Honda cb175k6, 1972 re-build

[mini-me]

he posts on here for sympathy, he don't want your bloody advice.

if he listened he would'nt buy so much crap bikes.

[Terrotmt1]

TRG:
Yes, this is the 2nd time round though!

Did the thinners route before taking the carbs for professional US clean, hoped it might loosen any debris.
Trying to get back to everything is actually clear today, so thinners and air again.

I'm now convinced the drillings and jets etc are all clear the ups and down cross drillings are all clear and there are 5 90 deg corners in the drillings and some very short runs, but all ok.
I have carb cleaner coming out of every port and fine hole aided by the 60 psi air jet.

Sympathy? Yep, could do with some, encouragement? yep need that too as success is in short supply, advice? always needed, every day is a school day.

I am not alone, there is a fellow Honda Twin owner having some carb probs also not far from me, but his probs are slightly different.

Given time I'll get this right, just need to stay in the trenches to avoid snipers and heavy artillery from the Salisbury direction!   

Next report will be me bragging it is all ok. 

[mini-me]

wasn't the old CD175 single carb?

no bothers with that, fugly old bike but they seemed to go on for ever.

far better idea.

most on here have given all sorts of advice  such as stop fiddling with old crap, as reralistically you could have bought a superb vintage bike for the money you wasted on these things.

I do wonder.

When I was in the trade we sold dozens of these  new, a good seller, but a good bike, for 5 years max, thats why there are so few left, disposable machines.

I have a 1930s Raliegh pushbike, it was sold with a life time guarantee, thats confidence in the quality of your goods. Its still a very servicable cycle in its oriiginal enamel and chrome.

[Terrotmt1]

I think you well know the classic bike world has many facets.

Buying a done AJS would be in the. Price range, maybe, a done Bantam is in range and possibly many others.
Not my aim though.
I like the rebuild journey, the fight to overcome issues like the current one, maybe frustrating for me and you/ others, but all prt of the enjoyment.

For the Money spent I could have a new Chinese AJS, single, fuel injected, disc brakes, all mod cons and a real looker, but....

I don't really like big old oily British bikes, though a Royal Enfield appeals.
I think all old bikes are cantankerous and awkward as are all classic cars, all of a different age and attitude, today all quirky and eccentric.
Oddly, those new AJS bikes have 1/2 the power of this Honda, and double the braking!
 

[TGR90B]

Keeps the board ticking over if nothing else. A bit like "what do people think of a so and so".

[Rex]

Yeah, you don't want to paying good money for some other bodger's chrome and paint. Unrestored is the way to go, after all, if you just wanted reliability to ride you'd buy a new Honda.
"Big old oily British bikes"? I've just got an old Panther on the road and I'm going through the so-called shakedown process. It ticks all the boxes you mention plus another, the bulk and weight of a fully-loaded Sherman tank.
I swear it looks at me and says "you sure you've retarded the ignition and engaged that half-comp lever, big boy?"
Still, when I went out for a run on the West Sussex lanes last Wednesday under those beautiful blue skies that slow measured doink-doink-doink exhaust note was just about perfect for the day.
Nah, small tiddlers ain't for me just yet..

[mini-me]

you got it spot on Rex, unless you've experience the pleasure of a relaxing ride on a lazy big single, as opposed to the fussiness of a more modern bike you'll never understand.

As for enjoying the 'rebuild journey' and the 'fight to over come issues'  try an obsure veteran or vintage where there is no easy cop out like importing expensive rare spares from abroad, the Marston Sunbeam club are using CAD/laser  machines to make stuff, recasting parts, and so on.

for vintage machines there ain't no parts to find.

[Terrotmt1]

Made some good progress over the last 2 days.

Cured the carb flooding issue. The carbs have a float with a brass tang in the centre which bears down on the needle valve. I found the angle was at 45 deg and not true to the needle valve causing a side load on the needle and jamming open, hence the flood of fuel.
Tick off the List.
Got the engine running better, far better with oh-so-small incremental movements of the tick over screw and the pilot air/fuel ratio screw, talk about a tight rope tuning. These carbs are infamous for this quirk.
Tick off the List.
Fixed the loose headlamp mountings by re-assembling the top fork handle bar yoke and all snugged-down nice and tight. No headlanp shakes now.
Tick off the List.
Trial and fitted the mega expensive side panels except they didn't fit at first. Numpty here had placed the tool box in the wrong pair of mounting holes in the chassis frame, what a faff to move and re-fit! All on now.
Tick off the List.
Fuel tank back on and fully coupled up. Pesky balance tube connecting the left and right sides of the tank fought me all the way, but lost.
Tick off the List.
Fitted the new seat from Taiwan, what a bargain for £100 delivered, resplendent with the 'HONDA' script of course. Perfect fit, fabulous.
Tick off the List.
Fitted the aluminium number plate at long last, really looks the Classic it is.

Nearly completed now, waiting for a new expensive starter chain to arrive and the bike can come down off the stand although it is very convenient on the stand while I prepare for some work on the Lola and the 911.
3 weeks late on the project!

[Rex]

What engine's in the Lola?

[Terrotmt1]

The Lola is a T492, Sports 2000 but I've put a Porsche 911 engine in, 3200cc 11 years ago.
247 bhp and the car weighs 560 kg, used for hillclimbs which I've done for 30 years now.
At my age I should know better....

Google Lola T492 hillclimb and its the blue one!

[Rex]

The one captioned Nick Lees?

[Terrotmt1]

Nope, this one Rex:

[Rex]

Were there different body styles? The type I pictured in my memory have more swoopy bodywork and faired-in headlamps that that one.

[Terrotmt1]

The T 492 was made in '77 and '78, about 120 were made and many exported.
In the 120 were a few specials to suit different classes mainly in the USA, and some had night time event lights etc.
The 490 had a short run of 20 made with the engine (a 2 litre Ford Pinto) rad in the front, so a large slot was in the nose for cooling.
In 78 the rads were moved to each side at the rear.

Prior to the 490/492 was a series of far more serious sports racers, the most dramatic being the T212 with BDA engines and these had far more curvaceous bodies, maybe that is the type you have in mind.

My T492 has had a very varied and hard life since 78 and I spent 4 years tracking down the history that had a few surprises and some great family stories.

I found mine in a posh private garage as a roller so the chance to change engine was on the table.
Having been very 'porsche' for 32 years, the air cooled flat 6 seemed the right choice along with it's road going gearbox, the second weak link in the car, me being the first...

Doing the cars is really my bag, the bike are a very nice mini-project to do, hence my inaptitude towards them!

In case you are interested, and before mini and others shout at me:

https://youtu.be/KFuZGAW7Eow

[mini-me]

I won't shout at you over that thing, not at all, simply because my interest in such things in a bit less than minimal.

4 wheels are for carting large bits of bike, wife, dogs, and similar impedimenta around.

We all have our preferences for boys toys.