Honda CB750 Sandcast

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Messages - ashimotok0

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1
General Discussion / Vic's 1968 CB750 Prototype.
« on: May 19, 2024, 03:45:46 am »
I was excited to see info on FB and the SOHC forums news  about Vic Worlds CB750 1968 prototype restoration.
So I though I would visit here as that would always have been my first port of call for info and informative discussion on anything as exciting as this.
but nothing posted from what I can see.

Anyway maybe this is the start of a discussion hopefully and a massive thanks to the chaps on here who started this all off. This site has been a massive source of valuable information on the early CB750 for me and long may it remain.  I suspect that a lot of the info taken from this site is regurgitated on the likes of FB ect.

2
This is the one David Silver initially bought for his museum (after the Mecum bike). I think he bought it off Craigslist but I much preferred the Mecum bike for it's originality, other than the novelty value of VIN 750 and of coure a 3 digit VIN. The last time I saw it in his museum it still had the generator cover stamped SOHC !

He replaced VIN750 in his museum  with a Vic Word restoration, which he bought at auction in the UK.

I think the place very near to him geographically and selling VIN 750 (UNIT 1 Motorcycles)   in the UK,  has close ties with DS, as a few of his imported bikes and the odd ex-museum bikes seem to end up there for sale.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283801601601

3
Bit of sleuthing reveals that this Sandcast is the one I put DS onto and he bought at a bargain price at Mecum for his new at the time museum. I still can't understand why he sold this one before it ever got in his museum. OK he bought VIN 750 and it's an earlier model but this one was already museum quality ...it just needed the seat sorting out at the time. Interesting to see what it makes. He now has a Vic World restored one and the VIN 750 one was for sale at Unit 1 near to him, for some staggering amount, the last time a saw it.

https://www.handh.co.uk/auction/lot/-1969-honda-cb750-sandcast/?lot=50155&so=0&st=&sto=0&au=482&ef=&et=&ic=False&sd=0&pp=48&pn=2&g=1


4
The Beginning / Re: Caswells tank liner removal
« on: January 19, 2020, 05:23:11 pm »
I have been working on the electronics for Caswell Europes semi-pro electroplating tanks last week and had to 'phone them to discuss this. I asked about removing 2-part epoxy sealer and got the impression that their remover is primarily for removing the older type non-epoxy type sealers, prior to using their epoxy resin sealer

I think you would need something pretty aggressive like the boiling THF (tetrahydrofuran) I mentioned earlier. Thinking back we had the electronics  module to be stripped in the reagent in a glass vessel, which was connected to a refluxer to recover the vapour. As described in the attached, which I cribbed and pieced together,  from a book on epoxy resins, any stripper will only soften the epoxy and it will particulate,. It will not fully disolve it. It ended up like crumbly Cheshire cheese when I was stripping it ... altough I understand in the USA all cheeses are just one type  ;D

 ...See attached for some stripping technical details plus some avialble reagents  in the USA but I don't know  if they are still available.


5
The Beginning / Re: Caswells tank liner removal
« on: January 05, 2020, 06:41:22 am »
In the 90's I worked for a company in the UK but primarily for their Rockford USA facility.
The MD (CEO)  was always buying electronic 'Gismos', as he called them, from competitors and getting me to 'reverse engineer' them.
These were electronics modulutes usually encapsulated 'potted' in black epoxy resin. My method of removal was to soak in hot THF (Tetrahydrofuran).
This completely softened the epoxy. I de-potted one unit which was so large that it's cost didn't justify the volume of epoxy resin used. When I de-potted it I was left with a handful of gravel .. they had bulked up the epoxy with it.

I have just designed the electronics for some snazzy semi-pro electro-plating tanks for Caswell Europe (now owned by MotoClassics in the UK) and obviously know the guys there well (ChrisR knows them too) .. I will ask about their thoughts on epoxy tank sealer removal.

6
General Discussion / Re: Double Cut Mudguards/Fenders & #8 Bolts
« on: October 29, 2019, 08:24:28 am »
I bought one Eric the Vietnam guy years ago and it was me that instiated him selling 'raw' i.e polished but not chromed.
I had the blade rechromed in the UK and very pleased with it. Really as ChrisR says the beaded outside looks more like hand formed but overall I was very pleased.

Interestingly at the time I bought it , he thought I was a woman as my 1st name is Ashley and that can be a girls name in the USA (Ashley was also the name of the wimp in 'Gone with The Wind') but I digress.  Anyay he got quite chatty with me and told me that he also had a press tool for the double-cut front fender, which was funded by a Japanese based company but he wasn't allowed to sell any  made using the tooling direct. He was also making CB750  4 into 4 exhausts at the time .

7
I reckon this picture attached is from an  edition of the  BBC TV Programme  'Wheelbase' (a forerunner to 'Top Gear' ) broadcast on 28th February 1969  Lord Denbigh the 1st owner of CGU 7H  was on the programme and I believe Alf Briggs of Honda UK was possibly riding the bike too.

I keep meaning to contact the BBC to see if a video copy still exists. I doubt it but worth a shot. That programme series was one of the first to be transmitted in colour .  

Note that is still has the rectangular rear lamp and high bars fitted ... Lord D obviously can't have been the owner at that time as he had it changed to low bars and the bike was fitted with the UK style oval rear lamp to comply with UK regulations. I understand that  Alf Briggs (then based at UK Honda's Service Department in Nottingham) took the bike to Lord D's country estate for the filming of the TV programme.




8
General Discussion / Re: Alloy Refinishing by Vic World
« on: April 28, 2019, 11:51:17 am »
The best I could find is Alodine 1000/1001 but it contains chromic acid which is pretty nasty stuff. http://www.henkeladhesivesna.com/henkeldocs/oilgas/10400_LT-6267.pdf (please scroll down to Page 30 and further)
 
There is no suggestion that this is what Vic uses but I would imagine it would work very well.
Personally I just thoroughly cleaned the alloy  with acetone after 'satinizing' the surface  and then used Eastwood Diamond Clear ( as suggested by MarkB)
Not that this coating is ideal but  the best non-nasty method for the amateur.

I should have asked Vic about this  at the David Silver CB750 event last year when he looked at and positively identified,  the pair of PP carbs I had. I must say what a lovely decent 'chap' he is when you meet him face to face.


9
Someone posted the pp pic on UK SOHC website.

pp bike pic was taken in France, outside at the 'reveal' of the CB750

UK diecast was taken at a King Crimson concert in 1970 (for all of you prog rock fans out there).
The bike belonged to the their record agent John Gaydon and was taken at a concert in Hyde Park UK. The lady sitting on it is Mark Bolan's wife June Child(Feld)

10
General Discussion / Re: The Brighton bike fully 'restored' ?????
« on: September 30, 2018, 02:49:17 am »
I only studied one silencer (muffler) closely but it was stamped HMCB750....The type fitted to early diecasts for German and possibly other non-US,Non-UK bikes. I could be wrong but I think these were the pipes fitted when it was auctioned. Owner not remotely interested in the pair of original(confirmed) carbs I had from it and showed him. This is all  a real shame. I can just picture Mr. Swan crying into his beer (and rightly so) when he reads this post.

11
General Discussion / The Brighton bike fully 'restored' ?????
« on: September 29, 2018, 02:52:42 pm »
Hmm ...jury out on this one !

12
Front End and Suspension / Re: Yamiya Fork Stanchions
« on: September 26, 2018, 04:54:43 am »
Shimpei has been there as long as i know, seems to be kind of the face of Yamiya to us round-eyes.  despite my attempts to strike a convo with him, no luck have i.

https://www.pressreader.com/australia/old-bike-australasia/20160701/282016146593357

13
Front End and Suspension / Re: Yamiya Fork Stanchions
« on: September 25, 2018, 01:55:16 pm »
unfortunately as much as i have been a Yamiya supporter in the past, especially 15 years ago when they started reproducing hard (near impossible) to find parts like the LR's, my position on their parts and service is changing.  there seems to be report after report of some of their parts just not being right.  there is no reason steel fork tubes such as in Ash's case should not be able to be made to factory spec; these are not complex parts to reproduce.  Ash, i assume you have you taken measurements on factory tubes to compare with these Yamiya replacements?  a difference in the diameters between the two where Yamiya diameter is smaller than factory would be "damning" evidence and in that case, Yamiya needs to not only do what is right by you but also, as you asked them, check their inventory so they're not selling an incorrectly replicated part.

The photo at the beginning of this post is annotated with  the diameters of both my original 10/69 stanchion and a Yamiya one Steve in the piston/valve ring unchromed area. The swept area is the correct diameter (i.e the chromed part). I included  that photo in my original email to Yamiya /Shimpei. Who is Shimpei by the way ?

14
Front End and Suspension / Re: Yamiya Fork Stanchions
« on: September 25, 2018, 11:53:12 am »
Thanks for the replies guys.

I sent this reply copied below to Yamiya,so they might refuse to sell to me in future  ::) as they get tetchy when you question the quality of a part.

I guess I am stuck with them now !

Two thoughts:-

1) Try to get somebody in the UK to build up the bottom area with hard chrome and grind back to the correct size.
2) Bush the bottom piston with 0.1 mm shim and make some new undersize I.D. damper rings at work. Not sure what the damper rings are made of though and how hard the material is.

What do you guys think please ... I really appreciate your help.

David Silvers stanchions are made in Italy, fully chromed and the diameter is too large to fit the pistons and valve rings. I find it incredible that nobody in 2018 can manage to copy a part faithfully to the original.  It makes you question what the actual metal the stanchions are made from

Ashley Derrick <ashimoto750@gmail.com>
09:03 (8 hours ago)
to shimpei, order

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your reply but I cannot understand why the dimensions of the pipe are not a faithful reproduction of the Honda original part. In my opinion these pipes have not been made to the correct dimensions. Can you check your stock to see if they are the same dimensions as mine please.

Kind regards and best wishes ...Ashley

15
Front End and Suspension / Re: Yamiya Fork Stanchions
« on: September 25, 2018, 02:58:45 am »
This is the hopeless reply I got back from Shimpei at Yamiya

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your inquiry.
We checked the picture you attached, but some errors will occur as it becomes a rebuilt item and there is no such thing that we can not install it until now.
We would appreciate your understanding.
Thank you.

Best Regards,
Motorcycle YAMIYA

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