Restoring and modernising an European Dream ('64 Honda C78)

I ordered this kit from Northeast vintage cycle. Came in Honda marked packaging and has the cork packing. I’m waiting till warmer weather to install but looks to be good. The kit does not come with the 3 fiber washers for the screws so I ordered those separate.

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Always worth a look at Northeast Vintage Cycles especially for hard to find stuff and prices are usually more than fair compared to other vendors. Watch the search function though that the part number you put in is what comes up in the results. Sometimes close but not what you were looking for.
 
jensen said:
Hi, thanks for the links, but since a year, I can't buy anything from the uS due to the high taxes and shipping costs, I bought everything I need at CMSNL, shipping is cheap, and delivery is quick.
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Most of the good repro parts come from Thailand anyways.
 
And since the generator of the C77 is the same as the CB72, and I have all the wires and stuff at hand, why not fix this one too.

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Left is the CB72, right is the C77 dream generator, the dream generator is older but clean, but the sleeve has gone, and the wires are brittle. When looking closely, there are many small differences in product, and production methods used.
 
oldjeep said:
Most of the good repro parts come from Thailand anyways.
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I ended up with some new re-pop cb350 stuff from there last year and more recently throt, clutch, brake & speedo cables & wiring harnes for a '66 Dream 305 proj. About 1/3 of the total cost of the Dream stuff was shipping (tariff was built into shipping cost).
 
jensen said:
Hi, thanks for the links, but since a year, I can't buy anything from the uS due to the high taxes and shipping costs, I bought everything I need at CMSNL, shipping is cheap, and delivery is quick.
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I contacted CMSNL regarding their petcock packing and it's resistance to ethanol and this was their initial reply:
"Thank you kindly for your e-mail.

We are a web shop only without a work shop.

Please, ask your local dealer about this, he could advise you."

When pressed that they should check with their supplier they responded:
"Thank you kindly for your e-mail.

It's the same as all other components in your fuel system: not ethanol resistant."

If you can make your own ethanol resistant packing then it should certainly last longer than what is offered commercially.
 
guzziart said:
I ended up with some new re-pop cb350 stuff from there last year and more recently throt, clutch, brake & speedo cables & wiring harnes for a '66 Dream 305 proj. About 1/3 of the total cost of the Dream stuff was shipping (tariff was built into shipping cost).
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Unfortunately now it has become between - a bunch more expensive and impossible to get Thailand parts in the US. The only thing I want is a set of the crash bars for my bike, but none of the 3 sellers will even try to ship here right now - regardless of if I am willing to pay the tariff or upgrade to DHL or have them smuggled like they were coke. At this point, the easiest way would be a vacation to Thailand and a big suitcase.
 
boddy said:
I contacted CMSNL regarding their petcock packing and it's resistance to ethanol and this was their initial reply:
"Thank you kindly for your e-mail.

We are a web shop only without a work shop.

Please, ask your local dealer about this, he could advise you."

When pressed that they should check with their supplier they responded:
"Thank you kindly for your e-mail.

It's the same as all other components in your fuel system: not ethanol resistant."

If you can make your own ethanol resistant packing then it should certainly last longer than what is offered commercially.
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Ethanol resistant packing? I clearly missed something. If you are worried about E10 - get a $20 kit of orings from harbor freight and replace any o-ring you get. the E10 bogyman is hilarious, It has been a fact of life here since the 80's in Minnesota and I have yet to see anything ever impacted by it - other than the fact that it cleans all the crap out of your fuel system in the first 1/4 tank and clogs everything else.
 
boddy said:
I contacted CMSNL regarding their petcock packing and it's resistance to ethanol and this was their initial reply:
"Thank you kindly for your e-mail.

We are a web shop only without a work shop.

Please, ask your local dealer about this, he could advise you."

When pressed that they should check with their supplier they responded:
"Thank you kindly for your e-mail.

It's the same as all other components in your fuel system: not ethanol resistant."

If you can make your own ethanol resistant packing then it should certainly last longer than what is offered commercially.
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That's not a surprise, but thanks for the info.
 
 
boddy said:
I contacted CMSNL regarding their petcock packing and it's resistance to ethanol and this was their initial reply:
"Thank you kindly for your e-mail.

We are a web shop only without a work shop.

Please, ask your local dealer about this, he could advise you."

When pressed that they should check with their supplier they responded:
"Thank you kindly for your e-mail.

It's the same as all other components in your fuel system: not ethanol resistant."

If you can make your own ethanol resistant packing then it should certainly last longer than what is offered commercially.
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The beveled edge on the A, or top, packing would be the most difficult part to reproduce. Then finding a way to get the stand pipe to stay in place. The sealing surface of the A packing is the beveled edge.
The B packing seals on it's flat surface against the lever and would not be as hard to duplicate. It's thickness is important for how low and tight the A packing sits.
 
I'm considering the go from black to blue for the bike. I got a NOS set of chain cases for the dream, which are blue, and I really like the dark blue color. I already have two black bombers, a black CB72'66. It will be nice next to my 1961/62 blue CB72. The dream parts are ready for paint, so what would you do if you were me ? The original seat is red, but I will change to a single seat anyway (I'll use a rack, and buck twin master set on my dream).
 
A few weeks ago I bought this CB450 K0 police box (only 73 euro's due to damage, so I got myself 2), and I'm planning to use one on my dream, behind the solo seat (handy for tools and parts). It is already white, and not so difficult to have the buco's in the same color. Nice suggestion ! It's in good condition , and very high quality standard, with a build in light-switch that illuminates the interior of the box as well. I will replace the blue part for a 3D printed red part, and make it a fourth break-light.

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ballbearian said:
My mostly original blue paint is pretty bad in places but I like it a lot anyway. The white accessories would be great.
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I guess the camera and 20 feet make your blue bike look better than it might be, but it sure looks good in the pics you've posted. And those fishtails. My Dad would have loved them.
 
Here a few detail pictures of the briefcase box:

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The box is larger than you might expect, enough room for tools, and other small parts. It also has a rubber band, holding down stuff.

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Inside is a switch, for switching the light.

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Well, there is some damage, some paint scratches, but nothing serious. The biggest issue is the broken wire hose to the blue light.

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But it functions well, and the 12V bulb illuminates the inside of the box as well.

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Here a detail picture of the illumination.

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It's very well made, quality is high, the paint is thick. Since I have two (and this one is the worst), I will use this one on the dream, replacing the side lock for something with a key.
 
Unfortunately, the paint shop painted the small parts already black (normally he isn't that fast), so, the color will be black. The frame looked very good now it is blasted, nothing has to be done, no welding, no fillers, no cracks, no nothing.

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That's a relief, because these frames are vulnerable for rust between the steel sheets underneath the rear mudguard.
 
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Before rebuilding the engines of the CB72 and the dream, I always inspect all parts very closely, and the dream oil pump body was found to be replaced. It was cracked, in a bad and not logical way.

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That sucks but good catch. Hopefully not too much trouble getting a serviceable replacement but still wonder how it happened.
 
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guzziart said:
That sucks but good catch. Hopefully not too much trouble getting a serviceable replacement but still wonder how it happened.
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No problem , I got 5 or 6 NOS units somewhere, it's more that I'm always surprised how that could have gone wrong. In this case, I think I know how one of the PO's managed to break it, but still.....
 
I remember smoothing, or porting, an abrupt reduction of diameter in the output drilling of the pump body. It was suggested to me, by another rebuilder, that it may help reduce turbulence and speed up the flow.
 
jensen said:
Unfortunately, the paint shop painted the small parts already black (normally he isn't that fast), so, the color will be black. The frame looked very good now it is blasted, nothing has to be done, no welding, no fillers, no cracks, no nothing.
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The color will be blue after all, I decided this is the way I want it and made a deal with the paintshop. Blue, with a red (single) seat, cream white buco's and a police brief box. You live only once ;)



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I also decided that my 1961/62 CB72 will be red or blue, I have enough black bikes, and I like some color in my shed.
 
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