Honda CB750 Sandcast

Opinions on a real live barn find

greenjeans

  • Newbie
  • *
    • Posts: 47
    • View Profile
Ok, I hit the lottery and picked up what really appears to be an pretty intact sandie.    Tank is correct, the more I study, the more things look correct to the bike.
I've dug around a bit more, and it is pretty much a 1-owner bike.  The owner has since passed away.  It has sat since 1985 in of all places a barn before finding its way to me.

My question - might be a bit long-winded.    I want to lightly dis-assemble, clean things and put it back together.   When I say dis-assemble, I mean take the motor out, and clean it very well.  I don't plan on painting it for now.   While the motor is out, I want to clean the frame - again, not going to paint anything just yet.  I'll keep the wheels intact, will just replace the wheel bearings and clean them up - no paint or polishing.    The wiring harness is unmolested so I will only have to clean the connections.     I'll clean all the original bolts and re-use.  Some are pretty rusty, some are pretty good.   New tires - the ones on there are not original to the bike although they are very old.   The only parts that I think that I'm missing are:  the lower half of the airbox (2-hole) and side covers.   Unfortunately, 1 of the pipes has completely fallen apart.  2 are actually serviceable.  The 3rd, while intact, is full of good-sized holes.    Unfortunately for me, the pipes on it are the un-stamped "Lotus Root" pipes.   I have a line on some HM300s that I may buy, just to get it in running condition.
Carbs are off, and while they were more full of sediment and crud than any set I've ever looked at, they will clean up very nice.
I have already dropped the oil pan and inspected the oil pump & screen.  All looks great.   Points plate stayed dry all these years and somehow had some very, fine dust in there.
There are no signs of water in the motor  ;D.   I'll do a standard tune-up and I really have the feeling that this beast will fire right up.


Do you think that my preliminary plan will in any way hurt the value ?    I know it seems most of you guys like to get them "un-touched"

I would really like to do a nice restoration on this one.   I have a boat that will likely hit the market to fund the restoration, but I am still undecided and could go either way.






Steve Swan

  • Hero Member
  • *****
    • Posts: 2705
    • View Profile
    • cb750sandcastonly.com
John, sounds like you're doing some good research, complimenting your first hand observation, then asking questions.  Your approach for bringing the bike back to life sounds well thought out.  Saying this, i am assuming your goal is to not only get the bike running and roadworthy, but also, at least for the time being, give it a thorough cleaning in the process.  When these bikes have sat for so long without running, if the goal is to get the bike in operating condition, at least to my way of thinking, your approach is the only one.  I've not studied closely your pics, but what i have seen, missing parts excluded, your bike certainly appears relatively unmolested from when it left the assembly line.  That being said, once any nut or bolt is removed, the bike has then been "molested."  I went through the same thing with 2157, it appeared obviously relatively unmolested, other than missing the engine, oil tank, airbox, side covers and exhaust !  If i wanted to ride it, i knew i would have to dismantle the chassis, clean, replace some parts and re-assemble, hence "molesting" the originality.  If the goal is to make the bike roadworthy, to may wy of thinking, there's no other choice but to take things apart.  Like your approach, i kept every serviceable part on the bike, for the sake of originality.  Replacing missing parts is an individual decision.  Obviously, replacing Lotus Roots anew is a "big" decision.  Since my goal was to have 2157 a "rider," knowing i had no plan to restore the bike, not running Lotus Roots was the obvious choice.  And, weenie i am, i cannot "wrap my head" around running a set of $3k+ exhaust and turning them into used parts that are going to rust out, at least not on a bike i would not ride regularly (such as my iron man hero Chris Rushton!)   Restoration is another matter, and we have members who are very meticulous in making their restoration as close to original as possible, resulting in beautiful machines restored to as close to original specs as we know original is supposed to be.  Others, such as myself, like shiny, so these overly shiny finishes are not "like original."  For me, the end result is what the owner wants the bike to look like when the job's completed, that's the satisfying reward of individual choice.  No matter what choices are made for a restoration's outcome, my interpretation of original is, as i have heard others say, "Original is only once, before the bike comes out of the factory crate."   Hope this helps, will be good to hear what other members say !

PS -  Save those Lotus Root baffles, they are RARE !


cb7504

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
    • Posts: 290
    • View Profile
If you decide to let go of the lotus root baffles they would be of interest to me. Marty K.


greenjeans

  • Newbie
  • *
    • Posts: 47
    • View Profile
As far as the molesting goes....I've already dropped the oil pan, removed the stator cover, clutch cover and shifter cover.  I am just cleaning the bolts with kerosene and replacing them in their original spots.  All the bolts are definitely useable, just a bit a rust on some of the heads.  Not replacing anything.

Going to take a real close look at the pipes this evening - just to confirm that all of them are "Lotus Root" types.

I'm saving everything.