Honda CX 500 first Café build

i have two builds on the go at the moment, a gsx550 and a BMW K75. The most vexing issue is the seat for both. Have used a modified GT380 seat for the GSX but not entirely happy. Can I ask you what you are going to do with you seat plug. Looks really useful to me but way beyond my skills. Fantastic build by the way. Do think these bikes are sadly overlooked but look excellent when cafed.

The moment I poped the mold off the plug mate it went in the bin as I can now cast as many seat units from the mold as I like.

Sorry fella. When I start casting, let me know if you want one.

While I was at work today I was thinking how racer it would be to drill the battery box to lighten it up a bit. I really dont think it will make that much difference, but it might look cool.

When I got in I marked out a grid and dot punched it, then drilled smal pilot holes.



Then opened the holes slightly with a bigger bit.



Until I got to where I was happy with the hole size.

Might not look much now, but I think it will add to the over all effect.



Swing arm was next.



Be really carfull removing the wheel because the pads are made with asbestos and there may be dust in the drum you'll want to avoid, so for goodness sake dont blow it out and get a lung full.

Right, diff off next



The three nuts that held it on were really tight, so I stuck it in my vice to get em undun.



And thats the frame stripped ready to go for blasting and powdercoat.



While its gone I have plenty to get on with including new fork seals



And removing the tyres so I can get the rims refinished.

I was supposed to be working today building a garden wall, but the rain had other ideas about that.

I came home and started on the fan cowling



I cleaned it up a while back ready for painting, and removed the rubber baffels. They were cracked and perrished and need to be replaced. I have no idea what Honda replacements would cost, if you can get them. So I decided to make my own from a thick lorry innertube.

First I used the old one to make a template



Next I cut a section of rubber and cleaned it with meths



Sat the template on it and held it flat with a few bolts, then gave it a dust over with spray paint.



Then cut it out with strong sissors



I'll cut the slots and holes once the cowel has been painted.



While I'm painting the cowel I thought I would prep a few other bit and bobs for paint.



So the dirt shield came off and got the treatment.



Make sure to remove any dirt and grease before painting to give the paint a good chance of keying to the metal.

I use meths, but pre-paint is also the business.



The Diff was ok, and looks a bit complicated so there is 2 good reasons to leave it alone. I'll give it a good clean and paint and stick it back on when the frame gets back.

So this after noon I've been cleaning, preping and painting parts



Then turned my attentsion to my yokes. I want to paint the lower yoke and polish the top yoke.

Problem is these lines. They are left by the joint in the two sides of the mold when the part is cast.



and they go right round the part.



I guess the factory see them as unnessary costly to remove, bit I think the part looks better without them.

They are not hard to remove with a file and aluminium oxide paper



Take a little time and use round back or rat tail files





Theres a job I can do infront of the telly, flatten them off with wet and dry paper ready to polish.



The bottom yoke is made from cast steel so I gave that a blast of paint too.



Well the weather front seems to have passed over so tomorrow I'll go build the garden wall I was going to do today, that will cover the cost of the frame powder coating next Saturday.

Coming along nicely.

Good work.

One of the sides has come away from my radiator, when I looked it had solder on the back of the joint.

I have soldering equipment so I thought I would have a go at repairing it myself.



First I added flux, this is an acid the will clean the surfaces when its heated.



Next I gently applied pressure to bring the two parts together with a clamp



Then applied heat to activate the flux then melt the lead solder



after a few moments the solder will bond



Then the clamp can be removed

Theres a show on tv called Wheeler Dealers.

The host buys cars on a budget, then takes them to his mechanic, where he restores them and they then sell the car on for a profit.

I like the show, but one aspect of it bugs the life out of me.

The mechanic will fit a brand new shiney part then use rusty old screws and bolts to hold it in place.

Not me, not on this project.

So tonight I decided to give all my bolts a good going over to brighten them right up



Its worth the effort, and will make a huge difference to the finished project



Well, if I wasnt doing this I'd just be stuck infront of the telly



another job, jobbed!!!

Don't know if you saw Cafe Racer on Discovery Shed Sunday night? One of the builds was guess what? Yep, a CX500, and a right nice job it was too!

Yeah I saw that, the guy made a really nice job but I wasnt to sure I liked the seat

Can't believe you cleaned every nut and bolt, impressive. If you are not careful you're gonna have your own cafe racer tv episode

If they pay, I'll do it. lol

IED, Are you getting your nuts and bolts replated. It's relatively inexpendsive and looks the dogz when done. Think there even small Diy kits available for BZP, and also Nickel if memory serves. I will post a link in the tech section.

I agree plating or getting polished stainless nuts and bolts would look the dogs
frost auto restoration do diy plating and anodizing kits see link below

http://www.frost.co.uk/automotive-electroplating.html

cheers
Steve

Wow, nice link cheers matey bloke

Hi J, Very impressed with what you've done so far, especially the engine top end BUT,
Don't Forget to get the genny sent off to be rewound before reassembling everything!!
I'd hate to think that you'd forgotten that it wasn't charging when you bought the bike, what with all the other distractions on the beast.
All the best , N.

Did you have it confirmed it was the generator Nick? Or could it be the regulator rectifier?

I'll check both matey, but thanks for the reminder fella.

I fitted the new rubber baffels I made from a lorry innertube today.



Pop rivets are a life saver



I'm pleased with the outcome, it sits really nice.

The shaft drive diff got a good clean and degrease ready for its make over



Next it got two coats of primer



And three top coats.



I used Simoniz aloy wheel paint as the can said it was resistant to stone chips



I've used this stuff before and its quite tuff.

The progress your making is putting us all to shame must admit though its inspirational stuff
looking good
Steve (Pud)

Glad you're enjoying the thread mate, you are welcome to pop over for an up front look and one of my ledgendary egg bacon and cheese sandwiches any time fella.

I had a bit of trouble dismatling the carbs because the posi screws had been chewed up, so I brought a screw extractor.
I've never used one before so I was going in blind.



I tried to get the tip to bite in the screw head, but there was'nt enough so I drilled it out to a depthe of about 3mm



The extractor works by lefty tighty screw loosey. I was'nt sure if it would bite without stripping the inside of the hole I drilled so I applied gentle presure, and I popped undun. All the other screws came out just as easy.



Highly recomend getting a set of these extractors, they only cost about £5.00 and there is six in a set.

Job done.

Well, the mold has had ten coats of wax, and its ready for P.V.A.



Because the surface has been waxed the pva will want to seperate.



Mix the pva 1 to 1 with water so its not to runny, but thick enough to paint on and as it starts to dry it will brush on the surface without seperating. Its a bit of a process but if you keep brushing it will cover



Untill eventually it will completely cover and go clear



I'm going to reinforce the sides with alu mesh and glass it in so I preped that too.

Yep, preperation is the key to fiberglassing. You want everything to hand and a big must is a box of latex gloves as they get very sticky and you need to change them regularly.



I didnt really have time to to take to many photos, but you've seen it all before anyway.

I added a section of 12mm WBP plywood to strengthen the seat and attach fixings too.



I'll trim the edges when its gone off a bit

looking good how many layers of fiber matting did you use also WPB = Water Boil Proof or as some people call it marine ply.
Steve (Pud)

Three layers matey.

Yeah its WBP Ply, lol. Dont know where I got WPB from.

The glass has gone off enough to trim off the excess with a craft knife.



Now it can sit a cook for a while.

The parts of my diff are all painted and dry now so they went back together



Although I think I might polish the aloy oil filler plug on the side.



Still lots to do so I'll be posting more stuff soon.