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Barn fresh corrosion CX500 to Cafe' buffed

28K views 114 replies 27 participants last post by  jak 
#1 ·
Hey Guys,
So I decided I'll do something Iv never done and post the progress of my project as it goes along.
I bought this 1979 CX500 (Deluxe?) off of craigslist for $400 two weeks ago sitting in a barn. It was sitting since it was parked in 2006ish the owner said, "ran when parked". Motor turns over and all the electrical worked except the horn.
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Well I did get it running rough with a quick carb cleaning but then gave them to a friend at work who could do a better job then I so their waiting on parts now and apparently had more wrong then I thought, missing a air cut out rubber gasket and spring in one carb and broken tip on the air/ fuel mix screw he said, so seems I was lucky I had it running at all it seems, it would stumble on it's way up the tac around 5k rpm so I think it must have been juggling with out the spring in the one carb?
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well here are before/semi after photos of what they look after 8years sitting dormant.

Next was getting the plugs out which had a pile of rust around which prevented a socket from getting to them! Eventually with chiseling and vacuuming I got both different brand plugs out! Spark plug Automotive ignition part Auto part Automotive engine part Screw


Well that's some of the progress iv gotten on the bike so far! This is the fist time doing this so if anyone wants me to continually post update photos chime in so I know to keep taking them as I go! I'll try and post another set of pictures later after lunch. Oh forgot to mention this is my first street bike ever working on! So I'll need help eventually!??

-Sean
Jainshe pw80 (sold)
Honda xl-75 1978 (crashed)
Honda cx500 1979 (corroded)
 
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#3 ·
So after cleaning the plugs up I decided to attack the rust pitted tank and perform some cosmetic bondo work to to hide the gashes and holes in it and made it all pretty looking but looks to be to far gone to even spend the money to coat the inside. So I am in the market for a gas tank similar to it but without all the rust! If it's not to banged up I can work some magic on it ?! Blue Gas Sink
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After a nice shaker can finish I now have a very nice cx500 mock up tank that is completely useless but definitly helped in picking the black and yellow color scheme I'm planning to do now for the bike! Land vehicle Vehicle Motorcycle Motor vehicle Automotive tire
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And lastly since i was getting bored and can't do much until parts come in I decided to start polishing parts like the covers and such Metal


-Sean
 
#4 ·
I bought this 1979 CX500 (Deluxe?) ...
The wheels and headlight nacelle call that a Standard. The square master cylinder and locking fuel cover* are '79 or later. The turn signals are from a Custom or Deluxe. (Unless I'm mistaken, and the rare '79 Standard got those, too.)

Have a look at the label on the left side of the steering head tube. It will tell you the year and model. If it just says "CX500", it's a Standard. If it's a Deluxe, the label will say it.

Where are you in Maryland? I grew up outside Westminster.


R

* Save the locking cover and it's wire strike when you pitch the tank, and offer them on the forum. They're sometimes hard to find.
 
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#5 ·
Thanks R I'll check the info label when I get home today and post what it really is! And for where I am, I'v lived in good old Westminster all my life! Riding dirtbikes an all on my friends apple orchard etc
 
#6 ·
Would that be Baugher's? I went to school with one of the Baughers -- Nathan, I think it was.

My parents and sisters are still in the area. We'll have to connect when I visit again next summer.


R
 
#7 ·
Definitely keep the photos coming. That is what makes a build thread interesting, and if you run into trouble then we can see what you have done, which can help get you back on track.

Those plugs and carbs are dreadful, congrats on getting it running even roughly, and I hope that backrest finds a dumpster really soon.
 
#8 ·
Yea we good go riding if my bikes up and running by then! And yes the one and only, I'm friends with his nephew!
 
#9 ·
Dragonstaff, thank you! Yes it was actually surprising how well it ran with a broken fuel mixture screw and missing a spring to the air cutoff I'm the carb, hopefully after a rebuild kit, she'll be purring like a kitten! And yes the sissy bar is already G-O-N-E! Hahah it was the first thing I took off!

For work coming up I'm gonna try to install 883 sportster exhaust on it if the H pipe isn't shot and also figure out what I'm doing with the seat, I did want a cafe seat but seeing their out of my budget right now being $300 plus I'm just going to recover the stock one for $40 and still be able
To give people rides. Front Brake resivor look just as bad as the carb so I'm looking to see if someone on here has a good used one before I go $50 on a new one, and as always �� looking for a tank.

For anyone who wants to chime in, I'm trying to go for a more cafe look and the rubber boots on my air box are shot so any ideas about the pod filters or should I stick to OEM?

-Sean
 
#10 ·
UPDATE* Seat Restoration!

So lastnight the first package of a large order showed up! It was a new seat cover! So like an Artist Stretching a canvas, i stretched this cover the old seat pan i repainted and also cut a sponge up to fill the holes in the foam. I attached the sponge cutouts with locktight spray on adhesive which worked for what i was doing! I did polish the old trim and put it back on but i couldnt save the strap across the seat, and the new strap they sent me was to short to work so it will now just look more clean without it. Automotive exterior Auto part Fender Vehicle
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here are photos of it all, i can take more detailed photos of it on the bike today now its light out. Also Im not sure what order the before and after photos are but it should be easy to tell.

-Sean

"Perseverance, secret of all triumphs"

yamaha pw80 (sold)
Honda xl75 (running wreck)
Honda cb360 (still in barn)
Honda cx500 (running rusty but improving)
 
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#11 ·
Do you have a link for that seat cover? It looks like a nice reproduction of the OEM seat.


R
 
#12 ·
Exhaust 883 upgrade!

(Hey! Here's the link for the seat covers $40 a pop! Decal is applied after you stretch it onto ur seat pan.)

Well finally getting rid of the mega phone fart cannon exhaust that is all types of rust on the Crome and replacing it with a single hanger 883 Harley sportster exhaust. Land vehicle Vehicle Motor vehicle Motorcycle Car
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Still have to make up a bracket that goes from the hanger over to the passenger peg bolt on the milling machine when I get a chance but looks much improved now with the new exhaust.

-Sean
 
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#14 ·
I just used the hangers off the original muffs and hung the Sportsters right on [they don't even show].
 
#16 ·
Update cafe bars a tad to small :/

Just got my new handle bars and grips in and unfortunately, my bar is a bit to short that my controls hit the gas tank but it looks good until I order a 32 inch one Vehicle Tire Automotive tire Auto part Automotive wheel system
 

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#17 ·
Beginning the tank restoration

Okay laziness and impatience to let the alcohol in the tank finish evaporating led me to a faster way to clean/dry out the tank for caswell Flame Blow torch Welder Welding Fire
 
#19 ·
That's what I was thinking, it's a 1/8 inch on either side and I could easily add a tad of weld to each side to make it work but I rather just do it right with a bit longer bars and use a pipe cutter to bring it down to 30 in from 32 :p but either way it's rainy out so I'm just gonna work on the gas tank today
 
#20 ·
nice,nice and nice,,,, when I see how nice a job can be ,,,, I feel like going out and taking apart my bike,,,,,, then I just come back and see what other people can do,,, good job,,,, I did do the gas tank rust with vinegar and coated the inside with Kreem ,,,
 
#22 ·
Gas tank round #2 ding ding

Thanks for all the positive comments! After I used unorthodox methods for getting all the moisture out of the tank I.e burning nitro under it, I managed to used some left over caswell givin to me to finish up coating the inside of the tank! And off to sanding an re do missed body work on the tank for a few hours while watching cafe racer tv on youtube lol. :) but all is well! I have the primer drying now and want to get some pin stripeing before the days end! Fender Flame Heat
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-Sean
 
#23 ·
The lunch break mods!

So I got my carbs back from my friend today to work after he re-worked them for me, so they should be running right now! The screws got stripped out on the bowl though so I spent my lunch break during work, drilling and tapping the 4mm holes to 5mm and putting in 12 hardness (over kill maybe) Allen screws in to replaces the Philips head screws that strip out so easily, so now everything looks uniform again and the carbs are unique haha Auto part Carburetor Automotive engine part Engine
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#26 ·
So I got my carbs back from my friend today to work after he re-worked them for me, so they should be running right now! The screws got stripped out on the bowl though so I spent my lunch break during work, drilling and tapping the 4mm holes to 5mm and putting in 12 hardness (over kill maybe) Allen screws in to replaces the Philips head screws that strip out so easily, so now everything looks uniform again and the carbs are unique haha View attachment 14918 View attachment 14919
I like using Allen screws in the carbs. Especially the bowls. it's a lot easier to remove Allen screwed float bowls when you don't want to take the carbs off the bike. Good if you need to nudge a sticking float.
 
#24 ·
Just to fill you in, the screws strip because they are JIS standard screws, not SAE. The shape of the screwdriver you need is different. The screwdrivers that came in Honda tool kits were correct, so if you can find one, use it. I know that the Honda screwdrivers are pretty flimsy, but they won't strip the screws.
 
#28 ·
Round three with the camo patched beast

Okay okay, so its been a while since I did a update, right now I'm working out getting detailed parts, like leds, working speedo, infamous left side cover:mad:, and all the nick nacks to polish the bike off! (anyone have those honda engine plackards?)

But the biggest gremlin is this darn tank :mad: that keeps coming back to haunt me, this is two weeks now trying to get a working yellow paint job. Yet because of my impatience and the low quality of shaker can spray paint, the final coat wrinkles with the clear coat, even tho the yellow coat dried and baked in the sun for 4 days. It was secretly keeping a gooey inside under the hard dried surface.. So long story short, you cant build a house on a bad foundation..and thats what I was working with at this point. I cant get quality with the quarter inch of gooey paint that built up over multiple trys. So it was time to wire wheel the tank and take it back to the basics.. Raw metal (kinda). But it was at the cost of damaging the painstaking bondo job on the tank..but it had to be done..for the better good of the bike lol. Thus I re bondoed, sanded and primed the tank (hopefully for the last time!).

Then I caved..I'm going to do this proper now and use acrylic enamel relocated red dodge viper paint I had sitting around for the paint job for my 944 which will now be delayed. I figured I should do it right and use a paint that'll harden into a nice a surface! So now the bike will be red :/ but at least the tank should be useable. if it holds gas...?

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Anyways, any pointers or comments are always appreciated

Sean
 
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