Garage find

kartgreen · #1 02-17-2011, 05:49 PM

Checking out Craigs List today and a local guy has a 1965 CA95 for sale . Typical bike that needs a ton of work but it's a one owner for the past 30 years and other than a broken taillight lense it's all there . He damaged the wiring in1992 and left the bike sit in the garage from then on . He did buy a new wiring harness in 2004 but never got around to it .
Maybe the best thing , the owner did drain the gas from the tank and the petcock . Tank is nice and clean and the petcock was new in 1992 . Still looks new! So as I'm putting the first bike together I've got another project . May install the wiring harness and see if the old girl will start .
This one will be for the wife . My first one was supposed to be hers but I kind of highjacked it to make a baby clone of my Road King Classic . This one I'm thinking a light pink pearl paint job ! Then it's hers for sure .

Smithers · #2 02-17-2011, 07:17 PM

You got the sickness for sure. I'm sure you found a great deal. The petcock and wiring harness are some of the most sought after parts out there. Good find. Slap up a picture sometime so we can see when you pick it up.

Sam Green · #3 02-18-2011, 02:44 AM

SamGreen to KartGreen, pictures please, you know how the children like pictures (not when it's pink though

)

Sam

kartgreen · #4 02-19-2011, 04:41 AM

Here are several pictures of new ,old and my baby . You'll have to figure out which is which .
The baby Road King is going together well , I should finish the motor this week ( waiting for the cylinder to be bored ) ,waiting for the new SS spokes and other than the exhaust I think I have 99% of the parts to complete the bike . . For the exhaust I'm having the pipes ceramic coated w/ a chrome finish and I'm looking at Paughco fishtail mufflers .
If I could just get Coker to make those d... whitewall tires ! I did order a can of whitewall paint from Ranger ,and I'm going to try it on a cheap set of tires .
Other than that it's a fun little project and a learning experience .

Smithers · #5 02-19-2011, 07:31 AM

Looks like you are full steam ahead on that Benly. I didn't think the tires would be the items holding you up. That blue looks SO good. I can't wait to see it all together. Keep us updated.

bluerider · #6 02-19-2011, 11:53 AM

I'm just starting out on this slippery slope of motorcycle restoration//repair so I have a few beginner questions.

forst set of questions is about the exhaust mods you mentioned. ceramic coating in cherome finish? wha does this look like, how expensive is it and whay are you choosing this over chrome. In regards to the fishtail muffler you mentiond, I did a breif search and was just curious how you will mount it will you use a muffller that has a mount bracket that you can make an adapter for or will you use a universal mount. how do you get the inlet on the muffler to match in diameter to the honda header tubes, is there an adapter?

on the motor you are building it looks like the case is painted with two different collors of paint. is this a design decision or the correct color paint for the bike. What kind of paint process dod you use on the engine?

Sorry for all the questions. I am getting closer to acumulating all the parts I need and I am starting to think about the process and which way I will go with my bike. My first goal is to just get it together and running. I will then decide if I will focus on just getting it road worthy, or do a compleate strip down. Right now I am leaning towards a strip down.

I work with wood for a living and I have mostly vintage tools, some I have restored and some were in good useable condition. I have a tendency to not tear a tool down and restore it if I get it in good running condition and start using it. This is why I am leaning towards just geting the ca95 running but not necessarily road worthy and then striping it down.

I like the stock restorations but I also like some of the customs, particullarly Spokes black bike with the downswept pipes, solo seat and the ct90 style rear rack.

Robin

Spokes · #7 02-19-2011, 08:13 PM

No reason to sweat the coker tires. Go to:
http://www.universaltire.com/motorcy...whitewall.html

Nice Firestones.

Thanks for the compliment on the black CA95. Like the pipes? LOL...All they are is 1-1/2 electrical conduit, bent to a 90 degree and cut just right. I went to the local auto supply and purchased a 1-1/2 to 1-1/4 exaust adapter and had it welded. I had a support welded on to mount to the center kickstand stud like the original muffler mount. Are they chromed? No. I just polished the steel to a chrome like finish...Here's the kicker..since they are straight pipes, and the little Honda ignition fires kinda like the Harley, you get that "potato potato, potato, potato sound at low RPM and you will be heard 1/4 mile away.

kartgreen · #8 02-20-2011, 05:55 AM

Questions to answer :

Spokes , Universal tire is also waiting for Coker to run a batch of whitewalls .

Bluerider , Do with your bike what makes you happy whether it's a correct restoration or a resto mod . I feel the bikes are rare enough that people will appreciate the bike for what it is . I've been around the car/motorcycle scene for 50 years and I've learned that if I build what I want I'll be happy .
People appreciate that someone has taken the time to bring an older vehicle back to life .
The exhaust pipes ; ceramic coating has been around for many years and in the past few years the coatings have advanced to the point that it's more economical , you can get a very chrome like finish and much more durable than chrome plating .
As for as pipes or mufflers Emgo makes reducers to adapt mufflers to the CA95 pipes . I'm looking at Paughco because of the fishtail mufflers . Yes , brackets will have to be made to connect the mufflers to the frame .
The engine cases were cleaned and painted with Duplicolor engine paint and the side covers were powder coated silver . So yes 2 different colors but with the cylinder being painted a cast iron gray eveything blends very well . My garage lighting makes the colors seem much more varied than being out in the sun light .
Hope I answered your questions , and I do hope you enjoy restoring your Benly . They need to be preserved for others to enjoy .

bluerider · #9 02-20-2011, 04:33 PM

When I was an apprintice the shop I worked at did a lot of castings for old cars. I always had a real soft spot for the period hot rods, the old ardon heads and stromburg multy carb manifolds or the riley four bangers.

I guess thats why Spokes black bike apeals to me, it looks like a period modded bike. I saw some pics of a white 150 or 305 with a solo seat and clip on bars that also looked pretty sharp. Not sure which way I will go.