Honda CB750-F WIP #1

Whilst the bathroom refit is taking priority at the moment, I still needed something to fill the time when it is too late to do anything on the bathroom in the evenings. So I decided to have a change from the normal projects and dug out this Tamiya 1/12th scale Honda CB750-F kit. This also happened to be a motorbike that a couple of my old friends from back in the early 80's use to ride, so it was a little nostalgia trip for me to.

  

The first job for me was to strip all of the kits chrome plating off it plastic. I will replace it will Alclad, just like I did on my Harley Davidson Heritage Soft-tail model I did about ten years ago. But at least the Honda does not have as much chrome as the Harley did. The other main advantage to doing this is being able to assemble the two exhaust silencers together before painting the Alclad. Hence remove the joint lines visible if I had used the kits plating instead.

Below are the first batch of parts to be redone with the Alclad. These consist of the whole exhaust system and various parts of the engine which happen to be chromed. My usual technique is followed, starting with the primer, then gloss black base, then the honey clear followed by the chrome paint after which was protected by the Alclad gloss clear
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The assembled engine was painted with Alclad aluminium before adding the chromed panels and covers. here it is seen test fitted in the frame along with the forks and mudguard, rear mudguard and part of the seat assembly.

Jump to tonight and to where the project is now. The frame halves are now painted along with the rear swing arms, wheels, rear mudguard and the rear exhaust/footrest brackets. The forks and all three disc brakes have been re-chromed and are curing as this is being typed. They just need some detail painting to be done before being assembled for fitting to the frame. The completed engine has now been secured inside the frame halves and is waiting for the forks and rear swing arm to be added once they are finished. The next batch of parts are sitting ready to be re-chromed, they will be started on in the next couple of days. But as for this weekend, I will finishing the tiling in the bathroom and start painting the woodwork as the following weekend I will be off to the IPMS(UK) Nationals at Telford for three days. So that it for this installment.