The Golden Wasp finally starts (rebuild a Euro into a Custom)

[doddsy1000]

The decision has been made (I think).

I'm unlikely to get the Wasp back to it's former self, and I've gained 90% of an old wrecked Custom.

See https://www.australiancx.asn.au/forum/index.php?topic=12897.msg132839#msg132839 for that story.

So the current plan is to build up a Custom using the parts from a Euro.

Coen has a seat for me, so the next big thing is a fuel tank.

Has anyone tried other tanks on Customs?

[Onetrack]

Step away from the Custom, stick with the crossdresser frame, closer to perfection. 

Frame, forks, suspension, dials, seat, side covers, tail piece, head light, indicators, rear mudguard, tank size ( heaven knows you need a LARGE tank).

"Young" Les F

[Dragonstaff]

A lot of the Yanks who cafe customs use deluxe (shadow) or GL tanks on them. You just have to modify the front mounts. Since yours has already been modified somewhat, it should be a fairly easy conversion, and will give you a lot more fuel capacity. You could even do something different, and try a euro tank.

[Staffy]

.......and so it begins.....

The shadow tank into a custom will need both front and rear mounts to be jiggered with as the custom frame is shorter.

[hamilton]

I like the name "Golden Wasp"

[doddsy1000]

Step away from the Custom, stick with the crossdresser frame

, I already have one like that with the Turbo.

One of the deciders is to have a runabout, as the Turbo is great, but a struggle in local traffic.  The CB900 is my "thing of beauty" & I'm unlikely to leave it out the front of a shopping centre.  The Wasp was ideal for that, especially with the lowered suspension, which made it much lighter & zippier.

You could even do something different, and try a euro tank.

Sadly the Euro tank has a large dent in it, but I do have an old (rough) Shadow tank in a box somewhere, so that's handy advice.

I like the name "Golden Wasp"

My survival instincts tell me that I'm sort of obliged to paint this bike yellow and definitely not paint the Turbo yellow.  However, I'm leaning more towards a some gold trim or paint to see if I can get a half decent look while staying true to The Wasps amazing reputation. 

It should provide a few points of interest along the way.  I still have the Turbo to fix up & a new rear disk to go on the VFR750 before a Track day on January 6th.

But I expect to be starting this in the next few months & finishing it reasonably quickly.  I'm not going for a show bike & would be quite happy to paint over some sins.  A respectable looking shopping trolley is the plan.

I'd like it to be the bike in the driveway, that provides a quick choice to the car.  The others are all under covers or in the garage.

(As an added bonus, many of the leftover parts from the Euro, will be handy to have on hand for the Turbo, just in case it has a flop-over one day.    ).

[doddsy1000]

Well Coen was kind enough to drop a genuine custom seat in last night.

It's about what they should be at that age, and should come up well for my purposes. 

I've had a glance at the 2 bikes & I'll need to change the rear engine casing, because the Custom needs to hold a bracket on it that the Euro doesn't have.

Given that I can't think of whatever other parts I'll need, I bought a clock for it.  One that screws on to the handlebars.

I was going to get a wooden clock, but it wooden work.  I ended up with a steel clock to see if it steel wooden work.

Now we're serious! 

[CX PHREAK]

Don't worry about the rear hanger bracket Ian, it was deleted on the 82 shadows and customs with TI so obviously by 82 Honda considered it unnecessary.

 I've left mine off as I'm often swapping or otherwise buggerising around with carbs.

 The thingy has the mounting points removed.

[doddsy1000]

Thanks mate.

One less job 

[Onetrack]

Didn't like this option Doddsy?...

Login

"Young" Les F

[doddsy1000]

Thanks Les.

However, I can always go back if I change my mind.

With a couple of thousand worth of front end parts, plus a tank, etc. 

Let's see what happens with this try first. 

[doddsy1000]

Well that was a long break. 

The Wasp has been in various storage & weather for 5 years now.  I went for a good look to see if this plan was still the better option.

The bottom of the head stem has torn the metal stopper away & I can't see that ever being trustworthy again.

I took the front end off to see all that.  The entire front end was bent in some way or another.  And of course, the instruments were shattered at the time.

So, I've started stripping it down this evening (at long last).

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[doddsy1000]

Shed time has been far too rare for me in recent years with a house restoration & business issues taking priority for far too long.  Add a family of four kids to that & there is always something dragging me away from "My Time".

For those that came in late, my CX500 Euro was crashed by my youngest son 5 years ago & it has sat in poor storage ever since.  Not long after his crash, I found a CX500 Custom wreck at a metal yard rusting away near the beach.  It's a worse bike than I thought, but I'll at least assemble one blike from the two & see if it's viable.

And also for those later arrivals. My bright yellow CX500 Euro was once the talk of this site for its feats of bravery & silly distances on various trips, always in faulty condition.  The members of this site nicknamed it "The Mighty Wasp" & then told me several months later that translated to "Vespa" in Italian. 

And you thought we were nice people? 

The Wasp is now in cardboard boxes, except for the engine which is alongside the Custom engine on a bench for comparison.

The many damaged parts have been stripped for salvage & thrown into poor storage. (Again  ).

[doddsy1000]

Honestly, check out the home made water bottle from this Custom!

It's both rough & ingenious.   

[doddsy1000]

And some example photos of what I'm starting with.

This is why it may not be viable.

But I think it's worth a look. 

[Onetrack]

My bright yellow CX500 Euro was once the talk of this site for its feats of bravery & silly distances on various trips, always in faulty condition.  The members of this site nicknamed it "The Mighty Wasp" & then told me several months later that translated to "Vespa" in Italian. 

And you thought we were nice people? 

We like to savor the victory that comes with patience.

Keep up the good work, let me know if you need anything.
"Young" Les F

[doddsy1000]

Thanks young Les. 

[ACE]

G'day Ian....let me know if you need parts as I am helping Pete dispose of his bike and lots of parts!
Things like heads, radiators, shocks, etc etc...
Cheers
Chris
Pm me if you need my newish phone number...

[doddsy1000]

Thanks Chris.

Sorry I've missed this site a lot in recent years.  Which model does Pete have?

[ACE]

He has the standard shadow 500 which we need to sell urgently but there are stacks of interchangeable other parts. Front forks too...you could make up a full shadow with your engine from his parts I reckon...
I'm sorting it all out later this week.
Cheers Chris

[doddsy1000]

So a little more on the "Golden Wasp" this week.

The Euro's are quite different to the Customs in a few ways.

The front engine mount bracket is one piece on the Custom & 2 pieces on the Euro.

The radiators are similar but the top hose is in a different spot & won't interchange.  That means that the thermostat is also at a different angle & also won't interchange.

The Euro also has heat shields on the top of the engine as well as behind the radiator.  The Custom didn't have those so I've left them out.

The rest looks OK & Mark mentioned that the rear engine hanger isn't necessary (way back at the start of this post), so I'm happy to go without that.

I took a shot at installing the motor tonight, but wasted heaps of time finding things.  (The oil seal for the final drive was one, which had stuck to the previous drive boot & hid in a corner  ).

So the motor goes in another night.

And I look at the bike & still wonder of it's viable.  Ah well. 

[doddsy1000]

And the motor is in the frame.

It was an easy enough task.  Only about an hour of fiddling & in it went.

I looked at the exhaust from my CX500 Euro which is (was) an aftermarket 2 into 1.  It isn't even close to fitting.

The 2 becomes 1 smack in front of the right footpeg.  So I got the rubber mallet out to take the muffler off & the decomposed exhaust pipe metal just fell apart.

It was a cheap one & I got it with the bike.  That's probably why it used to sound good. 

I'm moving back to my CB900 for a few days now.

More later