Sandcast on ebay uk

[UK Pete]

Hi all , i keep looking at this bike and it wants me to buy it , however i would like othter opinions as to what people think
at the end of the day, all it is is frame swingarm, sandcast cases and gearbox internals , seat base , and wrinkle tank
, oil tank , wheels , and mudguards
the top end of engine is not sandcast, it is missing the 9 hole cover and a few other engine bits

pete

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321438925338?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_sacat%3D0%26_from%3DR40%26_nkw%3D321438925338%26_rdc%3D1

[Steve Swan]

wow.  $6800 usd.  now that's a project.  based on my experience, if i were taking that one on, i'd have another at least $20k in it.

[UK Pete]

Yes lots of money, but here in the UK there were no sandcasts so on the rare occasions that they get imported over it is our only chance to buy hence the price, however i have seen many people buy complete basket cases all over the world at high prices, as for putting in $20.000 on the restore i suppose if you want to do it correctly then thats what it costs, even a good example will have to have most parts seen to, and many new parts,
does it sound like i am talking myself into this ha ha
pete

[4pots1969]

Hello Pete,

In any case if you decide to buy him, you certainly go to move to go to see her of meadows..  
It seems to me that Crankcase got out of it from chain was repaired??
3.999 £ is 5000€.. Yes it is a beautiful sum of money.. But it is important to indulge itself in the life.. 
And as says it a good French proverb " It is better to have remorse than regrets "...
Then it is fast necessary to decide on you before an other one takes you of speed...

Gerard

[4pots1969]

But why not to buy this French Sandcast (?) 69 September, him is not much dearer (8.800€) and certainly healthier if we consider the cost to restore the other?

http://www.leboncoin.fr/motos/669886962.htm?ca=19_s

[steff750]

  here is my opinion and some may not like it  
in reality you are paying for just a engine number and a frame number and all the misery that comes with it
leave well alone not only is it a money pit ,they was never meant for this country ever and the word sandcast is not even a term used by Honda the CB750 is well documented in UK in that any bike shipped from japan before January 1970 never came to the UK . so leave it go back too the states where it came from I cant see any yanks clambering to buy it back . I bet they was glad to see the back of it.
 so why don't you get a UK bike they do turn up , better and a lot cheaper . I have five 1970-71 CB750's all  have been sourced around the UK and northern Ireland each with their own history and no registration fees if you have dealt with the DVLA  like I have you will know they are just a cash cow and what you pay them is a pittance to what that pile of junk will cost you .I am on  my last CB750 restore and it will not be a full restore like I have done in the past, because of the cost and scarcity of parts, this will be from left over bits I got left laying about it probably only owes me about a grand  
 I was offered two sandcasts for twelve grand each a couple of years ago I didn't pay that for the five CB750's I own and I will be lucky if I get five grand each for my best three. my bikes are in regular use and I bet any money them sandcasts are no better or faster than mine like I said  its just numbers at the end of the day and the wrong ones in my eyes. but hey its your choice anyway , I think I know your answer because you would not be asking here in the first place
 good luck finding a 1970 CB750

[Steve Swan]

the $20k i mentioned was sourcing as many nos parts as possible, not repro.  of course, having to use some repro cannot be avoided.  and if one used as many repro parts as possible in lieu of nos, one could save a little.  the bike is missing quite a bit.   making it complete would be the first $$ hurdle.  then there would be the concern of what existing parts could be restored and what would have to be replaced.  everything would need all new plating and paint.  the end result would still be at the very least a $20k total expenditure.  myself, i think it would be a challenge to keep the cost including bike under $25k.  and, it's a 4 digit vin.  i guess it depends on what one wants and how important money is.  myself, i can always use more money than i have.....    and when it comes to what i consider a restoration, i do not spare any expense.  so, if i wanted a sandcast and i was not picky about a vin, $25k would not derail my desire.  i'm in the middle of restoring my 1927 JD, i have crazy money in it, the project has come a long way, but i still have a ways to go.  i understand sandcast rarity in non-US countries.  i think it's easy enough to get a US bike into UK port for under a couple thou.$.

the way i see the values of sandcasts, any LH horn model is worth more than a RH horn model, except Evin 7414.  any 3 digit is worth more than any 4 digit.

and any 3 digit around vin 300 is worth more than any 3 digit up to 999.  vins hovering the 300 mark and below share at least or more than 99% of the parts seen on any 2 digit or 1 digit bike.  vins above 300 begin sharing parts seen on the higher vins.

vins with 4 or 5 zeroes will sell for more than vins with 3 zeroes.

it doesn't matter to me what people think or don't think about a sandcast vs a die cast.  each to their own.  i owned 4779 new.  had i not owned a 'sandcast' in 1969, i would have no interest in a sandcast now.  just like some guys love Z1's and H1's.  i've never owned a Kawasaki and unless one drops from the sky into my lap, i never will.  when it comes to collecting bikes, i'm only into machines i have a connection with.

[Sgt.Pinback]

Yes lots of money, but here in the UK there were no sandcasts so ...

....no need to buy that one.

[4pots1969]

Pete,

Yes anyway, he is certain that it is necessary to expect has an abyss financially.. Without counting the bad surprises in the dismantling.. And for an approximate résulat of the fact that there are many missing parts has to replace..
If you like absolutely has to buy Sandcast and can matter where from he comes it's better to buy him integer and in a good " juice "..

[UK Pete]

Ok i just could not resist the challenge i have bought it, after all its only money you cant take it with you, i will start a restore thread on here and you guys can watch my progress, as for it being a US bike ,that really does not bother me there are many thousands of imported bike here in uk with containers arriving monthly ,my passion in life is motorbikes, i dont get hung up on their roots,at the end of the day they originated from Japan anyway,
i have a US imported k1, k0 f1, and now sandcast, the fun for me is in the restoration , i just love doing a bit then taking pictures and sharing the updates, it will probably take me 5 or so years , but will give me satisfaction , luckily i have amassed so many of the parts for it already, the part i most need is the 9 hole cover, can anyone help me out with that)
pete

[Steve Swan]

" its only money you can't take it with you..........."  Pete, you are my kind of guy !  it takes REAL passion to commit to something like that.  keep us posted on this project !!!!  

i know it's not a sandcast, but here's what i started with on my '27 JD project.  after i sold off all the incorrect parts, i started with a $3500 investment.  after finding all the correct parts, various repairs (including broken crank cases, sound familiar?) i'm over $30k........  i'm proud to say i rescued the pieces of an old bike that otherwise was in the dark hallway called oblivion !

[UK Pete]

Wow Steve that 27 jd project looks really interesting, i just googled 1927 jd and liked what i saw, good luck with that
having got my sandcast back home i feel really pleased with myself its not as bad as i thought, looking at it logically , if it had been a complete bike i would be looking at renewing or replating all the fastners, certainly new rear shocks, rechroming of rims , new spokes and all that, new seat , new electrics , full engine rebuild etc, my point is the level of work will be not huge amounts more than if i had a complete but tatty one
the plus side is the engine cases are undamaged no chain break, the frame and swing arm is virtually rust free and straight, the  engine internals are free moving and rust free, shock springs are good so i can clean up and transfer on to the K0 ones currently available, both wheels are correct 2 hole hub and the correct front hub, the wrinkle tank is in really good shape no dents with only very fine  light dusty rust inside,
Also i have  front forks and headstock, Rhino horn , clocks, airbox, recessed ignition, tool kit and many other parts all stashed away
the hard to get parts i will need are carbs head, barrels, and 9 hole cover the rest i can get from the usual chanels so all in all i am one happyt chapie
pete

[ashimotok0]

You Glutton for punishment Pete!

You are probably correct in just getting a basket case rather than a complete bike, as you end up replacing most of it anyway, like I did with my UK K0. I agree with Steph to a degree that the sandcast was never sold here so the magic to me too is an early,originally  sold in the UK,  bike but every man to his own and it certainly looks like an exciting and challenging project. Problem with almost every UK bike is that the ravages of UK weather mean that you are usually starting with a pile of rust. I gather that was the final one of four sandcasts,which Will Dorkins had, and I think one of the other buyers posted as a newbie on here. Was he negotiable on the price?

Didn't see this one mentioned on here .. it went for $15k Stored since 1971!

http://www.mecum.com/lot-detail.cfm?lot_id=LV0114-180155

Cheers  ... Ash

[4pots1969]

Pete, my congratulations on this purchase!!
A little of madness that gives some hot pepper has the life!! 
But in the fact why t-il there not had of Sandcast in England?
No real English demand for the motorcycles Nipones of the fact that there was Triumph, BSA and Norton??

[UK Pete]

Ash if you go on the UK SOHC probably half the bikes people own on there are imports, and usually model variations we did not get here , i saw this as probably my only chance to get one at that price, will recons that there is not likely to be many more, as for negotiable on price in a word i did not bother trying , i have had my eye on this bike for months, he started off @ £4500, for just the bare frame and engine, back in february i think, then he added all the other bits like wheels tanks and guards, still it did not sell, i was in communication with him with a view to making him an offer, but i was taking my time as i really wanted it to be bought so taking away the temptation for me to buy it, then he dropped the price to 3999, that was it i had to cash in my ISA savings to get it and now i am skint but hey life is to short and all that, i have to say i am really excited about this project, and hope it is not going to be like some of my others staying half done and awaiting finishing, i hoe to spend about 5k more on this bike giving me a total outlay of 8k for the finished bike, but i will have to rob some of my lovely k0 parts, so maybee i might get this finished sooner and let the K0 sit on the back burner
4pots, thanks for your comments, i am having a little difficulty understanding some of what you write, but as for the sandcast in the UK i have no idea why we didn't get them, and as for British bikes they look really nice but are really temperamentle, and unreliable, also it was the JAP bikes that were about in my teens, Honda and Kawasaki put an end to the british bike market, so i grew up with the Japanese bikes
pete