Cb450

[thearcticsea]

Well, tonight just got weird...

I'm into watches and I got this German pocket watch a few months ago. I don't really use it because, well, it's a pocket watch. I have a bunch of wristwatches that take precedence.

Anyway, I have had this idea to create a mount for one of my watches to put on the Honda or on my Triumph, but I didn't really want to risk losing, damaging, or having stolen one of my expensive watches.

Suddenly I remembered the pocket watch...

I used some random scrap aluminum I had lying around. I work in a laboratory equipment shop, so this is actually a stripped side cover from a horrible, horrible vacuum pump.

Will it break after bending it? Probably.

Will I lose the pocket watch? Most likely.

Does it look kind of weird and stupid? A little bit.

But I had a lot of fun making this and I don't really give a damn! : D I stopped taking pictures after I made the first section, but you get the idea.

 

[Bonafide]

too asymmetrical for my likes .. I need balance. Your ability to go from idea to finish product is cool as sheeite .. but the unbalance-hanging off to one side look, ... um .. aint digging it.

Now .. if you could find a matching old skool pocket barometer or compass and mount it on the opposite side = BADASS!

 

[thearcticsea]

I hear you. I was considering swapping the clock to the right side, same position.

I am really into that compass idea man. I may be on ebay tonight.

 

[strokerlmt]

that is very cool......I am a "balanced" guy as well.....Oregon Mercantile has some neat pocket compasses. One would look cool on the rt side.
LMT

 

[thearcticsea]

My friend and I have started making a real go at turning motorcycle work into something profitable. He lost his job at the hospital where he was working and I'm pretty much ready to leave my job. The environment in which I work is really abysmal, from a health perspective. The conditions are atrocious and every day I feel more depleted. This coupled with the lack of any sort of camaraderie between any of the workers there, and the continuous reminder from relatives that I have college degrees that I could put to use and I am just about done.

That being said, it's a steady paycheck and I'm not mentally prepared to leap yet. But by year end...

We've secured a lot of vintage motors that have gone through the part-out process, set up a rather profitable ebay store, and gotten four project bikes to launch into. One of them, a 1972 Honda CB350 is nearly complete and it's looking and running so well that I wish I could keep it. The others are on deck.

The wife asked me to spend yesterday constructing a rock garden (I'm not into rocks), replete with the requisite Buddha statue (we're not Buddhist), so that was Saturday. Today I had to tile the in-laws backsplash and lay some mulch. Needless to say, I'm busy, but I managed to spent some time on the 450 today.

Got some indicator lights from a wrecked Bonneville and wired them into the Honda harness. Drilled some holes in the CEV headlight shell and popped them through. Came out incredible, considering the impromptu nature of the project.

Wiring on this bike is now officially 100% complete. Wheels, exhaust, gas tank, and seat are the final pieces. It's actually almost done. It's been a long-ass time.

 

[drlapo]

where did you get the Tarrozzi clip ons?

 

[thearcticsea]

I think I got them at fastfromthepast.com

 

[kdlutes]

I dig the watch addition. Kind of a steam punk look going with the tach, speedo, and watch.

My friend and I have started making a real go at turning motorcycle work into something profitable

Do it! Read this ebook for inspiration:

Choose Yourself! (Or just read his blog if you aren't into books)

What's the name of your eBay store?

Finally, keep updating this thread man. Love the pics.

 

[thearcticsea]

Hey KDLutes,

I'll check it out for sure. Always looking for information.

The ebay store is easily located. I don't want to plug it as the forum owner here has just a few rules, not linking to ebay is one of them. If you were to search for any kind of vintage Japanese or Triumph parts you'd find it. : )

The thread will be updated soon. We're about to move a Suzuki 250 and a CB450 survivor out the door. Once that's done this weekend I can spend some time on my personal build.

Thanks again man.

 

[Cereal KLR]

Been awhile since looked at this thread,glad life is coming along well for you. Back a page or so you mentioned replacing some bolts on your Triumph with stainless bits. Please research what grade they are as well as material before installation on critical areas.

I found this out the hard way after building a bike with all stainless allan head bolts which I thought looked really friggin cool until my buddy showed me that they were not even grade 4 rated!

Your tool renovations has me thinking now. My Brother in law inherited a cabin in Nevada and I was able to get lots of goodies including a lathe,stand up drill press,200 lb anvil and assorted other stuff. In my haste to load the truck I overlooked dozens of old small tools so will set up another visit before it gets snowed in.

 

[thearcticsea]

Sounds like an excellent score. Definitely grab those old tools. They're easy to restore and fun. Less mentally taxing.

The 450 is still progressing. I've started making a real push at a January target for opening a bike shop, so my personal project has become less of a priority as I work on customer's bikes and building a couple of restomod sale projects. I need to build some capital to really get this thing moving.

We've sold five machines so far and we've got a CB350 twin project about to wrap up, and a CB 350 F project in the wings.

It's been difficult, but I'm hoping that I'm moving closer to the destination, which is to have a successful business for myself and to create a better life for the family that my wife and are about to create.

If anyone is still checking in on this thread and has some valuable life experience as far as creating a real life and building something of value, chime in! I'm motivated and ambitious, but I'm only 29 years old. I could use any and all advice, lessons learned, etc.

As for the 450, I picked up some very trick 1960's Akront shouldered aluminum wheels... : )

 

[Cereal KLR]

Hope this still going together. Akronts and Borrani`s have dam near disappeared from swap meets out here. They have now become vintage fodder and change hands for hundred dollar bills.

A couple sites have some repo and are prices decently, one is MikesXS page.

http://www.mikesxs.net/products-56.html#products

I love how a straight and polished set of shouldered rims set of a bike.

 

[thearcticsea]

Yeah, since the last post I've polished out the Akronts and they are looking so trick. They look so good I've decided to save them for a European bike in the future. I've got a kind of period correct road racer in mind. Some kind of pre-unit Triumph, or a seriously pared back Moto Guzzi. We shall see...

Our 350 is ready for sale and the 350F is about to be disassembled. All work and no play...

I'll post up some pics of those projects for the hell of it. Once the 350 sells I'll make some time for this old girl.

 

[thearcticsea]

Wanted to update my thread here. Still working on a ton of projects. Did some refinishing on the CB 450 though, as I wasn't happy with parts of it.

Refinished the top custom triple tree. Shaped the piece a bit better and then really polished it.


CB 450 polished tree by JamesCT, on Flickr

Here is a CB 350 we got. The idea was to turn it into a sleek restomod. The list of jobs is large, so I'll just post a before and after. Still have to finish the seat. Happening this weekend most likely.

BEFORE

CB 350 project "before" by JamesCT, on Flickr

Not finished, but close...
AFTER

CB 350 Project by JamesCT, on Flickr

I did everything on this bike, from rebuilding the carbs to painting the bodywork and everything in between.
Detail shot of the paint. It's Jaguar French Racing Blue standox paint, used on Jaguar's XKRS.

CB 350 Project detail by JamesCT, on Flickr

Just a shot of the workspace and my best bud.

DSC09422 by JamesCT, on Flickr

And a favorite shot of my Triumph, just because I like this photo and want to see it again when I come to my thread.

Triumph Bonneville Friday Night Stroll by JamesCT, on Flickr

So that's what I've been up to in the garage. More stuff coming soon.

Just bought a 1976 BMW R60/6 for the hell of it. That's going to be one of my "showpiece" projects for the bike shop I'm pushing to open. Something that can showcase what I can do.

Thanks for reading, as always. Have fun guys.

 

[Roger]

I sure like what you've done with the 350. Better than new. That blue is stand-out for sure. Nicely done arcticsea
Looking forward to seeing what you will do with that R60. I wouldn't mind one bit finding one of those.

 

[strokerlmt]

congrats.....love the Honda....the blue is outstanding and the shop, thats not real right? You photo shopped that work shop, no one has a "man cave" that nice.
LMT

 

[Roger]

...and the shop, thats not real right? You photo shopped that work shop, no one has a "man cave" that nice.
LMT

Ya, it's like Disneyland with wrenches.

 

[thearcticsea]

Haha thanks guys. The workspace has taken a long time to get finished up. When I first started this thread there was no lighting, no heat, no insulation, bare framed walls with holes through which you could see the trees blowing in the wind...

The blue on the Honda was the third choice but you're right, it turned out to be so cool. Just a really bright, popping color. It makes me wish I painted my Triumph something besides "Eclipse Grey".

I really appreciate the nice words from you guys on this forum. Everyone here for the most part knows their stuff, so it's really encouraging.

 

[Bonafide]

if you want, I can come by and junk up your garage. ya know, so your OCD can have something to do ..

 

[thearcticsea]

Bonafide that would be good. Just bring by that aluminum tank and seat you got and just leave them lying around everywhere. ; )