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Project Brutus - 1966 CB600 K0 Black Bomber

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43K views 134 replies 30 participants last post by  subaruski  
#1 ·
This will be my project for next winter but as I seams to have started gathering parts and do some work on it already I thought I should present it. I bought the 1966 CB450 K0 Black Bomber frame and a box of parts a couple of months ago and since Bomber parts is both rare and quite expensive I'm going to build the first version as a period café racer mostly with left over parts from other projects and get a built in patina in the process.
There are some Bomber features I want on the bike from the beginning though. The correct side covers, the characteristic headlight combo with built in speedo/tacho and the stock rear fender as almost nothing else will fit.

You might have noticed that I've written CB600 in the title. I haven't found an engine for the project yet but it will be a 500T engine bored out to maximum. I figure if I can get the engine over 550 cc I've earned the right to call it a 600. Ideally the engine will be mildly tuned too but getting the bike up and running is the first priority. :D

I've been offered workspace among a group of friends that, like me, are motorcycle enthusiasts so if everything goes to plan I will have a complete machine shop to my disposal in the fall which will give me the possibility to build motorcycles on a whole new level. The bike will be a rolling restoration and over time my goal is to get the bike looking like the Bomber in my daughters drawing as I really like the look of it.
http://www.hondatwins.net/forums/8-...ideos/27543-looks-like-there-s-bomber-ink-illustration-making-2.html#post222613
 
#34 ·
You've got PM Ray. :D
 
H
#35 ·
Hi Ronny, just had another quick look through this thread and I noticed that there are no flanges/mounts for the steering head bearings to fit in to, or am I mistaken? Just out of interest what do you intend to do about that, as when manufactured I imagine they would have been welded in place and then machined for the correct rake etc. I look forwards to another one of your amazing feats of ingenuity, good luck. Have you got any further with the speedo saga?
Lee.
 
#36 · (Edited)
As I mentioned, this Bomber frame has been modified in several places. The rear bridge under the seat has been hacksawed off. I will repair this by welding in a new bridge as similar to stock as possible. As you correctly noted the steering bearing seats (upper and lower) has also been hacksawed off and even if it will take some complicated work, these will also be reconstructed.
This is why I feel I'm saving this frame as it could so easily have ended up in a scrap yard. In the fall I will hopefully be fully installed in my new workshop space which will give me the possibility to machine parts and also to expert welding so I have good hope I'll be able to save the frame and turn it into a working bike again. :)

Regarding the speedo/tacho unit I will try to get hold of a CB125 K3 1970 headlight shell to install it into which will look very similar to the stock Bomber combo until I get my hands on the correct parts. My first priority is to get the bike registered on the road during spring 2015 and from there on it will be a rolling restoration.
 
#37 ·
UPS is definitely not my favourite company at the moment!
I've decided that my Bomber should have a Bomber tank from the beginning so I won a right hand Bomber tank chrome panel with a small ding on Ebay for a very reasonable price recently. UPS has tried to deliver the package last week when I was not at home but left a note that they would make a new attempt on Friday. I had nothing important to do so I took the day off to wait for the package. On Friday evening I had still not got my package but on the online tracking I could read that they had tried to deliver but that nobody was at home. Apparently the delivery driver was in a hurry to get home early this Friday evening.

Today I got a message that the package can be picked up at the UPS package central...at the Sturup Airport which is a 60 km round trip! Since I don't own a car I jumped on the bike and went to get my package. Sure, it was a great ride on beautiful roads but totally unnecessary if the delivery driver had done his job.


Looks almost like new...


...except for a small ding that I'll try to fix.
 
#70 ·
At least if you move to the US you'll be pleased to find UPS is courteous and on time with most shipments.

Of course most items are damaged and of no use once they go thru the UPS delivery process, last item I got he dropped off the box with a huge hole (item bent) and said I'd have to file a claim, delivery before that one he dropped the box getting out of the big brown truck.
 
#39 ·
Got the Bomber-tank today that I found (quite inexpensive) on Ebay. I'm very glad as it turns out the tank is in much better condition that I thought it would be. Just had to mount the chrome side, put it on the frame and snap a photo.
It's starting to look like a Bomber.:D


 
#44 ·
Finally, after over a weeks chase of another UPS parcel I got my toys from David Silver today. Among them this (CB125/CB160) head light bucket I will use to get the Bomber look. Thought the K1/K2 chrome rim and reflector I have laying around would fit but no, it's too big for the CB125 bucket so now I have to start hunting for those parts. :roll: :grin:
 
#46 ·
Ronnie, looking good. Any thoughts on the piston selection? Will you use a CB500 crank?
 
#48 ·
Thanks! Jim, I'm actually going to use a CB500T engine but I have not yet decided which route to go regarding the pistons. Either I'll go with hi comp forged racing pistons or a low comp alternative.
 
#49 ·
I haven't verified this yet, so it only a theory... Honda moved the wrist pin hole higher on the 500T pistons from the 450 DOHC pistons. The distance would be 1/2 the difference in the stroke. Cb450 stroke = 57.8; CB500 stroke = 64.8. 1/2 the difference is 3.5mm. This is assuming the same deck height. This way they could use the same rods. Back in the day, General Motors would do this. I know Pontiac V8 engines from 326 to 455 ci all had interchangeable rods. The bore and stroke varied. The pistons would not interchange even with the same bore.

You got me going on this. There might be a big engine in my future. Have you though about cooling? There were some big Triumph Twins back in the day. I have heard they would run hot.
 
#54 ·
Nige, what is he dimension on a CB500T? BTW- thanks for the translation to the Q's E!
 
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