Winter Fun!

[madtrout]

I just finished my 1966 CA77 and thought I would post a before and after picture. The bike was given to me by a friend at a Christmas party. He told me to take the bike or he would sell it to a stranger on ebay! He said the bike hadn't been started since 1982, and that he thought I needed a good winter project!. Having just sold my 1993 Ninja ZX11, I had an open spot in the garage. My wife ruefully commented that nature abhors a vacuum! The bike had beautiful original red paint, which I left alone save a cleaning and waxing, a stuck engine which my most excellent guru, Ed Moore talked me through unfreezing, (PB Blaster and a heat gun), a rusty tank, melted petcock and a totally varnished carb. With parts and intelligence from Joe Bass at Cycles USA in Wheaton Maryland, Ed Moore in Texas, Terry at Western Hills Honda, and Retro Bikes of Washington, I managed to get the bike up and running in no time at all.
It was alot of fun, and I think my 1965 SuperHawk is a little jealous. Of course, its now 20 degrees and so after a brief victory lap around the neighborhood I'm gonna put her on the battery tender till Spring.
Moto-Up!
Mark

[bigscooter]

a stuck engine which my most excellent guru, Ed Moore talked me through unfreezing, (PB Blaster and a heat gun)

please tell us more about that "unfreezing" thing.

all that elbow grease really paid off, your bike looks great!

[jwbert]

Very nicely done, you had a pretty nice starting point. I wish I could find projects like that, most of mine seem to start out close to basket cases. Beautiful bike. JWB

[MoonDream]

Yes please explain your method of "unstickng" an engine..I bought some Strong Arm spray anyone else used it? They claim it works well for stuck engines. We have a few sigh!

[madtrout]

The previous owner said the engine had run before storage. The engine wouldn't turn over by hand, so I removed the spark plugs and sprayed PB Blaster into the holes. I let it sit over night. The next morning I sprayed in more and let that sit a while. Then I used a heat gun to heat the cylinder walls while applying clockwise rotation pressure on the stator nut. Eventually it broke free without breaking the rings!
Mark

[djbill]

good job,its a beauty !

[madtrout]

I took the CA77 out for a ride today and a 1966 Corvette in the same red color pulled up next to me at a light and the driver rolled down the window and we had a nice chat about vintage rides on a bright winter day. Something very cool about these old Hondas, I've never had so many people ask about my ride before. I thought I'd share a photo of my 65 Superhawk, wrong forum I know, but what the hell!
Moto up,
Mark