So I got the 350 running again, then had it start acting up.  While running the valves seemed extremely loud even after re-setting them, so I was wondering if it was lack of lube or just the tank not being there.  (I should actually set it back on their and see).  Anyway, as I was playing with it, began popping and misfiring and then came to a stop with a loud “huuuooff” through he carbs.  I disassembled the ignition  advance to find that my chintzy steel pin I had made had sheared.  As I was squatting down looking at the advance unit I swayed forward and gently grabbed the bike to steady myself.  The part I grabbed was the exhaust header,  I had a sensation of burning then cursed and yelled as I flapped my hand in the air.  I observed a nice set of red marks on two of my fingers and my thumb.  Just then my CD player began playing a song I absolutely hate….and I knew, I immediately needed a project win or I was going into the house to drink…. I ejected the offensive CD and whipped it in the general direction of the trash can and looked vainly for something I could accomplish that would fulfill this win need.  And my eyes came to rest on the aftermarket springs I had bought for the Kawasaki ZR-7.  With a  war whoop and throbbing hand I put in some old swing music and attacked the Kawasaki.  Soon I had the springs out, (the stock ones were really thin, anemic, sad little affairs) and was reading up on how to cut the spacer for correct preload.  I marked the spacers as instructed and sprinted inside to cut them on my mitre saw. (It was plastic PVC tubing).  Soon I had the forks re-assembled and took a quick jaunt down the street and immediately felt the difference in the suspension.  With this head of steam underway I dragged the CB750 frame out of the corner and assaulted it in the drive way with my angle grinder and the sandblaster, the attached picture was the result. 

I am so glad I burned my hand….

Rear Brake Stay for CB750C

The stock rear brake stay was a little boring so...

I made this little guy out of Aluminum for some bling. 

Merry Christmas Eve!

So I somehow maneuvered into being the owner of the little CB350 again (I had sold it a while ago).  In the process I ended up rebuilding the motor with my room mate.  We got the motor back together and in the bike.  Now I am rebuilding the carbs and doing some upkeep (repainting battery box where acid ate it, repairing some small wear and tear). 

In the meantime the CB750 stares at me forlornly from the corner....

And that little gray thing with the word "MO" on it? That would be the gas heater that came with the garage.  I fired her up tonight as I was out there working.  Kills the gas bills but totally worth it.

Brushing up on My AC/DC

So in the process of tearing down the motor, I removed the generator cover and found these little treats. 

The wirey copper thingy is part of the black magic pieces call a "Stator".  Another part called a "rotor" is inside the stator and agitates the little demons that live there through some kind of voodoo called inductance.  The demons go running around the wire part (stator) screaming bloody death until they finally come out of of it looking for something to kill (they are called AC here for Angry Cherubs), the only exit is the black wires to the bottom of the picture that tricks the demons into going into a "regulator/rectifier"  that calms the demons and makes them cooperative (Domesticated Cherubs)  thus DC. This is the source of such tunes as "Back in Black" and "She Shook me all night long".  It also makes headlights and spark plugs work.

Anyway, the small black plastic item to the right of the stator is a housing that olds two electric pick-up brushes that rub on the face of the rotor.  Unfortunately, as you can see in the following picture one of the brushes is fractured and will need to be replaced.  Honda part price?  $30.00.  Ouch.

Drum Solo

So I disassembled the rear drum and cleaned it up for a change of pace.  Trying to decide what to do with it. 

Functional features of the rear drum cover are the center boss which mounts on the rear axle, the lower opening that allows the Cam actuator to exit the housing (gold piece upper right), The upper two bosses that have rivets mounted in them (these provide pivots for the brake shoes) and the boss extending out to the right in the casting that provides the mounting point for the rear brake stay.  One thought is to smooth out the extraneous ribs on the left face of the casting, then drill some uber sweet lightening holes in the face which allow water to get in when it rains, thus cleaning out all the nasty brake dust..... so it serves two purposes, lighter for speed and self cleaning.... Or maybe I just hack away as much of the housing as possible to allow for better air cooling of these hi performance drum shoes.....Decisions, decisions. 

And motor de-construct

Also startedi in on the Motor. The head gasket leaks so will tear it down at least to the bottome cases, still undecided if I will split them. 

There is the valve cover and the little cam caps next to it.  I wil be considering the cam caps.  I am tempted to see if I can make a replacement part, not sure how I feel about them yet.  They remind me of chrome "outie" belly buttons when they are in place.  I am curious about how a half moon shape would look in contrast.... hmmm. 

A close up of the little beasties.  The half moon shape is trapped in the rubber gasket between the valve cover and the head with the round chrome cap facing out. 

SwingArm Strip

So got the swing arm off, taped over the ends where the bearing reside(I was pleasantly suprised to find needle bearings residing there) and went at it with oven cleaner and  a hose, followed by a twisted wire brush on my angle grinder.  Will do a little hand clean up then prime it.  Oh the joy!