The closeup photo shown is the same machine as this one, in case you want to see a wider shot. This is a fully restored 1963 Honda CL-72. As we all know, the CL-72 was extremely similar to its bigger brother, the CL-77. In recent days I have had time to work on some of the details of my Scrambler and Super Sport Charts. The main issue I would like to hammer down to the final truth concerns the production details of the CL-72, although my research has led me to change a number of details on other scramblers and the Hawks, too. I ask that all of my interested readers go over to the charts and carefully notice the changes I have made. Be sure to read the notes below the charts, too. You can comment on this post or the chart posts if you have information to add or you are at least relatively certain there is a correction that I should make.
The Honda ID Guide and other sources are fairly clear about most of the issues. Honda introduced the Hawk to America in early 1961 and the Super Hawk followed two months later. It is very clear that the original CL-72 Scrambler was exactly as described in the ID Guide, but the pictures and text I have in my collection of contemporary print sources show some wild and crazy variations in later model years. I have the brochures for 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1968. I do not have them for the years '65 through '67, and that is the origin of my problem. Since these were ordinary, best-selling machines, there were minimal road tests or ads printed back in the day, particularly for the middle production years. The Hawk continued alongside the Super Hawk, but the CL-77 replaced the CL-72. The questions I have concern the transition between these two models.
(1) Did the CL-72 cease production in 1965 as soon as the CL-77 was released?
(2) Did all of the CL-72 production have aluminum alloy fenders? Should these be clearly distinguishable in B&W photos as being shinier than the silver paint on the gas tank, yet duller than chrome?
(3) Did all of the CL-72 production have 7-inch SLS front brakes, and I assume, painted steel lower fork legs?
(4) Were any CL-72's built with the bolt-on single muffler attached?
(5) Did all CL-72's have slotted chain guards?
(6) Were any CL-72's sold in late '65 or early '66 and titled as 1966 models?
(7) Did all the early CL-77's of 1965 have silver-painted steel fenders, painted steel lower front fork legs, and 7-inch SLS brakes? Did these latter two items extend into the 1966 model year?
(8) Did all of the CL-77 models have the slotted chain guard? According to the Honda ID Guide, the earliest models, at least, did have it.
(9) During exactly what time period were the CL-77 mufflers welded to the upper pipe and slipped onto the lower one?
(10) Were any CL-77's built with the original paint scheme and chrome fenders?
1 comments:
I can answer your above #4 with 100% certainty. Yes, some of the last CL-72's were sold with the bolt on single mufflers. They were actually called spark arrestors rather than mufflers, but all the CL-77's had them as far as I know. I had a friend that bought a CL-72 in either May or June of 1965, and it was one of the last CL-72's purchased in my hometown. All of the Scramblers I saw after he purchased that one were the 305 scramblers. His CL-72 had the "spark arrestor", or bolt-on single muffler. Concerning the rear fenders, all I remember is that the CL-72's had the silver "small" rear fender and the CL-77 had the Grey "fat" rear fender.
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