honda305.com Forum
Vintage Honda Owners, Restorers, Riders and Admirers
model change questions
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Izoomx2
- honda305.com Member
- Posts: 57
- Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2013 8:05 am
- Location: oklahoma city , okla.
model change questions
I am finding that the dream I THOUGHT was a '67 or so , is actually a 64 (or so). any one have pix of the difference between early and late tanks? My bike uses the early battery mount and early star adjusters on the cables my vin # is ca-78-314624 ( if that helps !) Any other glaring differences I should be aware of?
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Hoosier Tom
- honda305.com Member
- Posts: 817
- Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 10:34 pm
- Location: Logansport, IN
By your numbers it is a 1963 model. IIRC, 1963 was a transitional year, with some time in 1963 they changed tanks and rear fender alloy shock struts among other things. Here is a listing for the early, seamless tank
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-CA77-Drea ... 461b2d9622
I saw some photos of your bike from an early post when you bought it and it looks like with your fender struts you have the late Dream style.
HT
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-CA77-Drea ... 461b2d9622
I saw some photos of your bike from an early post when you bought it and it looks like with your fender struts you have the late Dream style.
HT
Early vs late
Zoom,
A bitsa bike can be made from a mix of CA77 and CA78 parts and it looks like that is what you have. Some parts will fit on both bikes; some won't. I have put a CA77 tank on a CA78 frame. Unless you are planning to show your bike or are just anal (like me sometimes...well, maybe most of the time) it doesn't matter what parts are on your bike as long as they fit and do the job.
Normally, the parts manual will tell you what parts are correct - and therefore will fit - on your bike. For 1963 bikes the problem is that the Honda parts manuals aren't accurate in showing where the frame and engine number breaks are between the CA77 and CA78. That has been the subject of several threads on this site. In several posts I have laid out most of the parts that changed when the CA78 was introduced mid-year 1963. It is not a clean break in the numbers - there is overlap: some lower numbered CA78's than CA77's and vice versa.
Search this site to find those posts. That will identify most of the parts you are dealing with. If you have questions on specific parts put up a post to ask.
All of this is made more difficult because everyone refers generically to the 305 Dream as a "CA77" even though there were more CA78's made. I still do it, even though I know better. Also, sellers on eBay and elsewhere normally don't know what they are selling so you have to know what your part looks like/measures to make sure you are getting what you need.
I guess HT answered your question about the tank. The CA78 tank is more square. The CA77 tank slopes down in the back on top and is much narrower at the back than at the front. The knee pads on the CA77 are flat on the front whereas the CA78 knee pads are rounded. I don't think the side panels/knee grips will interchange but, I have not tried that.
I hope this helps you with your bike.
A bitsa bike can be made from a mix of CA77 and CA78 parts and it looks like that is what you have. Some parts will fit on both bikes; some won't. I have put a CA77 tank on a CA78 frame. Unless you are planning to show your bike or are just anal (like me sometimes...well, maybe most of the time) it doesn't matter what parts are on your bike as long as they fit and do the job.
Normally, the parts manual will tell you what parts are correct - and therefore will fit - on your bike. For 1963 bikes the problem is that the Honda parts manuals aren't accurate in showing where the frame and engine number breaks are between the CA77 and CA78. That has been the subject of several threads on this site. In several posts I have laid out most of the parts that changed when the CA78 was introduced mid-year 1963. It is not a clean break in the numbers - there is overlap: some lower numbered CA78's than CA77's and vice versa.
Search this site to find those posts. That will identify most of the parts you are dealing with. If you have questions on specific parts put up a post to ask.
All of this is made more difficult because everyone refers generically to the 305 Dream as a "CA77" even though there were more CA78's made. I still do it, even though I know better. Also, sellers on eBay and elsewhere normally don't know what they are selling so you have to know what your part looks like/measures to make sure you are getting what you need.
I guess HT answered your question about the tank. The CA78 tank is more square. The CA77 tank slopes down in the back on top and is much narrower at the back than at the front. The knee pads on the CA77 are flat on the front whereas the CA78 knee pads are rounded. I don't think the side panels/knee grips will interchange but, I have not tried that.
I hope this helps you with your bike.
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Izoomx2
- honda305.com Member
- Posts: 57
- Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2013 8:05 am
- Location: oklahoma city , okla.
sounds like I may need a parts manual ! Right now ,,,,things seem to be working ok , so no need to source parts now.Ask me again a month into riding season ! lol I am not a stickler for orig. or correct stuff myself . My thought is that some one some where will always have the more correct , more shiny stuff ! I tend to make stuff the way I want it and to heck with purists ! What sources do you recommend for finding what parts will WORK on this "bitsa" ? By the way , I really appreciate everyone's input on this journey !
Buying Parts
Zoom,
YES, you need a parts manual. I recommend Bill Silver's books/CD's. There are also electronic parts exploded views online that you can download. You will find people much more willing to answer your questions if it is clear you have done some homework to try to answer your question yourself.
Parts suppliers, depending on what you need:
1. I "search" on eBay almost every day. (Okay, I am anal and my wife thinks I need to get a life. I have tried to convince her that I do have a life - a 305 life. She didn't buy it).
2. There are vendors who have new aftermarket and re-pop parts. RetroBikes in Port Angeles (not the other guy) has gaskets and tune up parts and reasonable prices. Tim McDowell at Honda Restorations is another good source and has re-popped some important items. Then there are Ohio Cycle and Western Hills that have a bunch of hard-to-find parts. David Silver Spares and CSML come up with rare items, too. There are other good suppliers as well. Find your part number and do a Google search.
YES, you need a parts manual. I recommend Bill Silver's books/CD's. There are also electronic parts exploded views online that you can download. You will find people much more willing to answer your questions if it is clear you have done some homework to try to answer your question yourself.
Parts suppliers, depending on what you need:
1. I "search" on eBay almost every day. (Okay, I am anal and my wife thinks I need to get a life. I have tried to convince her that I do have a life - a 305 life. She didn't buy it).
2. There are vendors who have new aftermarket and re-pop parts. RetroBikes in Port Angeles (not the other guy) has gaskets and tune up parts and reasonable prices. Tim McDowell at Honda Restorations is another good source and has re-popped some important items. Then there are Ohio Cycle and Western Hills that have a bunch of hard-to-find parts. David Silver Spares and CSML come up with rare items, too. There are other good suppliers as well. Find your part number and do a Google search.