polishing on it cases, forks and such.
One I just found really well is brake fluid. Its costly for any real quantity, but it'll strip like gangbusters. Better than the aircraft cleaner I tried. Just my $0.02

Those forks look like they could pretzel easily.  

Those are 35 mm from 1972-1978 SOHC 750s. I used the 1977/78 F model triple trees to keep the ignition and choke up top, but moved the fuse block to under the seat. A real neat benefit of the earlier CB750 stuff was to get rid of that negative 4 degree rake that the 1981 triple trees had in them. Pushed the front wheel too close to the frame for my liking.



 The tubes are 4 inch over CB750 length. About 3 inches longer than the 900s 37mms I took off. I was going for the longer lighter front end look. It'll never be a canyon carver, but then I never built it to be such. The 750SC will be a bit more of the good old whatever it is. And again not for the twisties.



The tubes were from Cyclex and they only guaranteed leg fit for 1972 to 1978 forks. I wanted the caliper slung off the rear of the leg. The K models still had the front mounted caliper, but the Fs had dual rear mounted calipers. So I sanded off the "reinforcing ribs" from the legs and also the right hand said caliper bosses to get back to single disc. Too much sanding......

[hppants]

Your detailing work is incredible.  Is the clear coat a rattle can product, and if so, which one?  I've got a lot of my engine pieces polished well, but after a few months, I have to re-polish.  Not as extensive as when i bought it, but just to freshen it up.  How long does the clear coat last?  Also, do I understand that you essentially tore down the whole engine and polished/sanded each piece in it's disassembled state?  Unbelieveable.

Also, how do you like the 10 speed tranny on the 900?  I met a guy that used to have a CB1000, which I believe has the same tranny.  He told me 99 percent of the time, he used the lower ratio range, and simply shifted to the high range for interstate highway runs.  Almost seems like it would be better to just have a 6 speed box with a real short OD for 6th gear.  Just curious.

[6pkrunner]

Ahhh there is the kicker. Once I get to the 2000 grit or so, I have to use metal/aluminum polish to get the chrome like shine to pull through. Its just varying degrees of rouge down to the white rouge which is about as rough as car wax. This process puts all kinds of oils into the aluminum that clearcoat will not adhere to. So I'm in the same boat. Every once in a while you gotta get busy with the polish and toothbrush.
 I've tried a few different finishes that allowed  me to clearcoat, but I was never impressed with them. Most never rivaled the factory level of luster. So once you rip off the factory clearcoat and polish the aluminum with the rouges, you're doing it forever baby. Well as far as I know anyway. I've heard rumours of a new generation clear, but have yet to see it - or use it for that matter.

Also, do I understand that you essentially tore down the whole engine and polished/sanded each piece in it's disassembled state?  Unbelieveable.

Ummm yeah. A real labour of love. The engine came apart and each piece was done by hand. I tried for one piece a night, but the cam cover and tranny cover were real bears and took several nights each.

Here's a shot of when it was going back together. The sub-tranny cover is still off. Why? My knuckles needed a few days rest at that point.

Also, how do you like the 10 speed tranny on the 900?  I met a guy that used to have a CB1000, which I believe has the same tranny.  He told me 99 percent of the time, he used the lower ratio range, and simply shifted to the high range for interstate highway runs.  Almost seems like it would be better to just have a 6 speed box with a real short OD for 6th gear.  Just curious.

Pure Honda marketing. At that time only the Gold Wing GL and CX/CT500 had the right hand shaft drive. Honda knew there was a market for a large displacement (for those days) inline air cooled 4. It could double as a basic bike, and then be loaded with a fairing, saddlebags and such and be a tourer. However to use the GL's and CT's rear drive the had to get the power from the left hand chain to the shaft driven right side. Cheap and easy - toss on a sub-tranny and call it a 10 speed. Its really just a dual ratio rear like on a 5 or 10 ton truck. And yes, use low around town, and put in high on the highway. Not really a tranny as such.