73' CR400 Restoration...

[Picklito]

Absolutely gorgeous, Mr. Rocket!
What are the specifics on the silver powder? Got a brand and number?
Hard to tell from a photo (which looks very good by the way) so how well do you think this matches the original color?

 

[Daniel508s]

Lookin' good. Is this your first Restoration project? Looks like you have some experience at this. If it is, doing a great job. Keep the pics coming!

 

[retro rocket]

Absolutely gorgeous, Mr. Rocket!
What are the specifics on the silver powder? Got a brand and number?
Hard to tell from a photo (which looks very good by the way) so how well do you think this matches the original color?

I dont actually know the exact spec and number for the powder used -

Prior to starting work on the frame I had polished a part of the frame under the gas tank rubber on the top tube that looked to be the best example of original unfaded paint and the powder shop matched to that... I would say there's a little more in the way of a metallic to it than the original... its hard to tell.

I will ask the shop for the color code and post.

Cheers Tom

 

[retro rocket]

Lookin' good. Is this your first Restoration project? Looks like you have some experience at this. If it is, doing a great job. Keep the pics coming!

Thank you! - This is not my first restoration but certainly the most demanding and I guess rewarding... Im really growing to appreciate the way these Husky's are engineered.

My other bike of the same era is a Suzuki PE250b and is efficient, practical and well bolted together but does not have the mechanical character that the Husky has. The Husky feels more hand made than mass produced.

 

[Picklito]

Well said. Old Husky's have character. Like hearing an old song, wrenching on my Husky puts me right back there.

 

[retro rocket]

Ok so its been a while since I have sat down in front of the computer to update you with my progress... so here goes

Having sand blasted all the bikes nuts, bolts and brakets - and experimented with removing old plating using concrete cleaner aka muriatic acid which works amazingly well. (dip a rusty bolt in and pulll it out after about 5 seconds and its as fresh and clean as the day it was made)

One week later here are the results back from Cadmium plating...

 

[retro rocket]

Now that I have some nuts and bolts I could not resist putting the forks up into the tripple trees and also to get the swing are on.... The swing arm went straight in after I fitted a bearing kit I got from Chuck at Husky Junk - It is a well made alternative to those old bushings.

The only genuine NOS part fitted so far has been the bottom bearing cup on the head stock - the old one had spider cracks running up it and got tossed in favor of the NOS one I found.

Seeing the frame come together was a great moment.

 

[retro rocket]

My late night Ebaying paid off recently when I found a correct dent free tank that had been rechromed but not painted ... four days or so later it arrived and was still to my delight dent free and now sits where it should do on its new frame - I am trying to decide if I should go with the stock dark red maroon color or if I can go with the Husky red?? - in general I prefer the Husky red but for the sake of originality it might have to be the maroon...

How wrong would it be to mix up a metal flake version of the maroon - its pretty 70's all things considered???

 

[retro rocket]

Here are a few pictures of various bits I have either painted - laced - polished or in general beaten with a big hammer until straight, curved or flat - whichever was more appropriate!

I never want to polish rims again - filthy job. Rewarding to a point but I was black from head to toe by the time I had finished!

Lacing wheels is also part of the dark arts and should not be considered motorcycle mechanics - its mostly magic and Im not 100% sure how I eventually achieved two fully spoked wheels... a lot of swearing and head scratching.

 

[retro rocket]

This is my seat pan - it was badly cracked and bent in the rear corner but not rusted so I cut a corner from another dead pan and welded them together... seems to have worked.

I guess the real test is after a few hours of hard riding - if I can be bothered tomorrow I might build in some strengthening sections to the foam side as cracking in that area seems to be a common fault...

Any thoughts?

 

[HuskyT]

My late night Ebaying paid off recently when I found a correct dent free tank that had been rechromed but not painted ... four days or so later it arrived and was still to my delight dent free and now sits where it should do on its new frame - I am trying to decide if I should go with the stock dark red maroon color or if I can go with the Husky red?? - in general I prefer the Husky red but for the sake of originality it might have to be the maroon...

How wrong would it be to mix up a metal flake version of the maroon - its pretty 70's all things considered???

Beautiful Tank!!! Gorgeous!

T

 

[Husq.fleet]

My late night Ebaying paid off recently when I found a correct dent free tank that had been rechromed but not painted ... four days or so later it arrived and was still to my delight dent free and now sits where it should do on its new frame - I am trying to decide if I should go with the stock dark red maroon color or if I can go with the Husky red?? - in general I prefer the Husky red but for the sake of originality it might have to be the maroon...

How wrong would it be to mix up a metal flake version of the maroon - its pretty 70's all things considered???

Tank color, first thing is, its your bike! Second being its yours, your the only one that needs to be satisfied with it. Third, if your going for resale value then maybe factoy color. Didn't mean to get onery but I used to do alot of street rod work. I always did everything that I thought everyone else would like but was never really satisfied in the end result. Built last one the way "I" wanted it. When the "fashion police" look at it and ask "why did you do it that way"? Answer is easy, "because its mine". Funny the subject came up. I just straightened a 81 WR250 tank for my daughters next bike. It was too bad to keep the polished alum sides so I asked her, she's ten, "honey what color do you want this"? She said "pink". The seat on her TTR 125 is pink. Now in a couple of years when she starts riding the WR who is going to have the stones to ask a little girl "thats the wrong color tank" I'm painting the tank on my 82 250XC project Chevy Hugger Orange? BTW, I like the chrome, gold may be a precious metal but chrome is my favorite precious metal- too kool

 

[schimmelaw]

Retro,
You been busy. Like your work. Keep it up.
Rick

 

[mike328]

VERY Nice.Beautiful work....don't ya love polishing aluminium?..
After awhile when it 'clogs up' I change it & try reuse the buffing wheels.. Instead of washing them at home I take them to to coin operated laundry..one wash usually does it.



one question; when setting the forks..how did ya determine how far to set them in the triple tree?.. I mean did you set them level or protruding slightly?..1/8 ...1/4 inch?...I have the 'faint' original marks, just wanted to measure..LOL.

hope I am clear..lemme know if not

 

[Gunner]

Vintage 400 vs 450 for racing

Anyone have any thoughts, opinions about the differences between racing a 1973 CR 400 or a CR450. I found a really nice 73' 450 and a not so nice 74' 400. I plan on racing which ever I buy. Obviously,
each seller has been giving me their opinion on why I should buy their bike. I would be glad to get some outside advice on resale, handling, parts availablity, etc. Thanks

 

[retro rocket]

Anyone have any thoughts, opinions about the differences between racing a 1973 CR 400 or a CR450. I found a really nice 73' 450 and a not so nice 74' 400. I plan on racing which ever I buy. Obviously,
each seller has been giving me their opinion on why I should buy their bike. I would be glad to get some outside advice on resale, handling, parts availablity, etc. Thanks

I would really like to offer up an informed opinion but having never ridin either I can only speculate - I believe from what I have been told that the 450 is a much lower compression engine and over sized for the job.

Apparently the 450cc pistons are as rare as hens teeth. Harder to get than the 400cc piston.

 

[retro rocket]

Tank color, first thing is, its your bike! Second being its yours, your the only one that needs to be satisfied with it. Third, if your going for resale value then maybe factoy color. Didn't mean to get onery but I used to do alot of street rod work. I always did everything that I thought everyone else would like but was never really satisfied in the end result. Built last one the way "I" wanted it. When the "fashion police" look at it and ask "why did you do it that way"? Answer is easy, "because its mine". Funny the subject came up. I just straightened a 81 WR250 tank for my daughters next bike. It was too bad to keep the polished alum sides so I asked her, she's ten, "honey what color do you want this"? She said "pink". The seat on her TTR 125 is pink. Now in a couple of years when she starts riding the WR who is going to have the stones to ask a little girl "thats the wrong color tank" I'm painting the tank on my 82 250XC project Chevy Hugger Orange? BTW, I like the chrome, gold may be a precious metal but chrome is my favorite precious metal- too kool

Wow - a pink WR250 - thats a serious bike! - you are right I just have to do my own thing and ignore what other people want/suggest I do.

I think I have a plan anyway - I have an older tank that I can do in a custom color and do the other tank back to original maroon... then I have two tanks and every ones happy!

 

[retro rocket]

VERY Nice.Beautiful work....don't ya love polishing aluminium?..
After awhile when it 'clogs up' I change it & try reuse the buffing wheels.. Instead of washing them at home I take them to to coin operated laundry..one wash usually does it.



one question; when setting the forks..how did ya determine how far to set them in the triple tree?.. I mean did you set them level or protruding slightly?..1/8 ...1/4 inch?...I have the 'faint' original marks, just wanted to measure..LOL.

hope I am clear..lemme know if not

Mike

To be honest I just fitted them by eye - I think they protrude by maybe a 1/16th or so...

I was told by a UK suspension guy that its improtant to measure that the fork legs are perfectly parrell - apparently if thay are not you can get stiff forks and or destroy seals and bushes - this can be determined with a large pair of calipers or a home made measure device of some sort by simply measuring the width from fork center to fork center at the bottom of the legs and then again towards the top under the dust boots - you have to insure you have an accurate center line. you can adjust any difference you find with the axle pinch bolts...

He said it amazed him how many people overlook this simple thing.

 

[mike328]

Mike

To be honest I just fitted them by eye - I think they protrude by maybe a 1/16th or so...

I was told by a UK suspension guy that its improtant to measure that the fork legs are perfectly parrell - apparently if thay are not you can get stiff forks and or destroy seals and bushes - this can be determined with a large pair of calipers or a home made measure device of some sort by simply measuring the width from fork center to fork center at the bottom of the legs and then again towards the top under the dust boots - you have to insure you have an accurate center line. you can adjust any difference you find with the axle pinch bolts...

He said it amazed him how many people overlook this simple thing.

Retro Rocket...thank you..your UK suspension guy confirmed my concerns..
I measured from the Top of each leg to the bottom (used a steel tape measure) and then used a caliper & measured the top portion of each leg that protruded from the top triple clamp (problem here is that the triple clamp is welded at the top & difficult to accurately measure.
I figure the axle should be 'true' so the adjustment there 'should be' equal on each side. So as I tighten the pinch bolts I should be ok...Right?

 

[mike328]

not to Hi-jack your thread..
but maybe these will help?