Picked this up at a swap meet. It's a real project. Someone had started to make a Bobber out of a CL77 but didn't get far. I think it's a 1966, S/N CL771048*** , engine CL77E1041***, so not the original engine, but for this it doesn't matter.
Here's some of the issues;
Engine frozen
not only shocks removed, but top mounting ear cut off
rear fender welded to swing arm
only electrical is coils and light switch, no harness
Dynamo coils may be damaged,haven't check them out yet
Front end is from an early CL77 (small brake), boots are falling apart
rusty handle bar with only levers, no other controls.
only cables are rear brake and front brake
no brake pedal
chopped off foot rests
no shift lever
parts missing from carburetors (luckily I bought a box of carburetor parts at a swap meet the week before.)
no air cleaners or hoses
extra holes in the frame
battery box has been cut off frame
Front tank mounts cut off
tank that's there is held on with hose clamps
And I'm sure there's more when I get into it.
The positives;
Rims look like they should clean up pretty good
Engine externals seem to be in pretty good shape
I already had spare parts for most of the internals if they're bad
rear tire is in good shape, an Avon 4.00-19
rear brake is the later one
exhaust pipe look good, just need to come up with some muffler or baffle.
number one positive- if it doesn't pan out to build it, I can easily make my money back selling the parts, I didn't pay much for it. This is going to be a long term project. I've got two running bikes so don't need to be in a rush.
CL77 "Bobber" redoPlan on putting the shocks back on, my back is too old for a hard tail with a stiff sprung seat. It will definitely be different when I'm done, somewhere between a rat bike and a custom, depends on how ambitious I get. 63 CA78
Finally got around to tearing this thing apart. Still need to take the engine apart, but got the rest to the point that I can see it's probably going to be parts. When I took the struts that were replacing the shocks off I saw why that was done. The swing arm hits the frame on one side. Also when I took the tank off I would see where the frame was cut and re-welded, also damaged in that area. With the frame stripped I can look from the rear and see the bottom of the front tube for the triple tree is pointing to the right. I doubt the frame is savable, although I might try, the worst I can do is scrap it, which I'll probably do anyway. The front end was a hash job too. They welded a piece of key stock on the lower fork for the brake retainer ( early style brake) and that fork is frozen solid, my guess is they warped the tube. Plenty of rust on the upper tube too.
I know I bought a pig in a poke, turned out to be a big oinker! Still I'll come out with more spare parts than I had and I can sell the excess, should at least break even in the end at worst.
63 CA78
OldStan
I hope the engine has suffered less than the frame. You've sort of got to admire the enthusiasm, if not the competence, of the guy who built that!! G
Last edited by G-Man on Fri Jan 12, 2018 5:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
'60 C77 '60 C72 '62 C72 Dream '63 CL72
'61 CB72 '64 CB77 '65 CB160 '66 Matchless 350 '67 CL77 '67 S90 '77 CB400F
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