I lucked into a sandcast a few months ago. I have run an add on craigslist for about 5 years now off and on looking for 69-76 CB750s. I don't really get many good leads, but occasionally, something turns up. A gentleman contacted me and told me that he had what he thought was a 73 CB750A. I wasn't interested, but I told him to go ahead and send me some photos and I'd try to find him a buyer. When I got the photos, I was surprised. It definitely was not an automatic, and wasn't a 73. From his blurry photos, I could tell it was an early CB. I called him back and asked if he could get me the serial numbers and some more detailed photos. Imagine my surprise when I got the numbers... The frame was a mid 3000 number sandcast. The motor, was in the 8000 range - bummer, but I thought I still need to grab it. I gassed up the truck and took off to go get it. When I got there, I double-checked the serial numbers and was shocked when I realized he had misread the number - it was in the 3000 range as well. HOLY-CRAP, I found a sandcast!
After we got it loaded up, I stayed for a bit and tried to find out more history on it. Supposedly, one of his old buddies had the bike in his barn since the mid 80's. He had recently passed away and his son ended up with it. He had no interest in it or selling it. Years went by and it sat, withering away neglected. About a year ago, the son had some tax work done by his dad's buddy (the guy I got the bike from) and never paid him for it. After trying to collect the money he was owed, he offered to take the motorcycle for payment. That's when he started digging around on craigslist and found my add. All he wanted was what he was owed - he had no interest in restoring or parting the bike out. He's a hot-rod guy and was happy to know that I would at least get the bike back on the road partly as an homage to his old friend. He even gave me 20 bucks off his asking price just so I could tell my wife that I was able to negotiate him down on the price. Luckily, in this case, the man did not need the money - it was just a matter of principle for him. He's retired, lives on a beautifully manicured 2 acre lot in his huge dream house and spends his days tinkering on his 1930 model A. The sandcast was in his way, but he couldn't bear pushing it back out into the weather. He had no interest in restoring it - just wanted it to go to a good home.
I got home that afternoon and got it unloaded and into the shop. I read non-stop for the next few days trying to familiarize myself with the nuances of the sandcast CB750.
After closer inspection, I found that almost all of the original parts were there. The only things I found missing were: the mirrors.
Everything else, I think is there and original to the bike. I was able to find the bottom half of the airbox locally. I'll worry about the mirrors later.
My plan (subject to change at any moment) is to take one section at a time and clean things up, inventory and photograph things, make the bike safe to ride again. Mainly a thorough, thorough cleaning and maintenance that needs to be done. I'll clean the bolts and parts and put them right back where they were. Hopefully, I will be able to familiarize myself with the bike and it's parts and keep things in the proper place while creating a record of the bike. That way, I can can ride it around a bit before I tear things down for repaint, plating etc.
