Greasy Dozen Inspiration Build

[DANDAWSON1]

Well, I don’t normally post on Forums much and have never started a Thread since I’m definitely on the quiet side and don’t usually get into the drama that sometimes goes along with things. I’m not a professional Bike builder and not looking to be one. I’m just a regular Guy in my garage behind my house working on shit that I want to work on.
So, This Year I decided to throw my entry into the Greasy Dozen Build. I had started on this project in the fall of 2016 when I first got the Bike. I had gotten sidetracked on some other projects and was looking for a good excuse to get re-motivated. I posted some pictures and even a couple of in process Videos on instagram, gave them a couple short descriptions and waited till Christmas Eve for the list of people chosen for the Dozen. Well, the list came out and, sad to say, I didn’t make it.But I am hopeful because they announced that they will pick a final “Baker’s Dozen” builder at noon on Christmas Day .... Crap, didn’t make that one either! Oh well.
Now, I just want to be clear that I’m not pissed off at anyone and just feel like using the motivation from the Greasy Dozen Build entry to start this Thread. Not even fully understanding why myself since I usually never even turned in my writing assignments in High School. Over the last few years I have met Bear at bike events, spoke with him on the phone when placing my first order and think that all the people at Old Bike Barn, along with all the Sponsors that help put this on, do a kick ass job of helping to support everyone who is trying to fix up and make some piece of Crap Bike cool again.

Now enough of this background Bullshit and on with the plans for the Bike. It is a 1978 Honda CB750 with about normal neglect for its age. The worst problem was that the Bike got hit in the left rear peg area and bent the frame, making the Bike look a little stroked out & drooped on the left when looking at it from the rear. Looking to do a straightforward, clean & simple Cafe Build with myself doing all the work in my garage but incorporating a few things that I have not tried before which include sewing the Seat and lacing the Rims.

So let’s go back to October 2016, when I brought it Home.

[DANDAWSON1]

I also will be posting photos & video on my instagram feed - @dan_dawson

[DANDAWSON1]

The first thing I wanted to do was to make sure it runs and shifts correctly, so I stripped the bike down, cleaned the tank, checked oil, removed stock air box and replaced with a set of pods, cleaned & synchronized carbs.

[Tattooo]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]89806[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]89807[/ATTACH]

Now that's a shame that bike got wrecked..... It looked fairly nice and original..... All but the exhaust....

[Luky]

The first thing I wanted to do was to make sure it runs and shifts correctly, so I stripped the bike down, cleaned the tank, checked oil, removed stock air box and replaced with a set of pods, cleaned & synchronized carbs.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]89808[/ATTACH]

The 1978 CB 750 was the last year for the SOHC CB750 and was the best year except for the carbs.
If you have pod intakes and aftermarket exhaust it will need to be rejected.
#42 idle jets will be needed. I just saved you a lot of work.
You might want to keep the stock air filters. Then you would not need to rejet.
All it will need is a slight pilot air screw adjustment.
The original 1978 carbs were the EPA not very well thought out carbs.
You can get a lot of help on the SOHC Honda forum.

How many miles were on the bike?

[DANDAWSON1]

Hey Tat, the Guy I got it from never noticed till I pointed it out when I was buying it from him. It didn't look like it got laid down, I"m thinking it might have been parked against a wall (maybe in a garage)and then ran into by a vehicle.

Thanks Luky, I already have the jets sorted for the Pods but might have to re_visit because I am planing to switch to velocity stacks. Have never been a fan of stock air boxes.
I can't remember the Miles, I will check & Post.

[Luky]

Velocity stacks will work but you will need the #42 idle jets. Other sizes will not work.
Don't waste your money on other smaller or larger sizes.Go to that SOHC forum and look it up.

[DANDAWSON1]

I thinned down the wiring by removing turn signals, horn, starter-on and off switch from the handlebars and added some Drag Bars. I made a new location for the ingnition switch near the top center of the upper triple clamp, using a on-off- start switch for a boat that I got from the local marina. I didn’t like the look of the original gauges, so I removed the Speedo and mounted the Tach only to the top of the headlamp.

[DANDAWSON1]

I worked on it all winter of 2016 removing the seat foam, small section of rear frame and the end of the grass burner pipes to remove the baffles. I was a little concerned on how it would sound because I removed the baffles on a CB400 the summer before and hated the tone but really liked how this one sounded with open pipes! I’m not a big fan of the original tail lamp so I made one that tucks up under the rear of the seat pan.

I also picked up a few more items from Old Bike Barn, side covers, Throttle assembly, clutch lever & perch. I got it back together for summer, got to test it out and everything felt and sounded great, then I got sidetracked with another project and she got pushed into the corner.
This is how she looked for that summer.

[DANDAWSON1]

Someone I respect asked me to consider changing my title on my thread, so I did. Me being the smart ass that I am just thought it was a funny title and thought that if I saw that thread I would click on it.

[DANDAWSON1]

During that summer, I was at a car show/swap and stumbled across a guy selling a old industrial Singer sewing machine and of course me, never sewing anything in my life said, “sure! I’ll take it”. The guy even offered to deliver it to my house 30 miles away. Gave it a good oiling, tested on some scrap pieces, watched a YouTube video and went after it.



I cut down the original seat foam using an electric bread knife to get the rough shape that I wanted, then used 80 grit sandpaper to get my final shape and make it smooth.




I Glued a thin piece of foam to the back of the leather I was going to use for the top, laid out my diamond pattern with a stabilo pencil, then sewed the diamonds. I’m thinking that I might need to upgrade the machine’s motor because when attaching the sides of the seat the clutch is a bit sketchy and would go from not moving, to moving to fast, which made it difficult to keep my stitch line straight.



The Finished Seat.

[DANDAWSON1]

With the Seat finished I moved on to making the rear cowl, my wife likes to ride with me but I like a little racier look to a bike so I’m going to make a rear fiberglass cowl so it has the look I like and I can also remove when she wants to ride.

[DANDAWSON1]

I fiberglass and resin step finished,l ready for filler.

[DANDAWSON1]

Gotta love Strippers.

[DANDAWSON1]

Kinda liked the original inspection sticker that was still on the forks.