The Hodaka Club Forum

Off to the blaster. These plastic composite masks work good and I'm starting to get a collection of these things. Decruding on iron or even final finish on aluminum cylinders. A couple of B+ cylinders, I've got a few ideas for the project. Maybe a stock set-up and a modified example. We'll see. Plotting.

Can’t wait to see the “After,” Maxie! Hope it all goes well! Victor

Sheesh, lotsa Dremel time represented here. Like hours. Grease crud and rust begone. Bars and shocks looked hopeless but came around at least until we set the standard. Wheels, always the worst but these look good. Frame degreased and ready for a blast. Two good crankcases with usable cranks out of the deal, they are also looking labor intensive nice. Parts, tires and secret things coming, the project is under way! Maxie

Fun fun fun, Maxie. What did you to sweeten up those shocks. They look brand new. Nice!

Matt, these things have thick chrome. Mostly a steel brush on a bench grinder and not much time. Give it a try, quite surprising!

Great Maxie. I will give it a shot. I have a pile on OEM shocks I picked up in a parts stash and I'd like to get them nice so someone can use them.

Hey Matt. Just a couple of pix from an old project showing a before and after of Hodaka shocks. About ten minutes on a bench grinder with a steel brush. Not perfect but an unbelievable difference.

That looks great Maxie. Wow, I'm looking at my big pile of crispy Hodie shocks in a new light. Hodaka sure didn't short-shrift the chrome job on their shocks. Thank you for sharing your technique! I'm going to check it out.

Max, would a brass grinder brush work better and a follow up with ten foil. Thanks for tip. I get people whom call all the time for fair to good shocks, if I have any, maybe they should take ten minutes and try what you did. As usual you are a inspiration to those out there whom just don,t run out and buy new stuff, just because there is a little rust on something. Thanks Bruce

Bruce. I’ve had really good success using a brass wire brush on my cordless drill.

The aluminum foil thing works well on mildly rusted chrome. If it’s more than mildly rusted wetting the parts with Coca Cola will help dissolve the rust a bit more easily.

The photos show an Ace tool box, cleaned only with wrinkled aluminum foil & water.

The aluminum foil & water techniques remove the rust without scratching the chrome, because the aluminum is softer than the chrome plating. Where the rust has pitted the chrome all the way through, you’ll need to treat the chrome to water proof it. Otherwise it will just continue to rust. Victor

Victor, I knew you had done a great deal of restoration projects, I was just waiting for your input. Thanks Bruce No story but several years ago I had a customer in Montana, whom was legally blind, he and his wife restored a Hodaka over a period of two years by polishing and cleaning many parts like you suggested, they did a wonderful job, and when I get a chance I will send pictures to you of their finished bike, they are not into Hodaka,s any more which was a shame, really missed talking to him over the phone, great couple. Thanks Bruce

Some parts and direction on the project. This B+ will have some Hodaka hop-ups of the day. Check out this Hodaka 2-bolt reed manifold assembly right out of the original package! Tires located and in hand, mounted actually. A couple of different head options, Webco or Model 93 Super Rat? A 24mm Wombat carb from the Hodaka shed. Grinders out, Visor down! Maxie

Updates on the project. Crankcase rebuild with new seals and bearings. New kickstart shaft and machined cage from Greg at California Hodaka. This and another engine torn down recently had the same problem. Cracked and/or broken cage with pitted faces on the shaft. Back together. Cool new clutch pieces from Terry at Hodaka-Parts. I like this design where more oil can get to the clutch for lubrication and cooling. On a roll here, big fun!

Nice!! I just uncovered a two-bolt reed cage in a grab bag of parts I picked at a bike wrecker chop shop years ago. I have a few really nice Ace heads on their stock bores and a Webco head that's only missing a couple fins . Wheels turning here. How will you go about the port mod? Are you going to follow the "Reed Carefully" hop-up brochure and if so, what are your goals for the engine mapping? Or, are you going to carve your own path? Always interested in your process.

Hey Matt. Starting on the process soon. Fairly straightforward as you'll see. I'll just add some finger ports coming out of the intake and some matching holes in the piston, bigger carb. Stay tuned I always say! Maxie.

Roger that! Looking forward to it!! "Good" stuff (Hey, next build name??).

I did get started on the reed valve conversion of the B+ today and have stopped to show you the progress. The reed manifold has a much larger hole than the original manifold and one of the steps is to match the new manifold to the cylinder. A marking pen and scribe show what we have to remove for a match. I'm almost half done on this part and as you can see there's quite a bit of material that has been removed. The plan of course is to provide more fuel and air mix and this is where it all enters. The ports in the cylinder are done and I'll try to show that progress tomorrow. Maxie

That’s quite a bit of removal! So you placed the reed manifold on the cylinder intake to make your marks? And what’s the name of the tool you’re using to carve out the relief? Victor

Tool of choice is an air driven die grinder with carbide cutters. Here's the finger ports in the cylinder wall. Better practice a lot on an old cylinder before attempting this at home. Easy to ruin a cylinder by cutting ports too high and not staying in the lines. Rebore will be required if you ding the bore which is not uncommon. I'd have an expert do this and don't look at me!

Standard but always exciting part of the restoration process; paint. The step things began to be bolted on rather than removed. The resurrection is underway! Great day in Kansas yesterday. Calm and 70F. Weird, but time to do this outdoor event that could have been weeks away. My that paint is red!! Yay!

Looking good Maxie!!! Victor

Update on the project. A lot more fun when most of the years of crud has been removed and assembly begins with both new and refurbished parts. Like a big Hodaka kit now. Still sorting through stuff for steps to come. I'm approaching the roller stage which is good. Not a full time project but I do try to prepare or bolt on something each day. All big fun!

Looks really good Max! You and the old man do nice work.

Thanks Mac! Any action on your end of projects?

Spent the last month or so bringing this back to life. It’s been under a tarp behind the shed for the last fourteen years so I pretty much had to go through the whole thing.