Project 1968 Honda CA160

[Spokes]

Delivered today is my 1968 CA160. No rust, no engine work needed, low mileage old parade bike.

It needs some body work and tires. Other than tires it is sweet. The bike will be carefully taken down and cleaned, inspected, body repaired and repainted. This is the first project bike I ever had that is 100% original and complete. I will loose sleep thinking about what color to paint it.
(picture here)

[Smithers]

Very nice. Just like my black one. Need to move this over to the CA160 section later. Now these are much more refined, less vibration etc etc.

[phoenix216]

Originally Posted by Spokes

I will loose sleep thinking about what color to paint it.

Purple! I haven't seen a purple Dream or Benly yet.

[Smithers]

I can't decide what color I would like to see it either. Tough decision on this model.

[Sam Green]

I'm begining to think, I don't like you the bike is a load of crap, I think you should send it to me for humane dissposal.
Why not leave it white, looks great, wish I could find a 95 as nice as that.

Sam.

[aaron7]

White is nice but over played on these old bikes.

I say gloss black, but then I paint everything black!

[Brewster]

Spokes you DOG ! That bike is sweet!! Very clean,nice nice nice.
I have seen a few dreams in a medium blue metallic. I question why Honda didnt paint the bikes that color as it looks so good. Color is the hardest decision. Congrads on the CA160.

[Spokes]

Sorry all..I miss represented the bike. It has after market tank emblems and a new MPH speedometer and a new bulb replaceable headlight. I was depressed for over 10 seconds, but I got over it...LOL

Thanks for the color idea's.. Purple....hmmm, stay white...gotta go pearl if white, metallic blue, gotta go with crushed glass rather than metallic with pearl added. If Red..Candy with pearl and maybe just maybe Pearl Candy Green.

When the stage is set, I will take pics. The CA95 is going to be a Cafe' style custom. It may be wild and it may be Orange. 55 Ford Crown Vic Orange with a touch of pearl. So one decision made. The color will have a pearl additive.

[Spokes]

Started today to break down the CA160. It is interesting having both the CA95 build and the CA160 rebuild at the same time. I will try to list what is interchangable and what is not. This should be interesting.

[Spokes]

The first thing I have to note is the exaust system. This bike has the original mufflers. Wtth the exception of some dents from an incorrect kickstart arm on one side and some slight rust through at the back bottom seam (epoxy repairable) on the other they would be perfect. They still have the baffles in them!

My point is that I see lots of ebay offers for aftermarket mufflers for the CA95 and they include the CA160.

Bottom line: The mounts for the CA95 are not the same for the CA160. The mufflers look the same, but not the mounts.

More to come.

[Spokes]

I had to name my CA160 since it is a 1968, a good year for me, a bad year for the Viet Nam, so I decided to name it " The Sixty Eight"

One more day and the Sixty Eight will be completely dismantled. The engine is sound so it rests for a while in storage. I have a nasty hole in the rear fender from a rack, so I will cut out the damage and make a metal patch to be welded in. The front fender bottom flair needs to be corrected and some screw holes welded closed.

Then along with its partner project the CA95 will be sandblasted and primed. Once a color is chosen it will be painted in small jobs until all body parts are the same color. Then it is reassembly time. Which will be slow as all things will be checked for safety and as much aluminum polishing as possible. Pics soon.

[Spokes]

Well the bike in the pic is now down to individual parts. The engine is in storage and the slow reassemble begins soon. I will be posting some pics of the before and after body work and of course the final product. A close inspection shows the bike was repainted and some engine screws were damaged. I was happy to see that the rims and hardware are clean. The clutch handle does not match the brake handle and one is bent. I guess this bike took a spill at one time or another. I had sold the original crashbars for it in Feb., the bars had some serious road rash.

The mufflers still have the original exaust defusers. They were rusted in pretty bad but I got them loose. One muffler has rot along the bottom. I made a sneeky repair so that only if your on your back looking up, you will see it. When I test rode the bike it was whisper quiet, so it should remain so after it's back together, unless I make straight pipes for it. I might have my fab guy match the muffler hangers and just weld the straight pipes to the new hangers.

All the body parts will be sandblasted and in primer within a couple of weeks along with the CA95. I will post some pics to show little difference between the two bikes.

Color yet to be determined, but most likely Orange Pearl for one and Possible Pearl Blue for the other.

[Spokes]

Time Stamp 5-5-10
The pics below show where the CA160 is today. I got the frame back from the blasters. The rear of the frame had a huge ruptured hole in it. The sides of the frame were distorted as well. The bad metal was cut out. Then the frame sandblasted where the welded patch was to be. After the welding the frame sides were metal formed back into place. Below are a few pics of the reblasted frame and the start of body work.

The bare frame
(picture here)

The welded patch, ground then reblasted
(picture here)

I mix fiberglass resin and a small amount of polyester body filler and sealed the bottom of the weld.
(picture here)

The first body filler application
(picture here)

More to come.

[Spokes]

5-8-10
Ordered the paint today.
Acrylic Enamel Metallic Candy Apple Red.
Body work 50% done.
Painting starts in two weeks.

[Spokes]

5-13-10
Pics of the paint color on a sample part
(picture here)

The repaired fender in primer
(picture here)

The nearly done front fender flare repair
(picture here)