FINIS

Got the seat back from the upholster's... what a beaut!!!!

More later, just wanted to get these pics up. What a fun ride! I took it down the street and challenged my neighbor to a drag race on his GSXR1000. He was so intimidated he just laughed at me!

Wiring for idiots (me)

So, with a feeling of overwhelming pride I completed the wiring of the turn signals. I took the time to reference the wiring diagram and to decipher which faded wired over three and a half decades old was sky blue. Hooked up the corresponding turn signals, mounted them, and with a triumphant shout flipped the switch for to the left. Nothing, Nada, no lights, no gentle clicking of the relay... the relay!!!! It was still laying on the bench. OK, added the relay, checked everything over again, with a less genuine shout of triumph flipped the switch to the right. Still nothing, flipped on the headlight, nothing. I stared dumbly then decided to start with the basics, I retrieved my multimeter and checked the battery, 12 V, and there at the tips of my probes was the answer, I had unhooked the battery to do the wiring. I re hooked up the battery, mentally kicking and berating myself, and then turned on the key, and hesitantly flipped the switch . I heard clicking! The relay quietly ticked away and a warm yellow glow pulsed off the surrounding bikes. HA! Triumph! I had overcome. I glanced happily at the left turn signals pulsing away and then with a whimper looked back to the switch... that I had turned to the right....

Why Men Sit and Ponder

I immediately checked online for the availability of this part. Nada, nothing, SOL. So I stood and pondered and gazed around at my plethora of refuse. And then as I gazed at the cluttered bike stand behind the 350, gauging the potential usefulness of each piece, I spied an odd piece of rubber next to the battery that shows up so prominently in pictures. Upon picking it up I about collapsed in shock! It was the exact piece I was missing. In looking at past pictures it's some how stayed right there and never tumbled off into the Netherlands beneath the bike stand. I felt like Gandolf in Lord of the Rings as I stared at it, turning it over in my hands and muttering... "I have no memory of this piece..." (I'm actually really excited about making a movie reference since I absolutely stink at it... but I digest... and yes he said place, not piece....) So got the rear fender properly installed so it wouldn't rattle around, then moved on the to installing the chain. Had a really bad time with the universal link that connects the sucker (the little bicycle ones are so easy) and when I finally got it on was not at all happy with how the safety clip sat in the grooves. While I had no guilt about Ben suddenly taking a face plant after the clip came loose, the thought of his wife potentially becoming angry and unleashing Hell in my general direction made me uneasy enough that I decided I would go and get a proper chain riveter and do the thing up right. So that is the progress at this point.

Side story. My buddy, Mike, who I sold my old black bike to (her name is Deathbitch) is totally hooked on riding now that he started. So anyway, he was in my garage gazing at the little 350 and said "This is Ben's? "

"Yup", I replied.

"Is he gonna ride it?"

"Naw, he'll probably set it aside and polish it occasionally."

"*%$# that, give it to me!" steamed Mike.

So, uh, Ben, if you see a guy on a nasty bike, all black and cruddy (you know the one) come steaming up behind you when you're out cruising around... better start juking and dodging... and don't worry, little 350's are nimble.

slogging along

It's been a while. 4th of July weekend offered enough wind down time I actually made it out into the garage. Spent a little time over the last few weeks getting a bike squared away for a work buddy that needed an abusable beginners bike. (It was the black bike with gold panels in previous pics). With that gone I got a little head of steam going and wanted to dive into Ben's bike. The above pic shows where it is now. Got the front brake stay installed, ran tach and speedo cables. Did a little cursing when I discovered I forgot to order the front brake cable, got foam installed on the seat pan, installed the seat and body work to check fit. Since this pic was taken I have also installed the rear brake pedal and rod. Was missing a small piece of hardware for that task, so will make one at work this week. (Lucky I work in a machine shop). Also installed the rear fender and then hung the tail light to get an idea of how things will look. When installing the fender I realized I was missing a part. This little guy...part 4 in the diagram.

More ego pics

So, was watching the video and realized some people may wonder how I magically got the bike to run without a fuel tank..... Sorry, didn't discover any kind of self perpetuating energy, just hooked it up long enough to my danglingfromtheroof fuel tank to fill up the float bowls then disconnected it because of the aforementioned fuel-puking behaviour of the carbs.

Here is an ego shot of another project, a CB900F "cafe". I haven't gotten much further then the mock-up, but she sure is inspirational to look at.

And here, finally, is a picture of how a proper two car garage should look..... Notice the absence of car? Just remember that the word "car' in two car garage is a unit of measure... like mm or feet.

Where does the time go?

Wow, so it's been over a month. Ouch. I've been battling with this puppy mentally over that time, just when I would get a good head of steam going I would discover I needed a $1.25 part from the hardware store..... that closes at 9pm..... and it's 10:05 (22:05 for you military types).
So finally got in synch, got all the parts, went through the points and timed her out. And Voila!!!!! She pukes fuel all over the ground because the needle valve isn't closing when the float bowls get full.......

But who fricking cares, cause she runs!!!!!!

More Wiring

So, almost done with the wiring. It's pretty boring tedious stuff so decided to do some glory shots around the garage to make this thing interesting. This is a shot of my buddy Jim contemplating how to best destroy the item which frustrates him most, his project CB650C. Currently I believe he is leaning towards setting it on fire and dancing around it screaming obscenities. I have requested that he push it out into the drive way first.

Mock-up.... mocking me?

And an inspirational mock up shot.

Did some wiring over the weekend. Took the time to run the left hand wires through the handle bars. A real pain, but gives a nice clean look.



For comparison here is a CB500 with the wire run outside bars.

Starting point

Dug around in my old pics and found a few of the CB350 as she was. One is actually in the former owner's garage with sexy seventies ape hangers. The other is of the frame after initial dis-assembly.

CB350 Exhaust part Deux

Then trial mount of the pipe. You can't tell in the pic but the angle of the right pipe is all wrong, hit on the frame underneath and fit against the motor all lopsided, also it exited directly on the rear tire. Pulled the pipe back off and discovered someone had re welded on the flange off center. Tried filing it back square but the pipe wasn't moving in the right direction, so finally just heated up the bottom bend with the torch and "unbent" it slightly. Now the pipe tucks in nice and doesn't rub on the frame or spew it's exhaust on the tire. (by the way Benno, you will probably get some rust on the inside of that lower bend rather quickly, but I figure that is better then sliding across the tarmac on your azz after the rear tire loses grip).

CB350 exhaust

Next was fitting the exhaust. First though, needed to strip all the nasty rust and corrosion. Some before and after pics.

1st Official Post

Here is the first official post with pics.

Rusted out seat pan. Needs the cancer cut out and replaced. Made a little pattern, cut the steel to match. Used a MiG to tack it in place then brazed it up (thus the silvery color). I have zero skills so it took forever, but hey got to play with a torch....

And special thanks to my buddy Ben for the kick azz title (and blog name now that you mention it). Check out his stuff, http://beneisenmann.blogspot.com/

Intro

The purpose of this bad boy will be to get me off my ass and in the garage wrenching on some godforsaken, screaming demon from the past. Project #1 VS-1 (aka Benny's Bike). OK, that was tough work, time for a beer.....