Uli, so much of what we think we know about all the different distinctions seen within and between vins 1 through 7414 requires reasoning based on evidence. This evidence comes from every form of literature we can find and every part or every machine we can find. i always assume what i think i know may not be true until proven otherwise; i believe this is known as inductive reasoning. Some things we know about sandcast 750's are immutable "truths," e.g., we believe every engine crankcase between 1 through 7414 is sandcast. Reaching a conclusion on other parts, distinctive for a particular vin or what one could predict or expect to see in any given vin range is or can be more challenging. Often, in our attempts to reach a conclusion, when comparing information in literature to features we are seeing on an actual part or motorcycle, in terms of generalizing our assumption to a any vin range, we (or at least I) attempt to find as much information as i possibly can in my process of deducing, inferring, or extrapolating information available to me as i move forward to reach a conclusion. When it comes to examining anything of a bygone era, reaching a conclusion based on what we think "Truth" is or is not can be a journey fraught with hazard and peril. In the case of our sandcast 750's, i feel confident that "Truth" is relative to what we say we know or at least what we think we know.
in the case of the oil filter case fitted to vins 1-7414, i believe we "know" there were two types fitted; 1. fin-less or "round" and 2. finned. From there, things become questionable. That's where looking at every piece of evidence we can find, as we draw conclusions, become absolutely necessary. And, we have to be prepared to accept, that a conclusion we arrive at today, may be subject to more previously unknown (new) information we discover tomorrow. The "French Sandcasts" are a prime example. If i had declared in 2004 when this website went online that the factory produced sandcast motorcycles in the vin range of 14,000-17,000, chances are i would have been vigorously challenged and told i was wrong.
Anyway... one of my problems, is i can't remember half or maybe even a tenth of what i learned in my vigorous pursuit of trying to learn every possible detail on these sandcast Honda 750's between the years 2001-2009. What i do know is i have collected and studied every piece of literature i could and can get my hands on. However, my knowledge, albeit vast, is far from current and like i've always said, i reserve the right to be wrong.
regarding the oil filter case and the vin 4148 came from the 1st edition, February 1971 parts book, where pn 15411-300-000, followed by pn 15411-300-010 on vin 4149. Then, of course we have to take in to account, information found in factory service bulletins,, magazines and other literature, etc, etc, etc. Then we form more conclusions based on inductive, deductive, reductive reasoning in our process of extrapolating ideas from the information we have at hand at the time we are in the process of inferring, suggesting, proposing an assumption to support the theory or idea we are trying to call "Truth." Anyway, i just gave myself a big-assed headache. and my apologies to you or anyone who has read this far and might interpret what i've written as just so much bullshit.
I will go to my grave believing 4779 had a round oil filter cover, because i remember it that way. i have an uncanny memory when it comes to some things and a round oil filter cover is what i remember on 4779. Chris and i have talked about this in the past........
as far as the 4148 number in "Distinctions," i put i there, i created that list. Certainly, that list needs some updating because we have learned more new pieces of information and because what i put on that list can be wrong and should be challenged and subject to revision. if someone wanted to take on that job of updating that list, i would be happy to be consulted in that effort. as my life is, don't wait for me to be everything the website and forum needs to be.
years ago, Chris and i undertook the daunting task of identifying EVERY part on vins 1-7414 as regards distinctions within and between vins and vin ranges. Chris undertook the chassis work and i undertook the engine work. an example of my work can be found on this link -
http://cb750sandcastonly.com/differences04.htmi know my probably unnecessarily long answer does not answer your question, and right now, for the life of me, i can't remember the relevance of vin's 4148 and 4149 related to differences seen on oil filter cases. That's sad, but that's me. i guess, at least in some ways, i've moved on to other things.... In the last 5 years, my head became filled with 1927 Harley-Davidson JD information, i know the details of a 27JD intimately and the information is fresh. and, i'm working on obtaining a master's degree. I imagine in another 10 years (that's how long it has been since i put the "Distinctions" list together) i won't remember as much about a 27JD. Hell, I'll be 76 years old then, if i am even still alive......
i sure do hope anyone professing a passion for sandcast Honda 750 motorcycles can and will pick up where i left off at. Between 2001-2009, i approached sandcast Honda 750's with passion and zeal, my interest in sandcast 750's was on fire. Well.... life changes. And i'm eternally thankful for people like Chris who have a memory like a steel trap and in Chris' case Honda 750 are pretty much his sole passion. I'm down to 9 motorcycles in my little collection and one one is a Honda. And, we have KP. He and i are the same age and we "retired" at nearly the same time. KP has been enjoying his retirement away from work and motorcycles and KP has been as zealous or more than any of us since this website brought us together. i imagine KP may come back someday, as (i assume) he begins work on #28.... And Wayne. without Wayne, we would not have the improvements we have. Wayne, i am daring to guess, has probably spent hundreds of hours on this website since he took over management responsibilities.
it's been said it takes a village to raise a child. in the case of the sandcast, it takes all of our efforts to learn as much as we can for as long as we can. Savor what i wrote in 2004 in my Welcome! as this website was being readied to go live on the internet - "Our Purpose - For preserving the posterity of the CB750 'sandcast' motorcycles in decades to come and for the enjoyment of it's owners now. Our intent is not to be viewed as exclusive nor elitist - instead to perhaps
prevent these machines from slipping into obscurity by 2069 or any other time."
anyway, i like this board and plan to be a member of sorts until i can no longer. All of you have a wonderful day !
