As everyone knows there's not much custom stuff made for the old Hondas, other than the SOHC 750. Sooooooooooo we gots to make our own.
Here's a finned shifter cover I made for a DOHC750. I ball-milled some 1/2" aluminum plate, rough cut the two pieces to shape to fit the original cover. I heated the aluminum pieces to just below its melting point and clamped them to fit the conture of the cover. I kept all my fins to align with the engine cylinder fins....just 'cause. You could set them at frame level if you wanted. I used Devcon Aluminum Putty #10610 to fasten the finned covers to the original. I knew I was going to powdercoat the covers. If one wanted to chrome plate things, you would have to tig weld things together...would be a whole lot more work, but it is possible. Once the aluminum putty hardened I ground and sanded the edges, prebaked and powdercoated.
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/dohcfin1.jpg
Here is a finned clutch cover I made for the DOHC 750. I clamped the cover to a piece of 3/4" plywood and fastened to a rotary table. I milled off steps in the clutch cover. I then had a 3/4" slab of aluminum cut off of some 6" round stock. I set the piece in the lathe and machined the bottom of the slab to match the steps in the clutch cover. I then ball-milled fins into the top of the aluminum piece, machined the opening for the offset adjuster access hole, ground and sanded the fins to create a rounded effect. Again I used the Devcon putty to fasten the finned cover to the original. This was a nice tight edge fit, I could have spot welded the inside and the whole cover could have been plated.
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/dohcfin2.jpg
A finned ignition cover for a DOHC 750. Turned steps on the original cover in the lathe. Used a 5/8" X 4" round slab of aluminum, cut steps to match the cover, ball-milled fins, rounded things over and fastened things together with the aluminum putty.
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/dohcfin4.jpg
The alternator cover for the DOHC was adapted from either a SOHC 750 or a 550 or a 350?
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/dohcfin3.jpg
This is a finned shifter cover I just completed for a CB-550. I don't think any finned shifter covers were made for the SOHC-750 either? I took some pictures as I went along this time.
Before:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/550fin4.jpg
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_005.jpg
I screwed the shifter cover to a piece of 3/4" plwood. http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_006.jpg
Set to the level I wanted to machine off: http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_007.jpg
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_008.jpg
Machined off the area I wanted and put a small step around the edge:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_009.jpg
Set up a 1/2" thick piece of aluminum and machined the fins:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_004.jpg
Here's the two pieces, ready to be fit together:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_010.jpg
I orientated the fins to follow the existing lines of the alternator and ignition covers ( I bought them),and marked the outline.
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_011.jpg
Cut the finned cover with a jig saw and ground to fit the cover:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_012.jpg
Trial fit to make sure everything is clear:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_013.jpg
Tig spot welded on the inside in several places, grind and sand to follow original contour and give the fins a rounded look:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/550fin1.jpg
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/550fin2.jpg
Fill edges with aluminum putty and final sand and clean:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/550fin2.jpg
Voila! one powdercoated finned shifter cover for a CB-550 Honda.....Cost $20.00 est.
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/550fin6.jpg
Now I got to make fins for the 550 clutch cover!!!! and I got a 750A thats going to need fins as well...LOL. The "A" keeps telling me to" practice, practice before you start messing with my nice smooth lines!!"
I do like fins, I do like powdercoated stuff, Chrome won't get you home.....but powdercoated finned covers won't either I guess!
Take care: Clifford
Here's a finned shifter cover I made for a DOHC750. I ball-milled some 1/2" aluminum plate, rough cut the two pieces to shape to fit the original cover. I heated the aluminum pieces to just below its melting point and clamped them to fit the conture of the cover. I kept all my fins to align with the engine cylinder fins....just 'cause. You could set them at frame level if you wanted. I used Devcon Aluminum Putty #10610 to fasten the finned covers to the original. I knew I was going to powdercoat the covers. If one wanted to chrome plate things, you would have to tig weld things together...would be a whole lot more work, but it is possible. Once the aluminum putty hardened I ground and sanded the edges, prebaked and powdercoated.
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/dohcfin1.jpg
Here is a finned clutch cover I made for the DOHC 750. I clamped the cover to a piece of 3/4" plywood and fastened to a rotary table. I milled off steps in the clutch cover. I then had a 3/4" slab of aluminum cut off of some 6" round stock. I set the piece in the lathe and machined the bottom of the slab to match the steps in the clutch cover. I then ball-milled fins into the top of the aluminum piece, machined the opening for the offset adjuster access hole, ground and sanded the fins to create a rounded effect. Again I used the Devcon putty to fasten the finned cover to the original. This was a nice tight edge fit, I could have spot welded the inside and the whole cover could have been plated.
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/dohcfin2.jpg
A finned ignition cover for a DOHC 750. Turned steps on the original cover in the lathe. Used a 5/8" X 4" round slab of aluminum, cut steps to match the cover, ball-milled fins, rounded things over and fastened things together with the aluminum putty.
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/dohcfin4.jpg
The alternator cover for the DOHC was adapted from either a SOHC 750 or a 550 or a 350?
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/dohcfin3.jpg
This is a finned shifter cover I just completed for a CB-550. I don't think any finned shifter covers were made for the SOHC-750 either? I took some pictures as I went along this time.
Before:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/550fin4.jpg
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_005.jpg
I screwed the shifter cover to a piece of 3/4" plwood. http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_006.jpg
Set to the level I wanted to machine off: http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_007.jpg
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_008.jpg
Machined off the area I wanted and put a small step around the edge:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_009.jpg
Set up a 1/2" thick piece of aluminum and machined the fins:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_004.jpg
Here's the two pieces, ready to be fit together:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_010.jpg
I orientated the fins to follow the existing lines of the alternator and ignition covers ( I bought them),and marked the outline.
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_011.jpg
Cut the finned cover with a jig saw and ground to fit the cover:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_012.jpg
Trial fit to make sure everything is clear:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/cb550_013.jpg
Tig spot welded on the inside in several places, grind and sand to follow original contour and give the fins a rounded look:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/550fin1.jpg
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/550fin2.jpg
Fill edges with aluminum putty and final sand and clean:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/550fin2.jpg
Voila! one powdercoated finned shifter cover for a CB-550 Honda.....Cost $20.00 est.
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/23tbucket_2007/550fin6.jpg
Now I got to make fins for the 550 clutch cover!!!! and I got a 750A thats going to need fins as well...LOL. The "A" keeps telling me to" practice, practice before you start messing with my nice smooth lines!!"
I do like fins, I do like powdercoated stuff, Chrome won't get you home.....but powdercoated finned covers won't either I guess!
Take care: Clifford
