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Honda HS50 Part II

27K views 270 replies 8 participants last post by  Northeast Dave 
#1 ·
Hello Everyone, hope you've all had an enjoyable winter and your machines performed as they should.
I was very impressed with the performance of the 50 that I rebuilt last spring that I decided I needed to tear it back down and do all the little things that I didn't initially do last year. To catch up, go here:
and then I had a thought about adding lights here:
But the pegs I need to mount the lighting coil to are not threaded, so, no lights.
Anyway on to the pix.
Just in from the winter:

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So I picked up some new parts [tap room cover and track frame, right and left] but the covers on the motor were so rusty I figured I'd rebuild the engine first, then set it aside and do the body. I have given myself two months to complete, let's see how I do.
Did a lot of cleaning and some painting with the motor the last couple of days, here's a before:

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and an after:

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I'm going to swing by the hardware store tomorrow to get some new bolts so I can mount some other pieces, I'll post pix once there's something to look at.
 
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#180 ·
This restored Honda will give you how many blowers ? ..... :)

Careful, or you will wind up with no more room left, like me .... :)

We are both in CT ... must be a Yankee thing .... lol
I currently only have 2. This Honda and an Ariens that I picked up earlier this summer (11.5 hp). I’ll do the driveway with the Ariens and the pathways and deck with the Honda. I haven’t decided if I’m going to keep the Ariens yet, will use it this winter and see what I think.
Connecticut Yankees, they don’t call it Yankee Ingenuity for nothing.
 
#184 ·
Should note that the bearings in both of these are original to the machine. I cleaned them up, greased them, and they’re ready to roll. Note that these bearings are the same as the ones used in half the final gear/transmission (2 of 4), drive axle, and the back auger axle mounting. I have two spares, should work for another 40 years with proper maintenance.
 
#185 · (Edited)
Intersting you do it this way. i build the bucket first and then install the auger/impeller assembly. it doesnt matter. you "are approacjing the finish line" me typing in fark
I'm buildin an 80 and will try it your way.
 
#192 ·
Like oneacer said, now the fun part. Which, for me anyway, is true.
I attached the auger to the drive body. I won’t bore you with lots of pix (I’ll wait until it is complete for that) but here’s one for kicks.
I have to assemble the chute and finish the chute rotation shaft/handle, then mount them up. This needs to be done outside as my workshop has stairs in and out and I don’t have a garage. I use the crawl space as an assembly/staging area. I need to get a hydraulic table so I can bring equipment from the crawl space into the workshop (3’ height difference) and ramps don’t really work.
Anyway, here’s a pic.

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you can see my next project (Ariens ST11528LE) peeking over. That one is just getting a repair this year and a trial run this winter.
 
#197 ·
No, I went with the original metal ones. I don’t have an issue with metal. I’m also a book guy, book says metal skids, manual says metal skids, parts diagram shows metal skids, machine gets metal skids. This is a rigidly by the book restoration. I have an asphalt driveway, concrete walkway (weathered), and a pressure treated lumber porch, the metal ones are fine for this.
 
#199 ·
Yeah .... Every blower I ever worked on came with metal skids... Every one got poly .... I never use metal skids anymore.

Once you go poly, you'll never go back to steel.

First thing I do is XTrac tires and poly skids on a blower .....
 
#202 ·
To be honest I’ve never thought about the skids beyond “are they worn out.” I imagine if I tried a set of poly skids it would be a why didn’t I do this sooner moment. I bought replacement skids for the Honda when I ordered other parts quite a while ago, I didn’t give it a thought really. I bought some thick metal skids for the Ariens project a few months ago as well. Now that its been recommended I’ll give them a try next time I have to do a replacement.
 
#211 ·
Picked up bolts and installed the belt cover. It’s so hot and humid that I started it, let it run for a minute or two and shut it down. I need to adjust the tension on the handles and install the chute rotator handle but it will have to wait. I’ll put on the decals when it’s a little more comfortable outside and wax it up nice. Finally starting to look finished. Soooo close now.

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#212 ·
Great job on the restoration, well documented and very thorough job.

Looks like a brand new machine.

On these hot humid days, you can look forward to blowing 12" of white stuff with this little gem this winter.
 
#213 ·
Great job on the restoration, well documented and very thorough job.

Looks like a brand new machine.

On these hot humid days, you can look forward to blowing 12" of white stuff with this little gem this winter.
Thanks Ziggy, I am very happy with how it turned out. I have to do some adjustments on just about everything, but to me that’s the fun part, something to look forward to once it cools off a little. I hope I documented it well, I’m a big fan of the restoration threads, the more pix the better in my book, there’s some beautiful machines on this site, I needed to create one for myself.
 
#216 ·
Sorry in advance for flooding the thread with virtually the same pictures, but here are some more if you’re interested. This should be it in this one for a while.
I installed the chute rotator and greased that up, wiped it down a little bit (the motor has been in “storage” for a few months now.
I’m going to let it sit now for a few weeks to let everything cure nice. Once it cools down in late September or October I’ll pull it out, apply the decals (paddle ID and gas only) then wax it up and adjust, we’ll, just about everything. What did I say at the start, two months?? Best laid plans, ammirite?
The next project has already begun...

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#217 ·
No such thing as too many photos IMHO.

Sweet machine, looks fantastic, I really enjoy following these rebuild/restoration threads.
 
#220 ·
Thanks orangputeh, you saw this thing from beginning to end and helped out quite a bit from the start.
I agree with the wing nuts, no good way to work that other than add a cable/spring system. I did use a rubber washer on the inside and a nylon one on the outside with a washer in between the metal of the chute and [for lack of a better word] top piece [painted black] not quite a fender washer, but big enough to keep the "plane" straight, and stop direct finish metal/finish metal contact. We'll see how it works out
 
#223 ·
I was looking at the Honda just now. It needs carb work, I think, but whatever is going on with it (simple or complex) it isn’t usable.
Am I mad? No.
My thoughts on the machine have changed since getting it. Don’t get me wrong, it is a sweet machine, a classic.
But not unlike one of the messages in the classic flick Weird Science it is the machine I thought I wanted before I knew what I wanted.
Maybe it is this particular machine but it is a finicky little SOB in a way and to be honest, the GD throttle location makes me want to scream obscenities that would make a sailor blush or at least make the neighbors question the type of person I am.
I have no regrets on the project in any way, I learned a lot from it. But, this will be an occasional use machine, for kicks once in a while, tinker around with it between other projects.
I am currently using a (more modern) machine. I won’t name it here (you can find it if you look on the site, not relevant to this post) but it isn’t that the machine I am using is the best in the world, it’s that it is 20 years newer than the 50 and has a much more well thought out design. It is far simpler to work on. Not to debate which current model is best, but a final thought (for now) is that vintage is great-ish, but know what you’re getting to, there is a reason they update and make new models.
Yes, I realize the irony in that as it is coming from a guy rebuilding a 1957 Bolens.
 
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