[chaindrivecharlie]

To be honest, i have never done my own build post. Im not the best at writing or explaining things sometimes. So i let that keep me from doing it, not anymore.
This is a clist find bike, i found it 37 miles away for 5 franklins. I showed it to my 17 year old, you should buy it dad! Dont have the money right now son, you buy it. No ill loan you the money dad, no you buy it son. Long story short, my son is the proud owner of the 400.
The goal he has, is to build a cafe style rider somewhat like the 72CL175, 2nd pic.
So here is the start of it, i took the rear taillight assembly off and chopped it up, 3rd pic. Just to get rid of those pontoon blinker stems 4th pic.
Then rummaging thru my parts supply i came up with CB350 rear blinker stems that mount to end of fender frame horns, next pic. A little black spray bomb, some wire pulling for blinkers. And paitence waiting on painted stuff to dry, here we are now, next pics.
This coming week, i will move on to the front end. And will start shortening those stems up for that narrow look like the old twins have..
As you can see in the last 2 pics, big difference. And so far no extra money spent.

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[ancientdad]

I'm not (and never have been) a turn signal guy, and those long posts on the later bikes only make the look worse in my mind... so I like what you've done there, it trims up the rear and makes it look a little sleeker. At first I wondered if you were going to mount them as they were but a little gloss black did the trick

 

[chaindrivecharlie]

Wanted to show wires routed and made neet for the rear blinkers. And the short ground jumpers i made too. They go from blinker housing mount bolt, to blinker stem bolt between fender frame horn and fender, stays cleaner that way.

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[ancientdad]

Nice and neat, as it should be... but won't some of that change when he decides to go cafe with it?? Pretty sure the seat will

 

[chaindrivecharlie]

I'm not (and never have been) a turn signal guy, and those long posts on the later bikes only make the look worse in my mind... so I like what you've done there, it trims up the rear and makes it look a little sleeker. At first I wondered if you were going to mount them as they were but a little gloss black did the trick

Im like you Tom, i hate blinkers, always have, still use my hands even when i use the blinkers.habit!!
The main thing is to spend as little or nothing on this build. My son has no extra money, and my supervisor cringes at the thought of us spending any on it.


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[ancientdad]

...and my supervisor cringes at the thought of us spending any on it.

I hear you... when I was his age, I used to go to my Mom and ask to borrow money against future household chores... but it was usually my Dad that suggested it gotta keep Mama happy - happy wife, happy life!

 

[chaindrivecharlie]

Nice and neat, as it should be... but won't some of that change when he decides to go cafe with it?? Pretty sure the seat will

No the seat will retain the original pan, just pull seat cover. And then trim seat foam down to level it, and recover.

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[chaindrivecharlie]

I hear you... when I was his age, I used to go to my Mom and ask to borrow money against future household chores... but it was usually my Dad that suggested it gotta keep Mama happy - happy wife, happy life!

Amen!!!!

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[chaindrivecharlie]

A seat something like this is what my son wants.

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[ancientdad]

Good to see he'll be going a conservative cafe route... too many go the more radical route and that frame is more challenging to go full cafe with

 

[chaindrivecharlie]

Good to see he'll be going a conservative cafe route... too many go the more radical route and that frame is more challenging to go full cafe with

Funny you should say that, this 17yo, is one of the most conservative kids you will ever meet. A lil talk with dad usally helps to steer him to thinking about the future. If you dont do extreme chops, its easier to change the look as your taste's change. And if he decides to sell it in the future, it a good selling point.

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[ancientdad]

Good to hear, Charlie... these days it's rare to see someone under 30 act more mature than their years, so be thankful you've got that going for you (and him too)

 

[chaindrivecharlie]

Good to hear, Charlie... these days it's rare to see someone under 30 act more mature than their years, so be thankful you've got that going for you (and him too)

Oh i am Tom, on my knees thankful, thats for sure!

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[chaindrivecharlie]

Well got some more done this week, the first pic. Shows that the battery cover is missing, so with a little time. I made this cover up to replace the missing one. 2nd and 3rd pics show how i took a sheet of black vinyl plastic. Measured, cut, and fitted it to battery, then heat gunned it to fold into shape. Kinda like sheet metal fabbing, just easier. Then i put it over battery and put battery bar in place. Put cover back on and wah-la, battery has disapeared!!
Man what a difference that makes.

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[chaindrivecharlie]

Well i got the front blinker pontoons chopped down to size tonight. Did a lil measuring, got out the marker, made lines and. Started with the left front with a cutoff wheel on the 4.5 inch angle grinder. Then i mocked up the light on the short stem. And made marks where pinch bolt would pass by the blinker stem. Then setup my 4inch angle grinder with a 3/16ths wheel to make a groove. Painted the cuts with testors silver model paint. Did a repeat on the right side blinker stem. Then cleaned back side of headlight and painted the rust. Then put it all back together and checked lights. Amazingly they all worked, check one more off the list. Next is the bars, remove the buckhorns and add the clubmans. Hopefully before Friday ill have that done too!
1st pic is before work.
2nd pic is the finnished work.
3rd pic first cut off.
4th pic is grinding station for making groove in them stem.
5th pic is stem with new groove.
6th pic, left side done.
7th pic, right side done.
8th pic shows rust behind headlight.
9th pic shows rust arrested by paint.
10th pic shows the narrowed blinkers, like the CL's.

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[chaindrivecharlie]

Well got the handlebars changed out, with alot of removing stuff!. I was able to fit the clubmans off the 72cl175, to the cm400.
1st pic, from this.
2nd pic, to this.
3rd pic, pulled stock buckhorn bars off cm400.
4th pic, pulled clubmans off 72cl175.
5th pic, pulled right blinker stem, and headlight, tach and speedo cables. Pulled clutch cable and hyd brake hose. Plus fuel tank had to be pulled too to adjust carb cables while there. Reroute all cables, electrics and brake hose to fit bars to bike. To get fuel tank clearance and no cable binding.
6th pic, is tidying up as i put it back together and check electrical for proper function.
7th pic, final fitment, more tidying up.
8th pic. Riders view, barend mirrors on and set.
9th pic, slim profile!
10 pic, customer approval, my youngest son, his baby.

It will be awhile before i post on this again, have a full summer work season here at home!
Boss says so!

One more pic, got that ying yang thang goin on around headlight.

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[frogman79]

Looks like a good start! I do the same to my winker stems, they are way to damn long from the factory. Its a small mod, but it does make a big difference to the way things look.

 

[chaindrivecharlie]

Thanks Frogman, yeah i hate the pontoon looking winkers on any motorcycle too. They just make a pretty bike look ugly!

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[ancientdad]

Well, I dislike the look enough that I usually remove them altogether... but that's just me :lol: