DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

Couldn't resist another bike to do!

I have always regretted selling my previous Honda restoration a few years back, so decided to do another and keep it, hoping my 2 French follies find a new home soon.
I put this us here as maybe some will enjoy the blow-by-blow tasks that come with these motorcycle projects.

The bike was found in Tony Pandy and should be with me in about a weeks time.
I'll detail it when here with some pics on arrival, but to wet your appetite (assuming there is any!) here is my previous effort, as found, as sold.

I want this new one to be as good.

Without looking back through the original thread, who rebuilt the engine? Was it you, or did you find someone to do it? It's the one thing I'm not keen on when I get round to my café racer CB250...

I did the lot except the candy apple gold, an original Honda colour which a pro bike painter local to me did. Took him ages, but the quality was out of this world and made the bike, esp in the sun.

The twin pot engine needed everything but the detail in engineering of Honda made it an absolute delight to do, very on-parr with a 911 engine for quality.
Thought you had sold the Honda!

We like this project....

911hillclimber wrote: Thought you had sold the Honda!

No, it's been furloughed! It's in bits in a friend's garage/barn while I concentrate on four-wheeled stuff.

Don't blame you with that little Renault.

With the hill climb season shattered, the Lola is asleep until 2021 or maybe one or 2 meetings in Sept, so need something to stretch my brain cell/patience for the next 9 months!

Irritatingly, the Terrot MT1 is on ebay as is the Peugeot BIMA a lot of interest and several really silly offers and one asking for the BIMA for free for his daughter's 16th...

However the bloody thing starts first FIRST KICK now, idles, revs, barely smokes and selects a gear. If it does not sell I'll keep it and let the BIMA go cheap.

Here is the 'new' Honda: ebay pic, so small

That looks like a great project, I will follow with interest. Your previous resto looks superb and I agree, the paint job really makes it.

I would love a restored classic but 175 is a bit on the small side. If you ever want to do a bigger classic restoration, I would be very happy to sponsor it.

Thank you for the vote of confidence!
I love doing these small bikes, everything is light to do and with the Honda, parts are readily available though some parts need a determined search and the project Honda coming has a few of those parts missing....

The gold one above was really corroded, and corroded just everywhere. I bought a grit blast cabinet just to do the bike. A lot of time was spent removing and treating corrosion.
I'm not a large person, 12 stone, 5' 10 so these lightweights are in proportion to me and feel very comfortable.
Dream bike would be a 4 pot 400cc but to me a big bike.

This new project will keep me busy, dirty, and having to think things through without spending spending and more, so easy to do.
It comes with all new wheels spokes tyres etc and all new twin exhaust system and I'm told new pistons and loom! There is £950 right there.

I hope to do this one for about £2000, the one above cost me 4K. Chroming will be a big hit, £400 last time but makes all the difference as does a pro paint job, but will try a diy attempt first!

My approach will be different, I've learnt a lot about these things!

See if I can get it started first where on the gold one I simply tore it apart and built it all from there.

I've got lots of time, summer just kicking off and a permission from Mrs Hillclimber!

Have some used parts arriving this week, bought them while I could, some parts are rare or not available.

They’re a lovely bike and great to work on, so it’ll be interesting to see progress reports. If I remember, that model has a roller bearing crank, which will almost certainly be okay, but if not there are specialists who’ll sort it. Otherwise they’re so much easier than old Brit bikes.

Yes, dead right Ashley, roller mains and rods, little friction anywhere.
Engine has a horizontal case split so little chance of oil leaks, every part down located, centrifugal oil filter, and the luxury of electric start.

The whole bike is a tool room design, the gold one was hard work to prepare, but the build up was just dreamy
Every hour spent saw big steps forwards. I never rode the gold one, the bike sold in 20 mins sold unseen to a life time biker in London.
Nostalgic trip, the cab was his first bike and missed the vibration! (Quote)
Sold it far too cheap!

Definitely a keeper! Photos soon I hope.

Yes, lots of pics soon.
Being collected on Sunday, maybe Monday so hope it will be with me Monday pm.

The issues on this one are quite different to the gold one, but that is based on what I've been told by the person (a classic bike nutter) who is acting on behalf of the owner's widow.

Replacement take arriving today, iffy rear mudguard also arriving.
The new bike's tank is rotted out at the base which makes me nervy about the rest!

Still, only metal and I do these as a tease to stop getting bored.
I did a monster thread on Honda Twins about the gold one, but I don't have to look far to see what one should be like.
Need to do a better job of the seat though!

Replacement tank arrived today, looks just great with a few shallow dents, but really pleased.
From the same place the rear mudguard arrived too which is astoundingly good except for a 20mm stress crack which will need some very careful (ie not me) welding, details in the General Section of DDK.

All grazed and ready for chrome.