Project cafe racer: complete

It's a 1978 Honda CB550. And it was driven here in one piece. Barely.

And then stripped down to this:

. . .and then this:

Engine cleaned and re-built, entirely new frame. Peter wet-sanded and primed, wet-sanded and primed, every little part.

We talked and planned just exactly how it should look. The goal was to keep as many original parts as possible while still making it everything he wanted it to be. Without breaking the bank. 

New lights, re-vamped fenders. New tires, transformed rims. New speedo, polished tachometer. 

Before

After

With filler and more filler, he completely restored the tank. Not a ding, dent, or air bubble. My guy's that good.

We decided the tank and fender were missing something. Peter thought an oval, my dad suggested numbers. 

Middle-ground was found, the perfect touch. 

He couldn't order stencils off-line, no way. Peter created his own template with a pencil and razor blade.

You'd never, ever guess:

What did I tell you? The man's efficient.

He was into up-cycling (no pun intended) for this project. With a vintage leather jacket and high-density foam, he made the seat all on his own. The guy had a better sense of direction in JoAnn Fabrics than I did.

What did I say? He's way efficient.

And his diligence has paid off. Big time.