Building a Honda CA95 from Scratch-Where's The Bike Now?

[Spokes]

Hello All:
I have always loved the Honda CA95 Dream. My restored Dream is posted in this forum and since sold. I want to restore another one. But anybody can find another bike and just restore it. This time I am going to build a CA95 Dream from scratch. That means finding every part, getting it in the shop, restoring it to like new (or custom tricked out) and ending up with another Ca95 mild custom...but cooler that the first. As I find all of the parts and clean them up, I will post my progress and how I made parts like new or tricked.

Today (1-8-09) I got in a 1965 CA95 engine. So here we go.

I found a 1965 CA95 engine in PA, on ebay listed as a "pick-up" only, well I live 800+ miles away. So I set up a Fedex account, contacted the seller and built a reinforced box, sent it to him. When it was packed, and I was contacted, I sent a call tag and had it "picked up". Shipping ran about $120.00 but I got a nice engine for $25.00.

This motor was dirty, oily and still had the starter solinoid hooked up, one connection was rust welded.

Here are some shots of my first steps.
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You can see it's pretty bad.
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Secret 1.) I use Phosphoric solution to dissolve the rust-(Milkstone Remover)
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After soaking for a few hours(the more time the better) the rust was diminished enough to free the cable
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It is not widely known that you can disassemble the solinoid, clean and lube it. If you want to test it just touch the black wire to ground. the yellow wire to positive on the battery...if it "clicks"...it's good.

Secret 2.) I use PB Blaster to loosen rusted fasteners as well. But it makes a great spot degreaser
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As more parts come in and inventory builds I will post my progress. When its time to paint the bike, I will take a poll. I have already done black.

Time frame to complete the bike 9-12 months, maybe sooner.

Happy Trails

[aaron7]

Awesome thread, subscribed!

I don't want to wait for the polll... do a nice deep race car red

[Smithers]

It's amazing how well these little engines are built. Not too many engines are built well enough to be restorable 50 years later with mostly original parts. Time to start cleaning!

[Spokes]

Red might look cool trimmed with white buco bags. Can do.
Yep, but now it's time to clean. I have posted a couple of pics and wish to share a couple more "secret" tools, that without them disassembly of an old Honda engine would be much harder.
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The hand impact wrench. I have had this tool since my 1st restore in 1975. It makes removing rusted phillips screws possible.
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I carry this 12 impact wrench in my trunk for removing lugnuts on flat tires,on my car I have a screw type jack, so this tool makes changing flat tires easy. It makes removing bolts like the one on the flywheel with ease.
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This is where I am today on the engine. I have to begin disassembly in order to begin cleaning. I always put my parts in zip lock bags. Each parts bag will be a mini project that I will write about as time goes on.
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This is a sample of the last CA95 engine I did on the bike I just sold.

[aaron7]

Hmm, maybe I'll ride my CA95 down to you and leave it to be restored! haha

[Spokes]

You would not believe the requests to do just that. It could be two years from now that I just might think about a rebuild shop. Nothing on a grand scale. I have restored several Buco Twinmaster saddlebags and do some custom fab work once in awhile. I have a method to zinc plate nuts and bolts and possibly do chrome plating of small parts at some point.

It just takes investment, I have more time than money at this point.

But for now, just a build-up of another CA95. I already have people waiting on the outcome and interested in buying it when done.

[Smithers]

Awesome! Yeah Zip-Lock bags are KEY... as well as the impact driver. I bought a brand new set of bits for mine because if you don't have them in good shape you will mess up the caps on the screws for sure. New bits for the impact = taking care of your hardware when you remove it from the bike. It will really make a difference to have.

People that read this: NEVER just use a regular hand screwdriver/phillips to remove those screws from Honda engines!!! Impact drivers are like $10 at Harbor freight for Petes sake.

Yeah restoring those bikes just takes TOO much specialized knowledge to do and it's rare a person would actually pay the going labor rate. I know a guy personally that started a custom restoration business around here and it was a BIG shop with a showroom and everything! He just lasted maybe 2 years before he gave it up. Having one or two bikes being restored won't support the bills. This was all before the internet though which would have helped. He went on to opening an actual Honda motorcycle shop but the towns economy proved that it wouldn't support it. Anyhow that's another story!

I have always worked on race cars, raced for a couple years myself, restored trucks, cars, motorcycles etc etc.... I've been offered jobs doing all of this and owned an online aftermarket accessories shop for a couple years but it's just not worth the effort. Plus it ruins all the fun when you have to do it non-stop for a living!! I recommend just doing a few jobs here and there for people who really appreciate the effort you put in. That keeps it fun and helping people is always rewarding.

Building a bike every once and while is a lot of fun. Especially when people will want to buy it to fund your next bike build!

[Spokes]

I agree about the restoration business. I would have a micro business with a small shop on the property or an extended garage. No big showroom, just small speciality stuff to bring in extra income in a few years when I get to retire. My father was a master gunsmith, but only as a hobby. He was known for custom stocks, inlays, checkering and had a technique to make the most accurate shooting long rifle known. I only learned the accurate technique. But like him, only a handfull of people will know me.

So in short, someday, small shop, small plating operation, and custom builds. I am already doing turn signals and Buco Twinmaster saddlebag light systems, and stainless Buco saddlebag hangers for the 150 and 305 dreams.

[Spokes]

Well, the engine is disassembled. The autopsy was great! Seals were old and had leaked for years, cylinders are clean and need only honed. The pistons look ok, but new pistons & rings will be ordered. Some gaskets I have custom made.

From this point until ready for assembly the parts will be all cleaned, some polished. I will share a procedure to paint the aluminum cases. When finished the paint will be heat and fuel resistant, as tough as new.
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Also while the motor is open and has degreaser on it, I cover it with a tote to confine the smell.
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[aaron7]

Wish I could do that kinda stuff myself. I have that crank you sent me as well as a complete .020 over top end kit with even new valves! I'd be nice to know the bike I'm riding is mechanically new!

Maybe I could crate mine up and send it down to you? haha... but only half kidding there!

[Spokes]

The honing part is easy. I use a machine shop in Somerset KY that bores cylinders to fit new pistons, shaves heads, installs valve guides, cuts valve seats and will ream the guides out to fit new valves. He did the first engine I did as the top end was wasted. There is another contact I have called "mr. crankshaft" here in the state. He won't rebuild old Honda Crankshafts, but does offer to rebalance them. I don't know if that has any benefit, but its out there.

This engine is in fine shape for its age. I have an old fashioned good ole boy mower shop here in Bowling Green KY that will recut the valve seats maybe the valves seats. I may just lap them in. If I had a running bike like yours, I would leave it alone and ride the bike and enjoy. Wait until it breaks to work on the motor. As they say: If it aint broke..don't fix it.

[aaron7]

whoops!

[Spokes]

Wow, I am impressed! A twin cam, 16 valve turbo packed in to a Honda CA95frame. That will do a 1/4 mile in -10 seconds! LOL

[aaron7]

THAT'S where this post went... I'll delete it!

I had multiple forums up and could not for the life of me figure out where my post went! haha

[Smithers]

It's hard to keep track of all these posts guys! haha. Balancing the crank would be a great thing to do. If I knew someone who I could take mine to (when I had mine apart) I would have done it for sure. I have had a couple cranks balanced in race engines before and its worth it. Plus these Hondas REV so high! I really would like to have that done. Then I wouldn't have to use so much Locktite. But seriously it would help with the vibration and be easier on all of the components in the whole engine.

I still haven't broken in the blue CA95 yet that I rebuilt the engine on. Too many projects. But I know in the summer I'll be tuning and playing with it some. That is a goal of mine to put some miles on it and get it broken in, safety wired so it doesn't fall apart and running strong.