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

[Spokes]

Cool.I have left a personal message to work out detail.

[Spokes]

Found what might be a Honda junkyard within a few hours from me. This might jump start my build up project to hyper speed.

I will write about it once I see it.

[Spokes]

Still cleaning the engine for preparation to rebuild. Here is a couple of pics of before and after results:
Before
(picture here)

After
(picture here)

In the meantime I have procured the handlebar controls and have since rebuilt those and polished to a mirror shine. They reside in the "finished" box as I gain more parts. I am off to a Honda "Boneyard" on Monday on a search for needed componants. I will write about that on Jan 25th

[Spokes]

Found what might be a Honda junkyard within a few hours from me. This might jump start my build up project to hyper speed.

I will write about it once I see it.

Well, just returned from seeing the most Honda motorcycles and parts perhaps in the country. Mostly mid 70's to 90's 350's and up. Lots of used and new parts, frames,engines,bikes of all conditions. boxes of seals, gaskets, loads of old, but new unused tires. I found a pair of 2.75 x 16's!

No dream parts per se. But I did but a new, old stock unused light switch that fits several old 60's small bore honda's, got a new old stock fuel bowl and a cool set of metric chrome socketed head case bolts and washers.

Without a doubt, there must be thousands of parts. Next time I will spend the day.

[Sam Green]

Ouch...Soooo Close! That looks like a 1959-1963 Dream. Honda made a change after 1963. I will find out the difference between the years and move forward from there! The engine that I have is a 1965.

Thanks!

Spokes, the only difference on the early and late frames can be seen in the picture that Ryan posted.
If you look at the pressing on the side of the frame around the tool tray holder, where the two contures come together and vanish under the tank, they are about an inch further apart on the later model.

Sam.

[Spokes]

Thanks! I really could not find what the actual body changes were between the years. I will probably take smithers up on his offer. By the way, what would be your best guess on the weight of the bare bones frame?

I have to get an estimate on shipping and the least expensive to get from the coast of California to southwest Kentucky.

Thanks again for the info.

Spokes

[Sam Green]

Thanks! I really could not find what the actual body changes were between the years. I will probably take smithers up on his offer. By the way, what would be your best guess on the weight of the bare bones frame?

I have to get an estimate on shipping and the least expensive to get from the coast of California to southwest Kentucky.

Thanks again for the info.

Spokes

I don't know what the frame weighs on its own Spokes, perhaps Ryan could weigh it on a set of bathroom scales.
One of my race bikes weighs in at just 139lb, a big drop from 273lb standard.

Sam.

[Hohlederschatten]

The frame alone can't weigh more than 75-80lbs. With just the engine removed you can easily lift a ca95 frame, even with one hand.

[Spokes]

Thanks, I will use that weight as a ballpark shipping figure.

[Spokes]

The beat goes on.....
After cleaning the head to a mirror finish, alas, the valve seats were damaged. The head is in a newly found machine shop here in Bowling Green to cut the valve seats in the head. Now I have to look closer at the valves.

If the valves are have some damage, then it may be machine them to save, or replace.

After the valves are reinstalled, regardless of what direction the repairs go, the head will be pressure tested.

It is so important to have the absolute best compression.

[Spokes]

Building this Honda is a creative financial task as well as a mechanical and sourcing endevior.

I wrote in an earlier thread about "rebuilding the dreaded Honda CA95 Petcock". Well, I sold the finished unit for a great price. I love to refab and make a buck, as it allows me to move forward. With the profits I found a complete tank, with petcock, side panels and cap...I have badges but their the "wide ones" , but I also have the tank panels that they fit...another story.

So today, I am doing the masking and prep on the outer engine parts for my heat and gas resistant paint job. I'm arguing inside myself to paint or mirror polish the outer engine covers...

Lost a bid on a frame, but another will show up, I may keep restoring parts for profit and someday find that "heap rusty CA95" buy it and really get going.

[Spokes]

Got an email from from a friend who wants to liquidate a ton of CA95 and CA160 parts. I was graced to do the liquidation. So next week I am planning a parts inventory and ebay fest. There may be a CA160 in the future in a couple of months. So the rebuild may take a turn but the beat goes on.

I will be getting the complete tank for a 66 CA95 on Monday and do a visual pic instruction on the tank clean out and derust. I plan the derust and strip the tank as well. When I am done there will be a clean, rust free, primed Honda CA95 Tank, with petcock and polished, re-gasketed original cap.

[aaron7]

Be sure to post the ebay link to your page

[Spokes]

I sure will. About the week of Feb. 15th

[Spokes]

Well I did not want the progress of this thread to die. So a quick update. The engine that I have been working on is painted and will be recoated a couple of times more before reassembly. Here in southeastern KY, we have had the coldest winter since 1979, so painting is a challenge. The machine shop that said they could cut the seats turned out to be a dud. They work on race car engines and gave away their small engine machine parts. So off to another shop it goes.

I got my firat pics of a CA160 today that looks like it's headed my way. So to say the least, I will have a clean rebuilt CA95 engine to host up on ebay in the spring.

So this thread has taken an unexpected twist, to say the least.