Tom's Vf1000F Revival

Hi members, I joined the forum a while back with the hopes of finding a decent Interceptor at some point. The time has come and I have - it's an '84 VF1000F with approx. 26K on the clock. I just spoke to the original owner who still has the original keys, tool kit, title, etc. The bike last ran approx. 3 years ago, so it may need a carb cleaning, although he ran the bike dry and drained the bowls. It will need a new rear turn signal and stalk, some bodywork to the gas tank, and at least one mirror. He's asking $1700 for it, so my question is this if it looks good, should I go for it? And did this particular bike have the top end oiling issue with cam lobes wearing out?

Any suggestions on what to look for will be greatly appreciated. I plan to go there after work today with cash in hand and trailer in tow.

Thanks.

Sounds like a solid find assuming the body's in decent shape and all there. Parts are tougher to find but they show up now and again - I've been looking for one for a while so good find!

Well I drove out to see the bike with trailer in tow and cash in hand. The bike was in decent shape - the bodywork would have been virtually perfect had the tank not been damaged:

[image: 2013-05-09191300_zps7dca6e91.jpg]

The carbs were of course gunked up and there was old gas and rust in the tank, even though the tank was supposedly coated. All electrics worked except for the horn and the brakes were still free. Good tires, 26K on the clock, but surface rust on various parts of the frame, which was a bummer. One mirror was busted and just sitting on the stalk and one taillight was broken. He had the owner's manual and tool kit, one key, and the title. Compression in the two cylinders I checked was around 135. Here's a couple shots of the bike:

[image: 2013-05-09191312_zpsabb04727.jpg]

[image: 2013-05-09191248_zps1db6f159.jpg]

Knowing that I would need to do the carbs, battery, refresh the brake and clutch fluids, replace the fork seals, and address that tank, I wasn't willing to pay the askig price of $1700. He wasn't willing to budge, so I drove home with an empty trailer. Maybe it was a good deal even at that price, but I felt it was a bit too much and he should have had some wiggle room. He told me he paid $4500 for it new and didn't care what the book value was now.

There will be others...

I agree with you, I don't think I'd pay more than $1K or so. I am looking for one also, roughly in that shape would be fine, but not for $1700. I see very clean, running examples for under $2500 from time to time.

I do all my own restoration work, including powder coating, and I know what it's going to cost me to make it as nice as my other bikes, so I have to draw the line on how much I'll pay for the bike to start with. I'd rather spend a little more and have less work to do. If there are nice examples out there for $2500, it's worth waiting. Funny thing is he'll probably get his price because someone will come along who knows nothing at all about these bikes or restoring them and will think it's a deal.

Tires may look OK, but probably aren't at their age.

Apart from the tank ding, it looks pretty good.

But, it's a non runner at the moment. :goofy:

You made the call. Hopefully you'll find another at the right price. :beer:

Funny thing is he'll probably get his price because someone will come along who knows nothing at all about these bikes or restoring them and will think it's a deal.

Edit to add, Let someone else find out the hard way it takes them 3x as long as they guessed. :laugh:

For $1700, it seems like he could've at least put some fresh fuel in it and got it to start...or at least had some wiggle room. Good on you.

I bought one in boxes a few years ago for almost nothing. Put the minimum work in to get it 100% assembled and running, then found the engine case had a crack and spewed oil. You never know if you don't see it run first. There's a very nice one on the Dayton Craigslist now but he's asking $4K.

tomk1960

He told me he paid $4500 for it new and didn't care what the book value was now.

That is the most irrelevant thing I've ever heard.

If I was selling a 2011 motorcycle that I bought JUST LAST WEEK, then what I paid for it means something (to me).

But 1984 pricing?

So what? Unless you got, uh, like a Time Masheen Scro.

[image: 21fc0643_idiocracy_timemasheen.jpeg]

Veefer800Canuck

tomk1960

He told me he paid $4500 for it new and didn't care what the book value was now.

That is the most irrelevant thing I've ever heard.

When he said, "I know what I paid for it and I don't care what it's worth now," I knew there was no point in wasting any more time there.

you did the right thing by walking on that one.

I would be worried about the cams as well even it did start.

keep looking but you should probably expand your search (or limit it to) the 1985-86 VF1000R model.

I just found an '84 750 Interceptor with 2600 original miles for sale. Price is $2495 and the red/white bike is immaculate. The original tires will have to be replaced, but otherwise, the owner went through the bike and got it road-worthy and running well. It seems like a decent deal, but I'd still rather have a VF1000F or R.

That's a hell of buy .....

the VF750F in my opinion is better than the VF1000F and I have ridden both. the 750 feels lighter and more agile. can't say much for the R though.

Well a week later and the seller has changed his mind and decided to accept my offer, hundreds less than his price. I guess he didn't get the high offers he expected and he said that he wanted someone like me to take it and keep it original. As least one or two young guys wanted to take it and do some ridiculous mods to it.

Tomorrow I'll head back over there and pick it up. I'm satisfied with the price now and am looking forward to digging into it.

I just checked the "downloads" section and couldn't find the Honda Service Manual for '84 VF1000F. Is that one missing or am I looking in the wrong place? Also, if someone can point me in the direction of the top oiler mod, I'd appreciate it. I'll do some searching as well.

Here you go: http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/files/file/184-vf1000f-honda-shop-manual/ (92MB!)

On the oil mod, you can buy the Dave Dodge plate kit if it's still available that mounts behind the oil filter. If you go the drill and tap method the parts are pretty inexpensive. If I did it again though I'd hunt for the oil filter kit. I'd probably pull the covers first though and see what shape the cams were in before doing any mod.

Congrats on the bike. We'll need some pics!

A week after a disappointing trip out to Orange, MA, I'm happy to say that I just came back from there with the Interceptor in my trailer. Evidently the offers weren't coming in that he expected. Yesterday I shot him a text with the original offer I gave him and said that there were a bunch of 100 dollar bills with his name on them. He texted back, "Sounds like a plan." Supposedly he had received at least one higher offer, but everyone who was interested had plans to do radical stuff to the bike. As the original owner, he didn't like what he was hearing, so my timing was perfect. When I asked why he changed his mind, he said that he knew I'd restore it properly and appreciate the bike for what it was. Loaded into the trailer: [image: 2013-05-16182842_zps40c0a124.jpg] Back home in front of the garage: [image: 2013-05-16195040_zps831dae82.jpg] [image: 2013-05-16195053_zps45007ced.jpg] As you can see, it will be in good company... [image: 2013-05-16195324_zps07d6b9aa.jpg] In the shop: [image: 2013-05-16200431_zps07ef2d8e.jpg] This was supposedly put away after it ran dry, so I'm going to try starting it with my aux. fuel tank before I go pulling the carbs. There are a bunch of cosmetic odds and ends to take care of, such as the dent in the tank, broken taillight, etc., but nothing horrendous. My painter can repair the dent and reshoot just the upper white portion and then re-clearcoat the entire tank, so that will work for me. The rest of the bodywork is immaculate. I've already found the top end oiling kit and will consider doing that mod after I check out the valve train. Love the gauges on this: [image: 2013-05-16200904_zpsc19273f2.jpg] And these are worth a lot to me: [image: 2013-05-16200538_zps2a970af7.jpg] I hope to get this running and in decent mechanical shape so that I can enjoy it for part of the summer. When fall rolls around, I can remove all the parts that need refinishing and go to town powder coating. Nothing on the bike looks like a serious challenge and the experience will be good. I'll start a build thread once I dig into the bike and post pics as I go along. I can't wait to hear this run when I start it for the first time...

Good looking project, not too much work. They do have a nice sound, different than the R. Make sure and post lots of bike porn pics for us!

You did good ........ now the fun begins.

I'll be happy to post lots of pics as I progress. I do a lot of powder coating and can show before and after shots of that work as well.

While I think of it, does anyone have a spare right hand switceh assembly they'd like to sell? The kill switch on mine is broken and will have to be replaced.

Thanks for the words of encouragement!

Nice bike - you guys are spoiled for choice and price over there.

That bike would be 3k here as is where is.

I also have a spare NOS euro kill switch for one of those in my switch box. I don't think yours had the head light switch.

This thread tickles my happy buttons. Looking forward to the build thread. :woohoo:

thx113

Nice bike - you guys are spoiled for choice and price over there.

Not as spoiled as you think. The CB1300S was never offered in the U.S. and that's a crying shame.[image: icon_cry.gif]

http://www.bikesales.com.au/private/details/honda-cb1300s-2007-14895655?__N=1432%20604%201430%201626%201429%201626%201428%204294967259%204294966596&__Ns=p_IsPoa_Int32%7c0%7c%7cp_RankSort_Int32%7c1%7c%7cp_HasPhotos_Int32%7c1%7c%7cp_Make_String%7c0%7c%7cp_Model_String%7c0%7c%7cp_YearMade_Int32%7c1%7c%7cp_PriceSort_Decimal%7c1%7c%7cp_PhotoCount_Int32%7c1&__Qpb=1&__sid=13BFB51B9A0B&__Nne=15

Hey - good to see you outside the Super Sport forum!

Tom - congrats on the new buy and nice to see you here on VFRD.

Looking forward to watching your handywork make this bike shine!

---David

I'm allowed out occasionally, especially as I am spending my resto time working on the 1000r.

doubled

Tom - congrats on the new buy and nice to see you here on VFRD.

Looking forward to watching your handywork make this bike shine!

---David

Hey David - good to see you here too. It's like I never left home...

I'm not going to be able to touch my new toy until Sunday...promised the GF that I'd go with her to Rhode Island tomorrow to spend the day with her oldest daughter. Gotta keep the peace!

Today I rolled the bike out onto the driveway and decided to see if she'd start. I hooked up an aux. fuel tank, a spare battery, and shot some starter fluid into the carbs. Here's the results:

The bike sounded pretty good, but it seemed to have some fuel issues that came and went, so I rolled the bike back into my shop and pulled the carbs. I'll give them a good cleaning and start over. They were easier to remove than the ones on my 900F and 1100F. I pulled one bowl off and it actually looked pretty good inside. The PO ran the bike dry the last time he started it 3-4 years ago.

Any recommendations on where to get new bowl gaskets and various seals? I will not be replacing any jets - just cleaning them thoroughly. Also, is this bike a candidate for the CBR600 coil upgrade that is often done with the DOHC Super Sports? Now would be the time to do it while the tank is off.

Hopefully I'll have the carbs back together and ready to go within a couple of weeks.

here are a bunch of options for your carb rebuild.

Billy C sells kits that are highly regarded in The Magna/Sabre forums. I have used his kits a few times and would recommend and use them again any time.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/fngster/m.html?item=251274030927&pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a81196f4f&vxp=mtr&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

Great find by the way :biggrin:

I was looking at my bike the other day and thought it would look a lot sharper without that rear fender hanging down. Has anyone done a fender elimination? If there's any information here about it, please point me in the right direction. I already looked and had no luck. I'd like to see a picture of a bike with it done, too.

Thanks.

if you google vf1000f you will see a bunch of examples.

link

Here's an example with a little work done to it: http://vfrworld.com/forums/1st-2nd-generation-1983-1989/26108-big-f-project.html

I'm made some progress with the bike this week. While the carbs are off for overhauling, I removed the rusted, pitted chrome tops and prepped them for powder coating. This consisted of blasting just the outer surfaces (insides were masked off) and then washing, drying, and outgassing. The battery box and kickstand were pretty rusty, so they got prepped too. The kickstand was disassembled and all 4 individual pieces were powder coated separately. Tonight I finished these parts and here they are:

[image: 2013-05-24221055_zps06bf4e90.jpg]

Since the battery box had the usual rust and pitting, I shot a coat of zinc primer and did a partial cure before I shot the final coat of gloss black. The pitting is nearly invisible now with two good coats filling them in. Now I just have to reinstall the grommets.

The carb tops weren't in very good shape, so the pitting is visible under the chrome finish, but they look a LOT better than they did and they won't rust again.

If I end up pulling off the valve covers to check the cams, they'll get the same chrome finish on them as well. Anyway, I'm starting to make progress. Next week the gas tank is heading to WV for repair and repainting. In the meantime, I'll start picking away at various mechanical items.

Looking good.

:lurk:

Today I got the front end apart and removed the forks in preparation for refinishing and seal replacement.

[image: 2013-05-26134557_zpse7829a5d.jpg]

It wasn't too bad a job getting them out and then popping out the leaky seals was no problem at all. In order to powder coat these properly, I have to get all of the components out, which includes the little adjustment mechanism that has the set screw, spring, and ball bearing. This has probably never been taken apart, so the screw was really stuck. As a result, I couldn't break it free with the allen wrench and the hole rounded out. I have to get it out, since the ball came out of the other end and it's close to impossible to reinstall from the opposite end with the spring pushing out. Here's the screw end of the deal:

[image: 2013-05-26221921_zps00973ecf.jpg]

Should I try an easy out on this? Or would I be better off to take a small dremel cutoff wheel and put a slot in it for a regular screw driver? I'll end up with a small slot in the bottom of that part of the fork leg, but it will be nearly invisible after it's refinished since it's on the bottom. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Easy out I think, it's what I used on one of my fork sets.

I don't trust the small ones. They break quite easily and then leave a piece of hardened steel behind in the hole. I'll heat it up with a torch and try gently, but I don't want that to happen else I'll really be in trouble.

I tried the EZ out for the heck of it and was very careful. The EZOut didn't snap, but the head of the allen bolt did, so now I'm screwed. I don't think there's any way to get the threads out now - they must be rusted in place. Looks like I'll have to buy a used fork leg or a pair. Anyone out there have one they'd like to sell? The condition of the paint isn't an issue as long as the leg is in good shape.

Darn.

I eliminated the fender on my 750: http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/39364-my-1983-vf750f-restoration-project-lotsa-big-pics/page-4#entry518821

Try to centre punch the stub in the hole and drill in with a cobalt drill (I think the bolt/screw is 4mm but will have to check tomorrow). If you can drill far enough in then try again, or just drill out the screw and replace it. It only holds the spring for the track adjuster. If I get time I will take photo of the screw.

I think I'm ok and won't have to remove the thread. Just for the heck of it I tried reassembling that little arrangement by inserting the ball from the top (above the spring) and then slipped the orifice back in carefully and pushed the ball down with a pick. The orifice slipped back into place and clicks into the 4 positions just fine. So the screw will never come out again, but the unit will work as intended. I took it back apart and now I can blast and powder coat it. Disaster averted.

Thanks!

I've been making progress. The fork legs are nearly all blasted and will be ready for powder coating this weekend. My used V65 Sabre kill/ignition switch that I bought on eBay came in yesterday and I've installed the good kill switch portion in my existing housing. A couple screws, two solder joints, and it was done.

[image: 2013-06-03203241_zps61d4e764.jpg]

Rather than mess with the carbs, I send them to THE EXPERT, Mike Nixon. (www.motorcycleproject.com) He's written numerous books on how to overhaul various carburetors and is the best. He's also a friend and has given me many emails worth of advice. The carbs arrived there Saturday and he already has them apart. To see his "carb diary" for some great pictures and a summary of what he's done so far, go here:

http://www.simplycarbs.com/test/Gallery043/

The tank is with my painter in WV and work is already underway to fix the dent and repaint the upper white section. He expects to be done with it this week. When he's done, you'll never know that there was a dent.

So lots of stuff going on. My goal to have the bike back together by July 4th is looking achievable.

More progress. I removed the grab handles and grip rails for refinishing. They were in ok shape, but I figured it was a good time to address them while I was refinishing the fork legs.

[image: 2013-06-05193323_zps86bffaae.jpg]

Here are all the parts blasted and ready to go:

[image: 2013-06-06202502_zps8853c9de.jpg]

Tomorrow after work all the parts will be washed and outgassed. Saturday morning they'll be masked and ready to shoot.

Got the horn working tonight too. It must have been frozen inside. I loosened the locknut/screw adjustment on the back, hit the button, and it came back to life. Now all my electricals are working.

I'll have to post a picture or two of the coolant tubes. They look pretty grungy and corroded - especially near where then enter the engine. I have new o-rings on the way but will have some questions about replacing them. This is the time to do it while the carbs are out.

that switch gear is crying out for a coating of petroleum jelly to be left on for a day or two, good progress, keep up the pics.

CornerCarver

that switch gear is crying out for a coating of petroleum jelly to be left on for a day or two, good progress, keep up the pics.

Does that help bring back the black in the plastic? I'll give it a try - thanks!

Works like a charm for any unpainted plastics. Cheap too

Here are the coolant tubes:

[image: 2013-06-07072258_zps80863517.jpg]

They don't look very good and neither do these:

[image: 2013-06-07072323_zps4531b81f.jpg]

I guess I need to clean around where they go into the engine before I attempt to remove them. I'll have new O-rings early next week as well as a few other coolant-related gaskets. Are these going to be difficult to pull out with all that corrosion? Before I dig into this, I'd appreciate any advice people have to offer as far as what I can expect. Once I have the tubes out, I'll refinish them so that the corrosion is kept at bay.

tomk1960

Here are the coolant tubes:

They don't look very good and neither do these:

[image: 2013-06-07072323_zps4531b81f.jpg]

I guess I need to clean around where they go into the engine before I attempt to remove them. I'll have new O-rings early next week as well as a few other coolant-related gaskets. Are these going to be difficult to pull out with all that corrosion? Before I dig into this, I'd appreciate any advice people have to offer as far as what I can expect. Once I have the tubes out, I'll refinish them so that the corrosion is kept at bay.

This one looks like it might have corroded through and sprung a leak? I'd clean it up and inspect it closely. Are you doing anything with the motor or cam covers as far as paint/powder? What about those carb boots? New ones are still available and pretty inexpensive, $6-$8 each iirc.

vfrcapn

This one looks like it might have corroded through and sprung a leak? I'd clean it up and inspect it closely. Are you doing anything with the motor or cam covers as far as paint/powder? What about those carb boots? New ones are still available and pretty inexpensive, $6-$8 each iirc.

The tubes will get blasted and inspected before I do any refinishing. Hopefully they didn't rust through. Do they generally pull out fairly easy?

The motor itself won't get painted until I pull it out of the frame. While I have the cam covers off, I plan to blast and PC them with the chrome/clear powder that I use for motorcycle valve covers.

I didn't think the carb boots looked bad, but it sounds like you're suggesting I replace them and be done with it. I guess I will.

tomk1960

vfrcapn

This one looks like it might have corroded through and sprung a leak? I'd clean it up and inspect it closely. Are you doing anything with the motor or cam covers as far as paint/powder? What about those carb boots? New ones are still available and pretty inexpensive, $6-$8 each iirc.

The tubes will get blasted and inspected before I do any refinishing. Hopefully they didn't rust through. Do they generally pull out fairly easy?

The motor itself won't get painted until I pull it out of the frame. While I have the cam covers off, I plan to blast and PC them with the chrome/clear powder that I use for motorcycle valve covers.

I didn't think the carb boots looked bad, but it sounds like you're suggesting I replace them and be done with it. I guess I will.

It's been several years but I don't recall any difficulty remove the coolant tubes.

I figured while you're in there and new boots help reassembly so much. Puting V4 carbs on is one of my least favorite jobs.

In between all the stuff I had to do today, I made more progress with the bike. In case you've never seen the process, here's a fork leg partially shot with sheen black powder:

[image: 2013-06-08125317_zps9b977eb7.jpg]

And here are a number of parts ready to go into the oven:

[image: 2013-06-08130206_zpsdd02ccbd.jpg]

Notice that the plugs have been removed. They're only used to keep powder out of critical areas or threaded holes during powder application. Then they're removed so that during curing, a nice smooth edge results where powder meets bare metal.

And here are my latest batch of Interceptor parts ready to go back on the bike:

[image: 2013-06-08145256_zpscda933b0.jpg]

Next I removed the lower radiator in preparation for valve cover removal. Then it was time to tackle those gross looking coolant tubes. I shot a little penetrant into the areas above the O-rings and then carefully wiggled them back and forth and did a little prying. Eventually I popped out the front tube and took it down into the shop. Here's what it looked like:

[image: 2013-06-08181555_zps3c52c661.jpg]

And after blasting with aluminum oxide:

[image: 2013-06-08182217_zpsff227b0a.jpg]

Close inspection didn't reveal any pinholes or rot - the rust was only on the surface, but just for the heck of it, I gave it the poor man's pressure test. I used rubber plugs on two of the openings, filled the tube with water, and used my rubber tipped air nozzle to pressurize it:

[image: 2013-06-08204856_zps2fc2acd9.jpg]

No leaks!

Dinnertime came and that was it. Tomorrow I'll get the other tube out and get both of these ready for refinishing and attack the valve covers.

Yay! They looked pretty crusty when on the bike.

Making good progress there. I have just bought the equivalent model here in Australia. I'm learning with you! :cool:

cheers Will.

Definitely replace the carby insulators - much easier to get carbies back and no splits or leaks.

Got the other coolant tube out today without too much fuss, but it was definitely in there good. Then I drained the oil and pulled the valve covers. Here's a shot of one of the cams.

[image: 2013-06-09130422_zps4138662d.jpg]

The lobes looked to be in nice shape and the others look similar. No excessive wear that I can see. The cover gaskets were glued onto the covers, so I have to assume that they were off at least once for an adjustment. Perhaps this engine led a reasonably good life. So the big question is this - should I spend the nearly $300 for the top end oiler kit? This will be the time to install it if it's going to be done.

The valve covers went down into the shop and looked like this:

[image: 2013-06-09195949_zps69868d0a.jpg]

After spending at least 15 minutes of cleaning the gluey crap off the gasket surface of the rear cover, it got degreased and then got blasted.

[image: 2013-06-09201602_zps0b44f952.jpg]

Hopefully I'll have time to finish both of them this coming weekend, along with the coolant tubes. Then that will be it for VF1000F powder coating until the fall.

Once I get the valves adjusted, it will be time to start putting things back together. I'll be looking forward to it.

Tom, the holes the head water pipes go into were full of caked on muck. The Dremel with a green scourer type wheel was my friend to clean them out.

The cam cover gaskets were glued in by honda at the factory.

One of my 1000r cams is nearly identical to yours with respect to the lobe fretting. I am going to keep an eye on it, oil mod, and do frequent oil changes.

Pm me at 1100.net about oil mod kits.

I guess your powder coating the valve covers ? should look good.

Switchblade

I guess your powder coating the valve covers ? should look good.

Absolutely - no way will I put those grungy covers back on looking like that! I'll be using a chrome base and high gloss clearcoat on these. It ends up looking like polished aluminum. I have the same finish on my Super Sport valve covers and the finish looks just as new now as it did a couple years ago when I installed them. I'll post pics once I finish them this coming weekend.

I've made more progress refinishing parts this week. If you recall, the coolant tubes looked pretty bad...

[image: 2013-06-08181555_zps3c52c661.jpg]

After blasting and washing, they got a coat of zinc primer, which is sprayed on in powder form and partially cured in the oven:

[image: 2013-06-13194045_zps9b53e286.jpg]

And here they are all finished in low gloss black, very similar to the original finish:

[image: 2013-06-13214302_zps042174b5.jpg]

The alternator cover was a mess and had to come off:

[image: 2013-06-10214012_zps2a579392.jpg]

And here it is tonight after I refinished it:

[image: 2013-06-13214213_zps67930330.jpg]

The valve covers are next and then I'll be in good shape for reassembly once I finish the mechanical work. It's coming along.

Tom I wish you were closer, I would be sending boxes of 1000R parts to you for coating. Looks superb.

thx113

Tom I wish you were closer, I would be sending boxes of 1000R parts to you for coating. Looks superb.

Thanks Jeff. I wish I could help you out, but I imagine shipping costs would be atrocious.

I had a DOHC valve cover to do for a customer, so it was a good time to take care of these hideous things at the same time:

[image: 2013-06-09195949_zps69868d0a.jpg]

Chrome basecoat followed by super durable wet clear topcoat and voila:

[image: 2013-06-14210608_zpseae08be6.jpg]

This is what my tank looked like when I got it - paint was virtually flawless except for one evil dent:

[image: InterceptorTank2_zps6d5a07a0.jpg]

My paint guy in West Virginia was able to repair the dent, repaint just the upper white area, and then clearcoat the entire tank. He even did a little touchup work on a few chips down below in the blue corners. It came out GREAT!

[image: VF1000Ftankrepaired_zps9e47b82f.jpg]

A couple more small odds and ends and the refinishing work is done for now. This weekend the valves will get adjusted.

Covers and tank look great!

Looking sweeet! Tank looks a million bucks :-)

While I've been waiting for my valve covers and one final coolant-related seal to arrive, I took care of little odds and ends that needed cleaning up and detailing. The valve cover bolts were pretty disgusting and had some light rust starting on the tops of some of them.

[image: 2013-06-23080226_zpse1689577.jpg]

A few minutes on the buffing wheels and they cleaned up nicely. Not perfect, but presentable for sure.

[image: 2013-06-23080903_zps104f6ba0.jpg]

I was going to wait and put the forks on after I reinstalled the lower radiator, but since a missing seal is holding that up, I went ahead with the forks. Easy enough and it's so nice to be putting parts back ONTO the bike instead of taking them off.

[image: 2013-06-23134736_zpsf45bafe6.jpg]

Can someone tell me what color the calipers were originally? Mine look more grey than black, and I'll want to know before I remove them for refinishing and rebuilding.

My top end oiler kit is here and will be a piece of cake to install with the carbs off and oil lines out of the way. That should be on by the end of the week

Within another day or two I should have the rest of my parts and can really go to town with the remaining assembly work. I'll post more pictures and updates again soon.

Great progress !!!!!

I've been busy and have made a lot of progress in the past couple weeks. The valves are adjusted and the cam lobes were in good shape, so there was no premature wear due to poor top end oiling. Then the refinished valve covers and new gaskets were installed to complete the job.

Just to make sure that there's never a cam wear issue, I installed a top end oiler kit from Dave Dodge. With the carbs off and plenty of space to work, it was a piece of cake to install.

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The oil lines coming up the side of the engine and are fairly innocuous, since they're covered with black heat shrink tubing.

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The new lines replace the original steel oil lines that originated from a banjo fitting on the left side above the transmission.

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Look close and you can see the refinished coolant tubes which were all reinstalled with new O-rings and seals. I took THX113's advice and removed the caps to make sure there were no clogs.

Other work completed includes the rebuilt/refinished front end installed.

[image: 2013-06-25212613_zpsc928814c.jpg]

The brakes haven't been refinished yet. They were working fine when I brought the bike home, so I'm just going to flush them and re-bleed with new fluid. This winter they'll be rebuilt and powder coated. Maybe sooner if I get my hands on a spare set of calipers and an extra master cylinder. Anyone have a spare they want to sell? Braided lines are part of the plan too.

From day one I thought the rear fender was god-awful to look at and that it made no sense on this bike.

[image: 2013-06-23123652_zps61203a9c.jpg]

There was no way I was going to leave it this way, so I bought a spare rear fender on eBay and cut it. Then I glass beaded it and rubbed in a healthy dose of Vaseline. You can see the excess still on the fender in the picture below. The next day I wiped off the excess and ended up with a brand-new satin finish.

[image: RearFender2_zps99712369.jpg]

A galvanized T bracket from Home Depot made a perfect license plate bracket and a strip of bright white LED's are tucked up above to illuminate the plate.

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There - that's much better.

My friend Mark in WV did his magic on the tank. He fixed the dent, repainted just the upper white section and then clearcoated the whole tank. It came out great.

[image: TankFinished_zps4704b06e.jpg]

The carbs will go back on this weekend and the chain and sprockets will be replaced as well. Then I can fire her up and sync the carbs. If all goes well, I will be registering the bike next week and my goal of having it done by July 4th will be met. We'll see how it goes.

Looking great! I'm considering the top end oiling kit mod on my '84 1000F as well.

Nice forgot about the speed o cable on the front axle took a couple of minutes to figure out what the hell it was ...

Yesterday I wrapped up the bulk of the work on the bike. The rear sprocket was bolted on and the wheel reinstalled with the new chain, then adjusted. Front and rear brake systems were flushed/rebled, the return holes in the master cylinders were unplugged, and the same was done with the hydraulic clutch. Then the carbs went back in followed by the airbox. Installing the inline carbs are easier - the "V" configuration is a bit challenging if you don't know any installation tricks

.

Today I flushed out the cooling system and filled it with a 50/50 mix of distilled water and antifreeze. Then I hooked up my aux. fuel tank, turned the key, and hit the starter button. The engine fired up within a couple seconds and was idling nicely within a short time. After I got the air worked out of the cooling system, I buttoned things up and took a couple of pictures.

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It rained off and on for most of the day, so I didn't get a chance to ride it until late afternoon. It was a short ride for only a couple miles, but it ran GREAT. Can't wait to really run it through the gears.

There are a bunch of things left to do, such as do a proper rebuild of the entire brake system, clutch master cylinder and slave, refinish the center stand, exhaust mid-pipe, etc. For now I want to ride and enjoy the bike and when riding season ends, I'll dig back in.

YAY!

Nicely done!

YAY YAY ! !

Congrats

very nicely done, congrats!

Thanks guys. I still have more to do, but I've made good progress. I registered the bike today and got it inspected without a hitch. It runs pretty well, although it seems to stumble a bit around 6000-6500 rpm if I jump on it. I need to check carb sync and am also a bit suspicious of the 29 year old coils and wires. I was thinking of upgrading to a set of CBR600 F2 or F3 coils (plenty available on eBay) and new wires. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Came up a treat. Enjoy the rest of your Summer :-)

Great looking bike and good job. I think you're on the right track with the wires and sync, but I'd lean towards wires myself.

Do check the coils Tom, my 84 VF1000R coils were split from end to end (stupid me too a long time to notice, despite changing all the wires). Accell makes coils for these bikes.

Congrats on the build!! Always liked the 1000F...looks great!

I guess I never mentioned in this thread that I sorted out the issue and now the bike runs GREAT! It was a simple carb issue relating to the bowl vent hoses. They were mis-routed and once corrected, it was like the cat was let out of the bag. Now the bike rips through the RPMs with no stumbling, no hesitation - nothing. It's a blast!

Last week was a poor riding week. Hopefully this one will be better so that I can pile some miles on this baby. Ride safe!

I think it has rained from Maine to Georgia each and every day this summer.

It will be dry soon enough and you can go enjoy that beauty.

My winter restoration work is coming along nicely. So far I have the entire brake system powder coated and ready for rebuilding. The exhaust cannisters are like new again and ready to go back on. Today I refreshed all of the footpeg hardware - brackets, levers, bolt heads - you name it. I finally got around to finishing the white letters done on my clutch cover too.

[image: 20140222_130507_zpsyirsmtbp.jpg]

These are all ready to back on the bike, but that will have to wait a while since I will be pulling off the header pipes and collector, center stand, and swingarm for cleanup and fresh powder. Once those are done, reassembly can begin. If I have the bike back together in time for the start of riding season, I'll be happy.

Looks great Tom. Any issues with the hardware being coated as far as tool fitment?

Thanks Kel. No issues with tool fitment as long as I don't lay the powder on too thick. The smaller allen heads are snug fits with the tool, but I can get it in. The hex head bolts are all fine. I also test fit various bits and pieces before PC'ing to make sure there was sufficient clearance for a finish coat. Splined areas were masked or plugged, but where the pins go to hold the pegs in place, there was plenty of slop to coat everything.

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I can't wait to start reassembling!

How's your VF1000R coming?

Here are a couple of before and after shots of a front footpeg. I didn't realize how grungy they looked until I had everything apart.

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How did you refinish that front peg. They are awesome!! I've been cleaning and polishing mine but they don't look anywhere close to yours.

hoganth

How did you refinish that front peg. They are awesome!! I've been cleaning and polishing mine but they don't look anywhere close to yours.

Thanks! The pegs, brackets, and all the hardware were blasted clean and powder coated with all-in-one chrome.

what a difference. the bike will look brand new !

Nice work on the hardware...looks like the brake lever pivot could use some building up as well.

Good progress was made today. I got the swingarm, center stand, and header/collector assembly off the bike. They're all pretty grungy.

[image: 20140301_175959_zps0fhrnjun.jpg]

Ironically, the header pipes are in great shape and have no rust. The collector assembly needs to be blasted and shot with high temp powder. I'm debating whether or not to touch the header pipes though.

So the remaining parts that I wanted to restore are now off the bike. I'll start cleaning and prepping tomorrow and hopefully they'll be done within a couple of weeks.

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Looks great! Keep up the good work.

That looks so good.

Looks great! I can't wait to see the finished project!!!!!

I have a simple question for all you guys that have restored various VF's over the years. Honda has always been the industry leader in fit and finish by a wide margin. However, I've noticed that all the VF's from the 500 to the 1000 had one issue that has bugged me since buying my first V4 Interceptor in the early 80's. It's the mating point between the tail fairing and the mid-piece under the seat. They never seem to match up perfectly, even when every other joint is nearly seamless. What's up with that, Honda?

Lookin' good Tom. Your shop looks like a cozy place to work during the NE winters. Call me jealous.

Lots more progress made this week. The swingarm came out really nice and I couldn't be happier...

[image: 20140304_221332_zpsrelrm8gt.jpg]

The 2 linkage pieces that connect the shock to the swinger were a mess, so they were refinished in a silver powder that was very close to stock:

[image: 20140308_163532_zpsd1riz3ms.jpg]

Before and after shots with the center stand were pretty dramatic:

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After blasting and prep work, this got a coat of zinc primer before the final coat went on. Rust should be a thing of the past from now on...

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I finished up a few more parts today and am now nearly done with the refinishing process. A couple more weeks and I should be ready to reassemble.

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Kel came over and hung out for the day. It was great having some company in the shop, especially when it's someone who's totally into the same hobby. Once again, the forum has brought me another good friend, which is the best part of the hobby.

All looks great, that C-stand looks amazing though, nice work.

I had a great "internship" at Tom's Cycle Recycling. Tom was very kind to let me follow him around while he filled an order to give me some pointers on my own powder coating. As a powder coating hobbyist, his shop setup was enviable to say the least. It was quickly apparent that he is meticulous. I watched as he did a set of covers for a CB owner, a chrome base with a clear top coat. Somewhere this week, someone is going to open a box of goodies and be totally stoked.

That center stand for his F looked unreal up close. Hard to tell from the pic, but he bead blasted the rotors braking surface and it came out awesome along with the fresh coat of silver on the inner ring.

He has a nice stable in his Man Cave including a red/white CB1100F and a gorgeous '82 silver CB900F(please post a pic). That thing was truly flawless. The cool this is...he's slowly falling in love with that big V4 sitting on the lift.

Epic thread, would love to see the shop! (I'm only 40 minutes South)

Kel can vouch for me, I will not touch a thing :wink:

Dmitry

Epic thread, would love to see the shop! (I'm only 40 minutes South)

Kel can vouch for me, I will not touch a thing :wink:

You're welcome to come up any Saturday morning and hang out while I powder coat. It's always good to have company while I work. But be aware that Kel has exagerrated just a bit and has made my shop sound nicer than I would say it is. But I appreciate the compliments. :)

As requested, here's a pic of my '82 900F in original condition and nearly bone stock. The only upgrades are the CBR600F2 coils and CB1100F bars.

[image: 1982CB900F_zpsa8e9a3cc.jpg]

Tom, thank's for the offer!

I'll be up next week, will PM for address and time!

BTW, this is what I do on weekends ...

[image: IMG_20120830_134132.jpg]

Oh NO, the patina, it's all GONE!

Sweet, love it :) Enjoy the summer :beer:

Beautiful job, Tom - I'm envious! Wish I had the time, money and patience to do to my 700 what you've accomplished. One question, did you refinish the mufflers, or did they clean up that nicely?

Pops

Beautiful job, Tom - I'm envious! Wish I had the time, money and patience to do to my 700 what you've accomplished. One question, did you refinish the mufflers, or did they clean up that nicely?

There's really not a lot of money in this restoration, besides the usual stuff such as a battery, rebuild kits, chain and sprockets, etc. The biggest expenses were the top end oiler kit and carb overhaul. I had Mike Nixon in CA go through the carbs since they're quite different than the ones I'm used to overhauling.

Time and patience are definitely key. If you're in a rush, then you'll never do everything you hoped to do. I try to attack my bikes during the winter when I can't ride them anyway.

My mufflers were ok to look at, but nothing spectacular. I got a spare pair on CL and used them as guinea pigs for powder coating. I media blasted and washed them, and then shot them with a base coat of silver metallic followed by a couple topcoats of black chrome. They came out nice and hopefully they'll hold up fine.

Beautiful....and those mirrors look like a work of art!