Resto Mod for my 71 CT70

Carlo C.

Carlo C.

Active Member
Guys,
I bought this frame a really long time ago and put it in my back shed. Every now and then when I seen a part that it needed I would buy it and put in a container under the frame figuring sooner or later I would get to it. Well recently one of my good friends bought a new Grom and came over to the house. I got one of my Hardtail Z50's out and went cruising around the neighborhood with him. I realized that if I ever really wanted to really go cruising I was gonna at least need a little bigger bike. So I got the CT70 out of the shed and made a list of what I had and what I was going to need to finish it. I quickly realized to build it like I want it I still needed a lot of parts. I had just recently bought a Panda clone in rough shape off of Marketplace for a good deal that had a brand new Lifan 125 on it and a new fuel tank, so I figured we would start with that.

This is what it looked like when I bought and the day I finally took it out of the back shed:
KO CT70 Project.jpg

I ordered a seat and a cheap exhaust mounted the engine and then made a long list:
KO CT70 Project (1).jpg

I took everything apart cleaned, blasted everything and dropped off for powder coating and painting:
IMG_8160.jpg IMG_8121.jpgIMG_8174.jpg

Parts started showing up:
CT Parts (3).jpg IMG_8133.jpgIMG_8134.jpgIMG_8136.jpgIMG_8138.jpg

Will continue on next post.

Carlo C.
 
As more parts showed up I got a little more done.
IMG_8139.jpgIMG_8141.jpgIMG_8143.jpgIMG_8145.jpgIMG_8146.jpg

Put the new Handlebars and tail light together:
IMG_8198.jpgIMG_8199.jpgIMG_8200.jpg

Aluminum rims and street tires:
IMG_8177.jpgIMG_8176.jpg

Continued next post.

Carlo C.
 
So, you are going to powdercoat it blue, right? Make sure ALL the threads, coil mounting area inside the frame and also behind and the igniton switch and the concaved section where the lock ring goes are NOT powdercoated. Do not use that minty OEM 6 volt horn on a 12 volt Lifan 125. You might just blow it up.
 
Installed new Bearings, Brakes, Seals into coated hubs and then put the wheels together:
IMG_8227.jpgIMG_8228.jpgIMG_8221.jpgIMG_8231.jpgIMG_8223.jpgIMG_8224.jpgIMG_8226.jpg

Continue on next post.

Carlo C.
 

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OLD CT said:
So, you are going to powdercoat it blue, right? Make sure ALL the threads, coil mounting area inside the frame and also behind and the igniton switch and the concaved section where the lock ring goes are NOT powdercoated. Do not use that minty OEM 6 volt horn on a 12 volt Lifan 125. You might just blow it up.
Click to expand...
OLD CT,
The frame, forks and swing arm are actually getting painted. I know all about making sure those grounds are good and I have already started building a harness that includes all the correct Honda style terminals with a regulator/rectifier. I have made everything so that if anyone ever wants to install the original engine back into the bike it will still be a plug and play. I even dissected a old harness for the correct colored wires for everything. Before I dropped the frame off for paint I ran a tap through every threaded hole to make sure everything was still perfect and plan on doing it again once I get it back.

Thanks
Carlo C.
 
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I have another old frame that I used to mock the engine up on and trim the chain guard for the CDI style flywheel cover. I also ordered a Honda cover that I think just looks better:
IMG_8174.jpgIMG_8205.jpgCDI Honda Cover.jpg

I also rewired the aftermarket speedometer so that it plugs into the original harness and all the lights will work correctly with the correct color wires including the neutral light:
IMG_8187.jpg

I also Found a really nice 12v battery box and battery combo that I ordered. I am still going to modify it some to make it utilize the factory rubber strap to hold battery in:
IMG_8193.jpgIMG_8194.jpg

So that's where we are at as of now. Hopefully the frame will get some paint next week and we can start putting the old girl together. I do plan on registering and titling it so I can ride legally.

Carlo C.
 
Guys,
I was out of town this weekend at a race, but I did receive a couple of parts.

The battery box and little Mighty Max 12v battery came in so today after work I made a little update to the battery box to utilize the original Honda battery strap. I bent up a couple little strap holders and welded them to the box. Not quite Davmo skill level, but a cool little update I thought was needed.
CT70 (66).jpg CT70 (64).jpg CT70 (62).jpg CT70 (63).jpg CT70 (60).jpg CT70 (58).jpg

The next part was a Honda Left side cover off of a XR70 I bought off of ebay. I stripped all the paint off of it and water sanded it with some 600 sandpaper just to give it that clean satin look. When I realized it fit on this engine I had to have it on this build. I put it on the engine which I still have mounted to my spare frame to see if I liked it. I think it looks so much better then the generic one that comes on the engine.
CT70 (56).jpg CT70 (57) .jpg

I am also going to see if I can make the original style H model clutch cover fit on the right side so that this Lifan engine will actually look more like a Honda. Getting some help from Tim dirtbkr188 with that project. I really hope it will work it will give the bike the exact look I am wanting.


That's it for now, I am still waiting for frame to come back, but I figure that will be a couple of weeks.

Carlo C.
 
Guys,
After some research and help from dirtbkr188 we have figured out that the old style Honda Manual clutch cover will work on the engine I have. That makes me happy as it makes the engine at least resemble the original engine and I can keep the factory engine guard. Once I knew it would work i stripped all the old paint off of it and started the long tedious process of hand sanding it. I at least got it roughed in today at lunch. I will go over it again with 400 grit then 600 before it is done.

Clutch cover Old School stripped.jpg
 
Guys,
I worked on the clutch cover a little more last night. I think I will go over it one more time and l will be happy enough with it to re-assemble the engine. My painter primed the entire frame inside and out along with all the rest of the parts with etching primer. The etching primer is made to go on bare metal and it actually etches into the metal to prevent rust. It is used on very high end restoration projects so when he told me about it I had to have it done. He is sending me a short video of the normal primer being applied on top of the etching primer. I will post video later, but I actually starting to get a little excited.

One more time and this should be finished:
CLutch Side Cover.jpg

Here is the frame and all the parts finished in the etching primer:
Etch Frame.jpgEtch Inner frame.jpgEtch Forks.jpgEtch Chain Guard.jpgEtch Swing Arm.jpg

Carlo C.
 
Guys,
I could barely sleep Saturday night and was up bright and early Sunday to put as much together as I could. Once I started getting it together I realized I needed more parts as some where not right (Front Axle too Long, Chain adjusters for rear wheel no offset and throttle needs a little 90 degree tube for carb slide cover). Other then that things went relatively smooth for most of the assembly. It is not finished, I still need to finish the wiring, modify the little mid bracket for exhaust, make a bracket for pet cock,etc. Waiting for the Chrome Dax style Honda emblems for the top. Hope you guys like it so far.

Fresh Paint.jpg Under Seat.jpg


These are with the small front tire which I did not like and changed
Assembly (1).jpg Assembly (2).jpg

Engine Installed
Assembly (5).jpg Assembly (6).jpg

Bigger Front tire
Assembly (7).jpg

Carlo C.
 
Yes, with paint that slick I would have a hard time deciding if putting decals on is a good idea. Looks great without them.
 
OLD CT said:
Yes, with paint that slick I would have a hard time deciding if putting decals on is a good idea. Looks great without them.
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OLD CT,
I have decided not to put the stickers on the top of the frame, I ordered some of those Chrome script Honda emblems that I believe came on the DAX models. I just think it looks a little more classy.
DAX Emblem.jpg


hambone said:
Man, you're making mine look bad, lol, that is one nice build, what paint did you use?
Click to expand...
hambone,
Thanks man, I really enjoyed building this one as I learned a lot as the build went on. The paint is PPG Velocity Blue, it is Enviro Base Water born paint. The clear is also Enviro Base 520 clear. I had to call my buddy Walter to get that info, he is responsible for the beautiful finish.

Carlo C.
 
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