CL350 Vintage racer project

ballbearian said:
I think AD is right, not being just a ghetto critic.
Honda had additional rear support from the metal filter box/filter setup, that you don't have now. When it's hot and twerking it could slide off.
I don't see any external rubber rib, so the clamps could/should be at the back edge of the rubber.
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Yeah, I mean I'm not trying to be critical, just want him to be sure the carbs won't start leaking vacuum and of course, the clamp strength is part of the support too.
 
Ok, I think I can smell what you’re cooking. So, the groove on the carb body is located thusly:

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And the rib in the rubber boot is located here:

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So, in order to get the clamp more centered on the rib, the clamp should be moved more towards the edge of the boot (blue line) in the direction of the arrow below:

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Yes??
 
Emlupi said:
Ok, I think I can smell what you’re cooking. So, the groove on the carb body is located thusly:

And the rib in the rubber boot is located here:

So, in order to get the clamp more centered on the rib, the clamp should be moved more towards the edge of the boot (blue line) in the direction of the arrow below:

Yes??
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I'm in Florida, I guess it was a tropical illusion. :rolleyes:
 
I have repented for my earlier sins. Moved the clamps back to the edge of the rubber intake boots to get a more proper seal. We all know that when it comes to carburetors and smooth running the devil is in the details. Thanks for the heads up.

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Emlupi said:
I have repented for my earlier sins. Moved the clamps back to the edge of the rubber intake boots to get a more proper seal. We all know that when it comes to carburetors and smooth running the devil is in the details. Thanks for the heads up.
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Certainly wouldn't call it 'sins'. I'm not there to see them in person and I get your point about the location of the rib in the manifold, I was just going on my own experiences and how Honda positioned the clamps from the factory. And I saw a lot of those first-hand when these bikes were brand new.
 
I think there’s a misunderstanding, I was agreeing with you about the location of the clamp. When I went back and looked at some spare parts I realized that the rib/groove was further back in the rubber manifold than I thought. I appreciate the eyes of someone with more experience and knowledge picking up on a detail that I would have missed completely, possibly saving me some heartache down the road. Appreciated.👍
 
Emlupi said:
I think there’s a misunderstanding, I was agreeing with you about the location of the clamp. When I went back and looked at some spare parts I realized that the rib/groove was further back in the rubber manifold than I thought. I appreciate the eyes of someone with more experience and knowledge picking up on a detail that I would have missed completely, possibly saving me some heartache down the road. Appreciated.👍
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Thanks. I wasn't entirely sure if you simply moved the clamp after thinking about it more just based on what I was trying to convey. And I wasn't being sarcastic when I said that I wasn't there and couldn't see what you see, because I've been guilty of assuming I knew what others were seeing many times based on my own experiences. But I'm glad you looked at the groove and rib again to be sure. I'm always looking at the little crap, it's an ongoing challenge for me.

On a related subject, I can't recall if you devised some sort of rear support for the carbs.
 
From my research and observation they just leave’em as is. If I have some sort of issue I will devise something to support the carb.

Here’s some pictures of other 350’s in the paddock.

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Some of the roads I've ridden on with my 450 have made me glad I braced mine, but hopefully you won't be running on any tracks that are very rough. That will help the situation immensely. I once landed really hard on an SL350K1 after getting about 15 feet of air and it knocked one of the carbs out of the intake (it was a strictly off-road bike with Unifoam sock filters). The bike was running on one cylinder and the carb was dangling by the cable and fuel line.
 
Interesting. Some with chokes and some chokes removed. Was thinking that could be a place for additional support, if needed. Your intake boot/clamp situation does look better, I think.
 
Hello folks, nothing groundbreaking to report. Just to add that I finally got my front fender for the bike and I will fit it up as time allows. I have taken the bike out for short runs around the neighborhood just to get some miles on the engine and make small tweaks to the pegs, bars, etc. So far, so good. The bike starts and runs with no problems. It seems to rev out pretty well but I am keeping it below 5000 rpm for now. After a few more shakedown runs maybe I’ll open it up a little more.IMG_8294.jpegIMG_8295.jpeg
 
Matter of fact, I took a 3-day road trip through NY, PA, and OH to watch my daughter play an alumni rugby match at Kent State. The weather was perfect for the whole trip and I had a blast. Great roads and beautiful scenery.IMG_8163.jpegIMG_8168.jpegIMG_8175.jpegIMG_8185.jpeg
 
I remember how beautiful Ridgefield (near Danbury) was, where I got my first taste on a Rupp Roadster on an abandoned RR track about 1969.
 
Good evening all, it’s been a little while since I’ve been in this thread but I have a new development on this project.
I decided to go with a vintage style race tank. I got this one from Glass From the Past. They did a really nice job on it. I have a standard twist cap but you can get it with a Monza style for a little extra. They will fit whatever type outlet you want, just let them know what you need. I have 1/4” NPT to fit a Pingel fuel valve.IMG_8835.jpegIMG_8836.jpeg
 
Unfortunately, I’m not sure if this will be a good fit. The upper triple clamps are hitting the front of the tank with very little steering radius. I would have to take the whole front end off the bike and make changes to the stops to limit steering. I don’t know if I really want to do that right now. IMG_8839.jpeg🤬
 
That could make for some creative cornering there, and looks like it would take modifying the forward mount points on the frame to slide it back enough. Nice tank, although I'm a little partial to the stock tank look. Build looks fantastic.
 
EzPete said:
That could make for some creative cornering there, and looks like it would take modifying the forward mount points on the frame to slide it back enough. Nice tank, although I'm a little partial to the stock tank look. Build looks fantastic.
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It won’t really make any difference cornering at speed. Parking lot speed maneuvering will be a little cumbersome but that’s not really what this bike is about anyway.
The stock tank is ok but for racing it provides very little support. There’s not much there to anchor your legs or torso and the slope makes it like a ski ramp when you slide forward. Personally, I am using too much arms to stay in position.
Thanks for the kind words.
 
So, I’m back at it again. A little cutting, grinding, fitting, and welding will make the race tank work out fine. I am going to have to fabricate steering stop limiters to prevent interference with the triple clamp but I have already had to do that with my twins class SV650 so I’ve got it covered.
Might be a while though. Just as weather is finally beginning to moderate here in late winter we’re getting another winter storm 🤬.

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The stop limiter on the SV:

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Completed the fabrication needed to mount the new fuel tank. I draped welding blankets over the bike to prevent weld spatter and grinding from doing any damage to the rest of the bike.

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I also fabricated an extended steering stop to limit steering radius and prevent interference with the fuel tank.

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Next will be fitting the tank and shortening the seat unit to fit the longer fuel tank.
 
ballbearian said:
I'm curious what other competition 350s do.
I'm still a hungry sinner.
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This was a question about rear carb mount
Most CB350 racers ignore 'carb droop' but over time back end will drop and cause a rich mixture.
The thinner bungy cord works quite well but looks kinda bad plus, when it gets fuel and oil on it, it breaks.
It's easy to shorten to get 'correct' amount of hold without pulling up and leaning off mixture though.
I think you would have to wind your own tension springs to get same effect?
 
Hello folks, I know it’s been a while but I have been really busy with a couple of projects besides the 350.
Anyway, here’s a couple of pictures of Version 2.0. Installed the fiberglass race tank and some clubman bars. I also swapped out the plastic catch bottle for a better option to contain hot engine oil.

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Has the rubber met the track yet?

I know nothing about racing, but the tires look like they've either been run or prepped for being run. Am I making that up? (very well could be seeing things)
 
Unfortunately, last season was a bust after I tore my biceps tendon and needed surgery. I have only taken the bike out for several short rides around the neighborhood to run in the engine and scrub the tires.
We will be racing at the end of this month. I will give a report after the event. My goal is to have fun, get the bike set up and learn as much as I can. Certainly looking forward to it.
 
Ok folks, time to put a bow on this one. It was 20 months ago (doesn’t seem that long) that I first dragged this project home in the back of a U-Haul van. I had wanted to get involved in this for the longest time and it seemed like the moment was just never right. Finally, I just said “**** it!” and took the leap. What a trip!!

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I would like to take this opportunity to say a heartfelt thanks to all the members of this wonderful community who helped me get this project over the line (literally😀). The knowledge, experience, and willingness to help was impressive, to say the least.
The old girl performed very well. A few tweaks and adjustments here and there along the way but, once warmed up, she always started on the first kick and ran like a top.
I have a few more adjustments to make to the machine (like raising up the rev limiter😄) but most of the performance limitations were due to the rider. Looking forward to continuing on this journey and sharing whatever I can with others who may need help. Thanks again.

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Emlupi said:
I would like to take this opportunity to say a heartfelt thanks to all the members of this wonderful community who helped me get this project over the line (literally😀). The knowledge, experience, and willingness to help was impressive, to say the least.
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On this 6th anniversary of VHT, thanks for the kind words. We certainly try, and it's always good to hear that things are staying on course.

As always, definitely looking forward to seeing more success from you and the bike.(y)
 
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