After much thought it is going up for sale.    I might have it priced a bit high, but hey, it's the real deal.

More info and photos here:  http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/mcy/2935137553.html

Getting around to the seat.  The pan is solid.  The cover is also in good shape.   I've been softening it over the last couple of months with some Avon skin-so-soft and some Meguires vinyl/rubber treatment.   It actually is getting softer and much more pliable than it was originally.    Now, the foam is just shot and not usable at all.

Since the pan is solid and the cover looks good, I figured I take a chance and just get some new foam for the seat pan after I clean it up and paint it.

Not 100% sure that I want to pop for $350 new red foam from yamiya - going to see what my local upholsterer can come up with for the foam.   Anyone ever sourced red foam anywhere else than Yamiya ?


Now - my question is for the tabs that hold the cover to the pan - the sharp triangular tabs that fold over onto themselves.    I have it in my head that those need to be annealed in order to keep them from breaking when re-folding them.    Not sure where I read that, but I haven't been able to find anything directly relating to that subject.

Has anyone had success with re-covering a seat with those tabs ?    Is it as simple as heating them up and letting them cool down slowly ?

I finally had a big block of time to work on 'ol sandie this weekend.    I put my wiring harness back on.  I replaced the majority of the connectors and re-wrapped it in some new non-adhesive loom tape.   Tested every wire for continuity.  1 less thing to worry about.

I got out the battery charger and did the electrolysis treatment on my wrinkle tank.  looks great in there, but I have a pin hole in a very odd place.  Bummer, but it should be an easy fix...eventually.   Since I really wanted to get it running, I was kinda bummed out.    Then, the motorcycle gods shined on me.  A buddy of mine just happened to be over at the house and mentioned that her dad had a bunch of old cycles and loved to show them off.  He has all girls, so he's out numbered and never really gets to show them off.   So, wanting to clear my head, I gave him a call and headed over.   I didn't know what to expect, but I was blown away.   He had a couple early HD knuckheads, a sweet panhead, shovelhead.   He also had a CB450 that he had bought brand new.   A late 60's Ducati that was just beautiful,  4 or 5 old BMWs and at least 5 old Honda dirt bikes.

After hanging out with him for an hour or so, I was just about to leave when I spotted an ruby red CB750 tank up in the rafters in the corner.    I asked about it and he didn't even remember how he got it - said it had been up there for at least 20 years.    I climbed up and got it down and it looked pretty solid.  A few love taps here and there, but solid.

I asked what he would take for it, not sure if he would even sell it or not.  He is one of those guys that doesn't like to part with things.    He gave it to me for $50 bucks and the promise of a ride on the sandcast when it is running.

So I raced back home, clean the tank out and got things ready to go.

New points plate - set the points and timing.   Re-checked the valve tappets.  Re-checked the cam chain.
All the wiring - checked and back in it's place.     Took the tappets off and put some oil in the top end.  Put a few drops of oil in the cylinders and popped some new plugs in there to go with the new coils I had purchased.     Put the new HM300s on there.   I have to say that it was the easy set of pipes I've ever put on.  Couldn't belive it.  I had all 4 on in about 20 minutes - with not a single curse word  
 I think I'm ready to fire this thing.

I put gas in the tank and then things started to go awry.  Gas was pissing out of everything.   I had re-used the original float needles and seats so I figured I could just change those out for the new ones I had but forgotten about.   When I took the bowls off, I noticed that all 4 of the over flow tubes in the bowls have micro tears in them...bummer !!!

I took the bowls off an extra set of carbs and swapped them in there.  Problem solved.

Went in and got the camera to document the first time this thing had fired since the late 80's

Mark,  those gauges look great.   Did you re-use/re-plate the backs or did you buy new backs ?     Would you happen to know the part number for those ?  The plates on the back of my gauges seem to look different (mainly the areas that are cut out where the cables for the tach & speedo attach.) than the ones that I am seeing on ebay or the parts fische I see at my Honda shop.

If you are still looking for one, gimme a shout.   I have one.   It might be missing a ball bearing, but everything else looks to be there.

Are there any markings on the 300 bars that can identify them ?    I discovered yesterday that my bars are bent.

Ok, when I brought home mine, I took the caliper off (froze up) and put it on my shelf. 

Next to it was another caliper that has been there for a while.

Now, months later, I cannot remember which is which.   Both are silver.   The only difference that I see is on the underside where the raised lettering that spells "TOKIKO"   Both have it, but one is  TOKIKO 7 and the other is TOKIKO 8.

Now I'd guess that the earlier number would be correct ?    Think I'd be allright using the one that is in slightly better shape ?

Yep, she's a beauty.   Inspiration to get mine back on the road.   It's getting a "tidy up" too -   Those original pipes look great.