vin help

[conbs]

There were (I think) 5 different CA72 tanks. IIRC, the early ones were like the CA77 tanks. Much narrower at the back than in the front. Your CA72 tank is kind of a mix of the two. Seam on top, offset gas cap and approximate same width at front and back like a CA78. But, the seat cut out is like the CA77 tank as HT has pointed out.

You could get a CA77 seat that is rounded in the front (or maybe a solo seat) to match that space. Since you will recover your seat if you use it, you could make a custom front in your foam (with custom cover). Or, as long as it is easily salvageable, just refurbish the tank and seat you have and put them back on the bike. You will have a story to tell with your bike.

I am very partial to an authentic, original Dream - CA77 or CA78. But, with the prices these bikes fetch, sometime the economics of full restoration don't make sense. You have quite a project there. I would suggest the first order of business is getting it running so you can ride it to assess what all it will need. Then make a budget. Then consult your pocketbook (and wife). Best wishes on your project.

[choppermtn]

The tank seems to be in good condition. The center strip is good but has a couple rust spots. The shock tops are plastic on the black bike and metal on the white one. By looking at your 62 It looks like the seat on yours has a "point" to the front. Mine is straight across front.

[G-Man]

Thanks for the info on the shocks. Despite making white plastic parts for the C100 it seems that Honda never made white shocks with plastic covers. All of the other color covers were plastic after the very early bikes.

G

[Bob750]

The battery on the 1962 Dream was narrower and longer so that cover may not fit. The tank on the 1962 Dream was different from the later bikes. It may fit but won't be correct for the CA78.

G

Graham, regarding the battery: The long narrow battery (JB-2) carried as far forward as the early 1964 CA78. Ours is CA78-1056xx and uses that battery. From reading Bill Silver's research I have come to the conclusion that in 1964 they may have wanted to start a numbering system like they eventually did in 1965, but realized 6 digits might not be enough, so in mid-1964 Honda went back to the numbering consistent with the 61, 62, 63 numbering and restarted with CA78-400001. At that time they also went to the new battery (12N9). Then in 1965 they went to the 7-digit non-year-specific sequence.

... I am very partial to an authentic, original Dream - CA77 or CA78. But, with the prices these bikes fetch, sometime the economics of full restoration don't make sense. You have quite a project there. I would suggest the first order of business is getting it running so you can ride it to assess what all it will need. Then make a budget. Then consult your pocketbook (and wife). Best wishes on your project.

conbs, We've put more into our Dream than we could ever hope to get from a sale. So it's one of those things that we'll never get rid of. It's just too cool and too valuable. Luckily, it IS my wife's bike, so new parts are rarely a hard sell! :-)

[Hoosier Tom]

Graham, regarding the battery: The long narrow battery (JB-2) carried as far forward as the early 1964

The long, thin JB-2 battery actually went into 1965. The battery change started with frame 1010863 along with the change in side cover and tool tray.

HT

[G-Man]

Bob and Tom

Thanks for the updates. I have been working on early Dreams so far and haven't had to tackle the early / late issues. I do have a couple of CA78s to attack in the future so I will be prepared....

Thanks

G

[Bob750]

Thanks HT, for clarifying my understanding about the battery style timing!