Gold 1970 CT70KO

Texan

Active Member
Hello everyone, still pretty new here. I just got my first CT70, actually two of them. This one is the most complete, so I will work on this one first. I've been working on a clone CT70 for the past year, so I am somewhat familiar with them, but I know they have a lot differences. Now that I have the real thing, I would be grateful for any and all help from the experts. I plan on just getting this fixed and running, no major restoration or ton of money to throw at it. Right now, I'm just cleaning it up and seeing what's what.
Frame CT70-164849
Engine CT70E-164552

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69ST

Well-Known Member
Nice looking roller there. The paint appears surprisingly vibrant & intact, especially considering that the original HL bucket was probably demolished in the dim & distant past...and you've left the chainguard, reverse side out, on the table. But, even that item looks pretty straight. You have a mid-production-run K0 with its original "numbers matching" engine, a great start. The wheels are the fugliest areas of this bike, as-is; I'd bead blast & paint them the original cloud silver, then treat them to new tires, tubes, brake shoes & bearings. At the very least, I'd repaint the fenders silver...that low-gloss black looks awful. Interesting that the seat looks to be mostly intact. That said, the early seat pans are notorious for developing cracks. Since you already need a new cover & rivets, you might do just as well to source a new reproduction K0 seat, putting the original in mothballs...for "someday".

The engine, carb chain & sprockets are your calls to make. I'd go through the engine & carb. If you're doing your own work, then there won't be much cost difference between cutting corners and doing a first-rate job that'll keep the grins going for the next 48 years.

Congrats on your new-old machine, nice score.(n)
 

Texan

Active Member
Thanks Racerx. What do you think of those decals? I don't see any signs there were ever HONDA decals, unless they were carefully peeled off. Did some bikes come blank? These BPOE decals are pretty baked on. Also anybody know what this is? Its brass with threads and has no inlet, just a shallow blind hole. There is also the same hole pattern on the badge where it looks like another was once mounted.
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69ST

Well-Known Member
Dunno what that piece is, other than screwed to the LH side of the frame. The awful part is the holes that some numbnuts drilled in into the frame. With luck, a K0 tank decal might cover them...until such time as you're ready to repaint the bike. Only way to repair the holes is welding.

Someone removed the original tank decals long ago. Looks like there might be traces of the old adhesive in that one closeup.
 

neversink

New Member
BPOE = The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. The number matches a lodge in Orlando, FL. Maybe they had parade bikes?
 

Texan

Active Member
Yea, I had looked it up. Looks they are still active. The bike had Florida tags up until 75'. My question is how or should I remove them.
 

neversink

New Member
Yea, I had looked it up. Looks they are still active. The bike had Florida tags up until 75'. My question is how or should I remove them.
Heat gun followed by goo gone always works for me. A plastic scrapper is handy to get them off just after you get the sticker to start bubbling a little.
 

Texan

Active Member
Got one thing fixed. The bike came with a broken bolt for the engine guard. By all the scratches around it, look like the PO tried but failed to remove it. I just drilled it out, and chased the threads.
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Texan

Active Member
Got the old Florida tags off. First one was easy, but there was four more underneath. I used only tweezers to carefully peel off little bits at a time. The VOID residue came off with Goo Gone Sticker Lifter.

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Texan

Active Member
Heat gun followed by goo gone always works for me. A plastic scrapper is handy to get them off just after you get the sticker to start bubbling a little.

I was concerned about the BPOE decals, because they were absolutely baked on. I tried Goo Gone Sticker Lifter, and they would not budge. I even tried Goof Off, nothing. I don't have a heat gun, but I do have a torch. I carefully/quickly heated them up and scraped them away. It took a little while, cause the glue would harden again quickly. I used the Goof Off to clean off the residue. (Goof Off>>>Goo Gone). I must say, the paint is quite tough, LOL. The decals did leave a ghost image, but still looks better without em, hopefully new Honda decals will cover them up.
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Texan

Active Member
I tore down the bike, well not completely. I spent some time cleaning the grit and grime that had accumulated over the years and gave it a light wax. I also plugged the holes from that unknown brass piece and the two holes on one of the badges with some JB Weld epoxy.

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69ST

Well-Known Member
There are a few items that really need attention. The cracked upper fork tree is the most serious. You could have it professionally welded, then metalfinish & polish it; sourcing a better, used, specimen would be easier, and not expensive. Not liking that makeshift handlebar knob (a.k.a. hex bolt) and painted handlebars, either. For that matter, the "rattlecan black chrome" is kinda depressing but, it's not serious, mechanically speaking. The handlebars, fenders, TL bracket and handlebar knobs are all available either as new, NOS or repops. It's possible to rechrome, too. However, the TL bracket would need welding & metalfinishing; the handlebars probably aren't worth re-plating. It's shame that some numbnuts went drill-happy on this machine, especially with the headlight ears...ugh. Seriously, this bike has "good bones" it's straight, mostly complete even the factory paint is still vibrant.

At the very least, I'd blast & paint the wheels + hubs cloud silver and polish the brake plates. That'll give the bike a huge visual improvement, with little effort/expense. Probably time for new tires, tubes, bearings, brake shoes and a drive chain. Check the lower/inner fork legs for slop. They'll probably be way too lose; however, new upper piston slides are cheap. R&Ring them will give you the ideal circumstances to refinish the trim rings, and replace the dust seals + boots. That's about all the more you'll need to get the rolling chassis looking good and being mechanically taut.

New tank decals may cover up the holes, left behind by the threaded "mystery brackets".
 

Texan

Active Member
Thanks Racerx for the suggestions. As much as I would like the bike to look original, I think I am going to stick with the black parts, at least for now. I plan on keeping this bike, so I can always fix it further in the future. I did a rough estimate to replace all the painted parts, Rear Fender, Front Fender, Handlebars, Engine Guards, Trim Molding, Chain Adjusters, Headlight Bucket and various fasteners and got to about $500 (I’m sure it’s more). Then I would still need the hubs and wheels cleaned & painted, which Is more $$$$. Another main reason is the fork ears being painted.

I like to work with what I got, and would hate to just toss the old good parts for new ones. I did test some of the chrome parts to see what was underneath the paint. The chrome had been roughly sanded, so not going back on those. There is a primer coat, so the paint is sticking pretty good. I don’t like the matte black bars & fenders when the wheels and hubs are gloss black, so I think I will do them all gloss black.


I already got some replacement knobs for the handlebars. The tires are still good, no dry rot or cracking. They did have some blooming, but I got a lot of it off with a nylon brush. They tubes have held air pressure steady for two weeks, so I’m good on those too. Forks seem fine also, nice and smooth with no slop.
 

Texan

Active Member
Cleaned the hubs and panels. Bearings are smooth. Brakes pads are well within the service limits, but the rear is glazed as was the hub. The front looks newer, but has a dark color to it. I deglazed the rear hub with sand paper and steel wool. Any thoughts on the brake pads? Still usable?
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OLD CT

Well-Known Member
Buy new shoes, they look 40+ years old. They are dicey at this age, as the linings could break off the aluminum. Look at all the white ''powdering'' happening on em.:eek:
 

Texan

Active Member
Buy new shoes, they look 40+ years old. They are dicey at this age, as the linings could break off the aluminum. Look at all the white ''powdering'' happening on em.:eek:

OEM brakes the way to go? They are $16 and change each on Partzilla, but I was looking around here and saw a suggestion/recommendation for the grooved aftermarket pads, which are only half the price of OEM.
 

cjpayne

Well-Known Member
I never installed the aftermarket shoes before, so I really cant say anything about them. For a stock bike, the OEM shoes are good and reliable and last a long time. My 2cents
 

Texan

Active Member
I never installed the aftermarket shoes before, so I really cant say anything about them. For a stock bike, the OEM shoes are good and reliable and last a long time. My 2cents

Went ahead and got the OEMs. Part number 06450-178-932. The sprocket still has some life left in it, so I will reuse it along with the chain it came with. It is a 38t, but is also slash marked 39, wonder if that is original?

Touched up the paint on the hubs & wheels and reassembled. Need a few bolts for the front wheel since I want to replace the little decorative thingamajigs on there.
 

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