Satanic Mechanic Forum Index
Author Message

<  Custom chassis  ~  Is it Seeley?

Skunkmiester
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 9:39 pm Reply with quote
Rookie Rookie
Joined: 11 Nov 2008 Posts: 4 Location: Sandhurst UK
Hi there,
I am new and I have just bought a modified CB750.

I have been told that it is a Seeley conversion minus the frame.

It is a Honda CB 750 K3 registered in 73.
It has a Churchgate fairing and I have been told that it has a Seeley tank and swingarm with a twin front disc wheel. Clip ons and rear sets.

It is in very good condition and came with a stack of spare parts.

If it turned out not to be an official Seeley I wouldn't be worried as I paid such a low price for it.

However the guy that sold it to me has a long history of owning many bikes and I believe him when he says that it was one of the first bikes that Seeley converted. However the frame seems to be standard, painted red and doesn't look anything like a real Seeley.

I was wondering if any of you could shed any light on it's heretige and whether it is a Seeley.
As I said, I love it and will be keeping it anyway because I think it sums up an early 70's style. The stickers are being removed at the moment though because they look rubbish.

So is it a Seeley or is it something that someone wanted to lok Seeley but could not afford the real thing.


Thank you in advance.





View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Voxonda
Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 9:18 am Reply with quote
Member Member
Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 42 Location: The Netherlands
Hi Skunkmiester,

I, for one, shouldn't be concerned about authenticity. It is just a good looking bike. From what I can see the frame looks Honda K2-K6. Think it is a bike 'tuned' the way we just to do 'back in the days'. Looks like a Dresda swingarm to me. I like it a lot. Specially the fairing.

Have a lot of happy miles on it.

Cheers, Rob
View user's profile Send private message
Satanic Mechanic
Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 1:43 pm Reply with quote
Moderator Moderator
Joined: 04 Sep 2005 Posts: 309 Location: Munich, Germany
Hi Skunkmiester,

It doesn't seem like a genuine Seeley from what I can see on the pictures. The tank design looks much like Seeley, though. The swingarm is most probably one of those box section aftermarket swingarms, probably a Dresda as Voxonda suggested. Seeley had his own (patented) support for the rear axle, as you see it on all the Seeley frames (and on some Ducatis, to whom he licensed it).

Prior to starting the production of the famous Seeley Honda frames, Colin Seeley made a couple of prototypes for Dixon Racing - maybe your bike is from that era.

What chassis number does it have? The stock Hondas all start with CB750... while the Seeleys have SH7...

My copy of Volume II of Colins autobiography is in the mail right now from Redline books, and this volume also covers the Seeley Honda times - maybe I can find something about the origin of your bike there.

But, like Voxonda already said, just enjoy it!

Cheers,
Axl

P.S. I just edited your message to make the second picture show up Smile
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Skunkmiester
Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 10:28 pm Reply with quote
Rookie Rookie
Joined: 11 Nov 2008 Posts: 4 Location: Sandhurst UK
Thanks for the info guys.
I'm sure that it does not have a Seeley frame, but I wondered if it was either one of Seeleys prototypes or if it was a homage made later by someone who could not afford the whole kit.

I have a bit of work to sort out this winter to repair the damage sustained by a trailer accident (trailer flipped at low speed due to bad design, not much damage but the tank will need a bit of work that can be sorted by someone who know's aluminium).

I'm looking at it now sitting next to my original Black and Graphite 92 Blade (all original except pipe...an icon itself) and my GSXR K6 750 race bike, the GSXR is stunning on the track, the Blade is simply amazing for a 16 year old road bike and I will never sell it, but the CB750 with that quirky fairing and loveley expanse of Aluminium tank just looks and feels wonderful. It's wierd cause the bike is a year older than I am but I feel nostalgic when looking at it, it looks special and feels right, something modern bikes can't seem to match. It makes me want to play Jethro Tull and early Alice Cooper CD's whilst working on it.

I'm looking forward to making this bike a head turner and also a great handling and lovely sounding classic.

Even if it is not a real Seeley I would like to hang around these forums if you dn't mind, picking your brains as you hopefully can help me turn out a great looking early 70's race style bike, I may even have a crack at Classic racing if it passes scrutineering.
Thanks for sorting my post out, couldn't work out why the 2nd phot did not work.

Cheers.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Satanic Mechanic
Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:59 pm Reply with quote
Moderator Moderator
Joined: 04 Sep 2005 Posts: 309 Location: Munich, Germany
I have Colin's Volme II before me now (right from the press), but unfortunately it doesn't say much about the prototypes. There were six prototypes, IIRC, which were built before the production began. Interestingly, the Seeley Honda frame was designed by Colin's long time frame maker, Jack Wren, but the actual production was then sourced out to Arch Motor (of Lotus/Caterham Seven fame).

Cheers,
Axl

P.S. The problem with the second image was that it was enclosed by /img and /img, instead of img and /img.
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website

Display posts from previous:  

All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1
Post new topic

Jump to:  

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum