What a concept - A Girl Bringing Back Her 1966 Super Hawk

[sarals]

One more:

[sarals]

Hi, all!

After many years, I'm about to finally get started on bringing back my 1966 CB77. She's a black 305 Super Hawk. I've owned her since 1971, and I took her off the road in 1975 when one cylinder went bad (18182 miles). She was my first motorcycle, and yes, I kept her all these years intending to get her running and on the road again. After sitting all that time, she's really rough, as expected. Some of the issues are: a bad cylinder (I don't know what's wrong - oil comes out from around the spark plug); broken speedometer glass; dented headlight bucket and bent headlight bezel; dent on the top of the gas tank; cracked and checked intake boots; rotted air filters; rusty rims; bad tires; rotted mufflers; etc, etc, etc. Despite all that, she's really not as bad as she sounds. The engine, except for the one cylinder, is sound, The transmission is (or was) good, the paint on the frame is good, the seat is good, the fenders are good (the front one was bobbed, but it's okay), the side panels are good, and most of the wiring and cables are good.

My game plan is to pull the engine, find out it's problems and address them, clean and rebuild the carburetors, replace the tires, go through the brakes, chassis, and running gear, replace bad cables, replace the hoses, repair and repaint the gas tank, repair the speedometer, repaint the headlight bucket, replace the fork seals, and then start riding her. I want to get her back on the road - sell my Suzuki SV650S - and make her my "daily rider". From there I'll do a "rolling restoration" - fixing and replacing as time and money permit.

I like my plan!

And yes, I am a very mechanical, very handy lady who does NOT mind getting dirt under her nails. No worries!

Thanks, fellas!!

It was fun reading that! I sure stuck to that plan, didn't I? What's original on her? The taillight, the headlight, the ignition switch, the saddle, the air filter covers, the starter solenoid, the handlebars, the rims, spokes and brake drums, the front brake cable, throttle, speedo, and clutch cables, front brake and clutch levers, the front footpegs with rubbers, the rear footpegs (new rubbers), and the gas cap. EVERYTHING else has been restored, repaired, replaced, repainted, polished and/or updated.

It has been a long road, but my, it was fun! And I made a LOT of friends along the way. A lot!

[jensey]

Good work !

[cknight]

Very nice! Enjoy the ride, Chase

[sarals]

Jensey, Chase! Thank you!!

[jensey]

A real sample of perseverance ! Good luck with your ride.

[G-Man]

Sara

What did you do with that original bike? The one in the pictures looks like it came from the showroom. :-)

Seriously - that is an impressive piece of restoration craft. I like the way that you didn't just throw money at it. You can be justifiably proud that your mark is on every part of that bike.

The therapy, the friendships, the satisfaction of bringing lumps of metal together into a 'living' motorcycle... what could be better. I'm heading back to the workshop right now....

Take care on that new bike, girl!

G