One Man's Trash

[kirk600]

Greetings Kelly,

Glad to see your still tinkering with those fine machines.......I would recommend using some PB blaster on the rings and perhaps a piece from an old broken ring to clean out the grooves once you get the old rings out....

Keep up the good work, we're all patiently waiting for the snow to fall, and enjoy watching you restore another fine sled.

Kirk

[euphoric1]

skiroule, sorry for delay responding, the grit I use at my shop is 240, and yes silicon carbide, you don't want to remove much material, just put cross hatch back in cylinder. I could not tell if cylinders were chrome or cast by pic and not familiar with that engine, Im sure you already know this as you had mentioned about scratch test, but other thing to look for is any plating missing around intake or transfer ports.

[skiroule]

skiroule, sorry for delay responding, the grit I use at my shop is 240, and yes silicon carbide, you don't want to remove much material, just put cross hatch back in cylinder. I could not tell if cylinders were chrome or cast by pic and not familiar with that engine, Im sure you already know this as you had mentioned about scratch test, but other thing to look for is any plating missing around intake or transfer ports.

Thanks for the update euphoric1. All the info I can find says they are chrome and should be only minimally de-glazed. You make an important point about the radius on the ports being pristine. I've done a preliminary checkout of the ports and thought they looked good, no chips or flaking (fingers crossed). It will be a while before I get to the cylinders but I'll post the results when I do.

Glad to see your still tinkering with those fine machines.......I would recommend using some PB blaster on the rings and perhaps a piece from an old broken ring to clean out the grooves once you get the old rings out....
Kirk

Hey Kirk, glad to see you're still checking out the site. Hopefully you haven't retired your TX fleet. Took the 340 out for a spin a couple of days ago and I really need to make a New Year's resolution to ride this sled more often. It's deceptively quick and an absolute blast to ride. It's not surprising that a lot of vintage oval racers run a 340. I've ordered carb kits and new jets for it because it's way overdue for a carb rebuild but that's all I think it needs this year.

I did start cleaning one groove with the piece of broken ring I had and that led to quite a comedy of errors. As I was cleaning up the shop last night I couldn't find the chunk of ring anywhere. Peered down in the crankcase, yup, there it was. Have no idea how it got there. On this engine the tolerance between the crank counterweights and the case is so tight that the width of the ring (about 1 mm) locked up the crank at the bottom of the case. Eventually I thought I got lucky and pulled the chunk out with a grabber. Nope, still some missing - apparently I broke the ring chunk trying to rotate the crank to see down in the case. More magnets and tools and got a second chunk out. Still not all of it. More wire probe/magnet action and swearing, finally got all of it out - made sure by piecing it together with the rest of the ring off the piston, at least 99.9% sure.

Anyone who things this project is a well-oiled machine is mistaken.

Here's a shot of the offending ring section and the new guys that will replace what is there now.

[kirk600]

Glad you found all the pieces of that ring Kelly, that could have really spelled disaster if you had that beer fridge up and running! Yes I still have me two 340’s just have not had decent weather to ride anything yet this winter.....last two weeks my vacation spent in garage working on cars and bikes........

[skiroule]

The old rings are off and the pistons/grooves are cleaned up so they are ready for new rings. Also got the carbon/crud cleaned off the heads.


Decided to rebuild the carbs on the 340 TX and replace the head gaskets as long as I was messing with it. There had been some signs of seepage in the past so thought it would be a good idea. Got kind of a kick out of the difference in cylinder size between the 340 and the big Hirth. It remains to be seen whether all those CC’s can take the little 340.


I had a real fear of mucking up the chrome plating on the cylinders so I decided to just give them a going over with maroon Scotchbrite and ATF to remove the glaze. The Scotchbrite did give it some super-fine cross-hatching but you need to look at the cylinder with a magnifying glass to see it. Probably not perfect they look pretty good for cylinders that are 45+ years old.

[skiroule]

Been collecting a few bolts/tools via the web that I can’t find locally and got the top end back together. The header pipes and dual carb adapters have also been mounted. I stuck the boots on just for a test fit. They are actually Arctic Cat boots but since I’m not brand loyal they will be put to use. Think twin carbs will be a big improvement.

Also got a pleasant surprise on the starter. After getting delivery of a hex driver needed for removal, I got the starter off the motor and was able to bench test it. The drive works great and the motor sounds good. Just need to get it re-painted and it’s ready to go back on the motor. It’s a Bosch starter (not surprising since Hirth is also a German Co.) but interestingly enough, it says “Made in Spain” on the case. I suspect this starter had other applications.



Shop is getting a little crowded but still don't think I have a hoarding problem. Have modest goals on the RTX in the background, like getting some spark. If that is successful, the plan is to replace the Walbro with a 34mm Mikuni and jet the crap out of it for starters. It might get a little test ride this winter if I can get it running.

[mspease]

Living the dream you are! Very jealous.

[skiroule]

Living the dream you are! Very jealous.

Believe me, very few days go by that I don’t think about how well the retirement thing is working. No big nest egg to have a winter home in the Caribbean but the little shop is my happy place in the winter anyway.

Put some shine on the fan shroud tonight. Still have some trimming/filing to do on the dash frame cutout to clean it up but I wanted to see how the case would buff up. Going to leave some surfaces unpolished or maybe paint them.



Been shoveling wood in the stove like it’s a locomotive firebox but that’s I guess that’s what it takes at these temps.

[skiroule]

Mill is mostly back together, still has good sparky-spark and should run once it gets fuel.

[mspease]

Looking very good!

[snoluver1]

She looks purtty! How's yer greasy elbow holding up? Hope you can still raise your mug!

[skiroule]

The ol’ mug arm is holding up OK. It has to, failure to maintain mug control has consequences in our household.



With the motor basically buttoned-up, it looks like the next work sequence will be driver/track/suspension reassembly on the chassis. It’s a big job and it’s been a long time, hope I can remember how everything goes back together. The parts diagrams will be a big help here.

[euphoric1]

Very nice job on engine! looks sweet!

[skiroule]

Got the grime and dirt cleaned off the track and gave it the "used car lot treatment". Obviously it won't stay this way but I thought it should at least be clean for the initial install. Track isn't what I would call aggressive but it's in pretty good shape and doesn't have the metal cleat problem.

[skiroule]

Cleared off some area on the shelves via running gear assembly. Only had a few left-over parts in the tote when I finished. As I’ve said before; “How important could they be if it’s not obvious what they are for?” Actually, everything went together with a minimum of drama but there was quite a bit of referencing back to the parts diagrams.




We think it’s a little silly now but you have to at least applaud the engineering effort. The rear hangers on this sled has three spring mounting anchor holes, presumably to provide the option of a soft, medium, or firm rear suspension setting. I put mine in the “medium” position cause’ I sure don’t want to risk having a rough ride.

[mspease]

I like the shine! Very nice.

[euphoric1]

Wow!!

[Administrator]

You do such amazing work!

Following your progress on this has been a ton of fun. Almost don't want it to be finished!

Of course, I bet this will not be the last, Eh?

-John

[skiroule]

Mark, I do seem to have a fascination with shiny things. I'm sure it's something that happened to me in my childhood. Actually, the non-shiny stuff (like the pan and hood) are the big hang-up now. I need to decide whether to buck up and have someone do the paint or wait until we get painting weather so I can do it at home.

You do such amazing work!

Following your progress on this has been a ton of fun. Almost don't want it to be finished!

Of course, I bet this will not be the last, Eh?

-John

Thanks John, and I'm sure you'll have plenty of time for trips to the kitchen for snacks before this series is over. And yes, there will most likely be other projects down the line. Guess it's gotten into my blood now.

[skiroule]

Wow, hard to believe it’s been a month since I’ve shown any signs of life here. To tell the truth, the lingering snow and cold weather have kept me from getting serious about paint, which is a choke point right now. The up-side is that the ice fishing just keeps getting better.

Did come across something pretty cool in the mean-time though. Put out some feelers to see if anyone had even ever seen one of these and a guy from NY said he had one that he would sell. It’s a tool/storage bag that mounts to the inside of the pan (one side or the other, depending on the model). Hard to believe there’s any of these left around, much less in pretty good condition. Seems like it would be one of the first things that would get destroyed/lost. It’s actually bigger than it looks in the photo and would hold quite a bit of stuff if one were inclined to fill it.

[mspease]

That is a cool find! Like you said, can't be many of those around. Nice touch for your project!!

[skiroule]

Wow, it’s been a while. Have been working on the hood some when I can squeeze it into my “busy” schedule.

I will never have the title of master plastic welder but I was able to get to the point that I could weld the various cracks in the hood (think there were five overall). The welds seem plenty strong so it should be as good as new. Eventually I sanded and finished off the welds with “Multi-Fix” plastic filler, which bonds very well to the ABS plastic of the hood and welding rod.



The outside hood finish still required quite a bit of sanding/filling. There were a lot of spiderwebs in the paint that had to pretty much be sanded down to the base plastic. Looking at it now, the original paint process was pretty interesting. The painters first laid down a coat of top color and then shot a second layer of bright metallic gold. Then the final finish coat of color was sprayed on this gold base. I suspect that this gave the final color a lot of depth.

One more pass with 400 paper and it’s on to primer. Hoping to have the hood, pan, and clutch guard painted by the end of June. Won’t go to the lengths that the factory did but it should look OK.

[gary_in_neenah]

[QUOTE=skiroule;481061]Wow, it’s been a while. Have been working on the hood some when I can squeeze it into my “busy” schedule.

Ya, we were wondering...maybe you took a walk in the woods and.... something made a meal out of you.

[skiroule]

It’s a smoky summer Saturday in northern MN so seems like a perfect day to post some snowmobile stuff.

Gary, I used to have a habit of wandering off into the woods until my wife discovered the effectiveness of a shock collar. Still twitch when I hear a bug zapper go off.

Welded the cracks on the dash/engine cover. Wasn’t too concerned about finishing on the inside because the welds can’t be seen from any angle once it's installed. Really can’t do much more with this until I get the engine and carbs mounted, as I don’t know if the Mikuni’s will require some dash mods for clearance.



After a few weeks of soaking with Chem-Dip, the sludge, varnish, and other unknown chemicals in the bottom of the reserve tank cleaned out beautifully. Will need some new fittings but it shouldn’t be too hard to find something. I plan to just use a plug on one because the return line won’t be required.



Hope to have some news on the paint soon, there’s been a slight change of plans.

[gary_in_neenah]

Skiroule.jpg

Poster found hanging in an Antique store in Appleton, Wi.

[skiroule]

Guess this solves the problem of wondering what you can get me for Christmas.

[skiroule]

The subject of this photo will be more impressive after installation but it ties into a previous post and I wanted to acknowledge a business that made an extra effort to help me with this project.

I needed a new dash decal but there were a couple of complications: First, I only needed the dash decal and not the rest of the decals that come with a full set, as this sled had none of the other factory decals. Second, because the switch had to be re-located to accommodate the tach, the decal shouldn’t have the switch position graphic, as part of it might not be covered by the tach frame.

I contacted “The Sled Printer” out of Slinger, WI (https://www.sledprinter.com/), since they were the only source that advertised the full Chaparral decal sets. I’m sure they would have rather sold me an off-the-shelf set but not only did they agree to sell me an individual decal at a reasonable price, they offered to make a special run to print it without the switch position graphic. They made the print run and I had it in four days. Pretty rewarding to find a business with this kind of service.

Since I’ve been known to screw things up, I ordered two.

[mspease]

That is awesome service! Very impressive.

[skiroule]

I had planned to do the hood/pan painting myself but process took a little different turn. A local body shop guy, who is a street rod/rat rod enthusiast, found out that I had a 35 Ford slantback sitting out at the original family farm. He wanted to make a deal and since it’s been sitting in a shed since 1976, it occurred to me that I might never get to it.

He offered to spray the hood/pan, in addition to kicking in some cash for the Ford so I took the deal. I had the parts all prepped but the only problem was, he’s basically a one-man operation so it took a few weeks for him to get to it.

I wasn’t really trying to duplicate the original color but the color I picked is eerily close to the original. He did a great job and the paint came out well. I can honestly say that in this case, the photos don’t do it justice. I really like this color.

[mspease]

That color does look nice. Can't wait to see the finished product!

[euphoric1]

Looking very nice! and I agree with mspease cant wait for finished product!

[skiroule]

As the calendar blew past two years on this project this summer, I'm with you guys on wanting to see the project completed. I figure I have to do what it takes this fall to get this sled on the snow this winter.

Having the pan paint finished should break the log jam of stuff that depended on it being installed first.

[mezz]

As usual, perfection at it's best! I really like the color too, it's darn close, but yet a step above. She's a beauty, can't wait to see her all put together. -Mezz

[skiroule]

Thanks Mezz – My summer distractions are such that I don't work in the shop a whole lot but the Canadian geese are starting to flock up. That can only mean one thing….winter is on the way.

I did mount the pan hardware and bumper and applied the heat reflective tape so the pan is ready to be joined with the chassis. My old iphone doesn’t do the best under floodlights so the color has sort of a rose tone in this photo, not a good representation.

[skiroule]

It's back on the lift - taking that as a good thing.

[mspease]

That sled will be more shiny and clean than when it was new! Coming together very nicely.

[skiroule]

No doubt I like shiny.

Motor is now bolted down and a couple of other items installed, including exhaust. The white paint will probably be replaced by a more practical silver but I'll keep it until I get it firing again. Guess I just think it looks cool.

[skiroule]

Figured I’d better check in again as proof that the project hasn’t been abandoned. Believe it or not, the pace of the work has actually picked up somewhat over the last couple of weeks.

Been working on the wiring, which was an electrical Scotchlock nightmare. Both harnesses basically had to be rebuilt. Also mocked up the dash and confirmed that there would be no interference with the Mikuni carbs.

Had to blast and paint a second dash frame, as I assumed that all 72 dash frames were the same so I just grabbed one off the pile and refinished it. Not so, the SS frames have an extra set of brackets for the dash supports. Details, details.

Stumbled across a new “old” belt that was still in the original sleeve, which was pretty cool. With the belt and clutch guard installed, the drive setup is complete.

[euphoric1]

Wow!!!

[skiroule]

Appreciate the vote of confidence Mr. E.

With the exception of the tail lights and kill switch, the wiring is all but done. The good news is that even after my meddling, the engine still has good sparky-spark, so with fuel it should fire up. Hoping this will happen by Thanksgiving.

After a couple of weeks of ordering/re-ordering and two failed attempts, I finally got a black vinyl paint that looked more like the original black. This stuff isn’t available locally so all a person can do is order it, try it, and keep trying.

My wife liked the all-black look of the dash housing better and I’m thinking she may be right but I decided to go with the original look first and use the wood-grain decal.

[mspease]

Original is always good! Coming together nicely. The speedo and tach look just like the gauges I had in my first sled at age 14, a 1974 TX 250.

[skiroule]

The speedo and tach look just like the gauges I had in my first sled at age 14, a 1974 TX 250.

Yeah, it's my impression that in the early 70's, one company was producing the same gauges for a lot of different manufacturers with the only difference being the sled brand logo on the bottom of the gauge.

[gary_in_neenah]

Wood-grain, definitely early 70's.

[mezz]

Truly a work of a craftsman, beautiful! -Mezz

[skiroule]

Thanks Mezz - Some of my vintage cohorts have recommended that it be a dedicated show sled, maybe not even fire it up. Think I’d much rather roll on the power on a smooth trail.

Yeah Gary, the woodgrain just screams 70’s – looks kinda cheesy now but it was everywhere back then. Maybe someday we’ll say the same thing about carbon fiber graphics.

[skiroule]

As they say, the sled is “on its feet”. Actually, I’m probably the only one that says that. Skis are mounted and steering hooked up. Have a line on ski shocks but waiting for the Christmas bonus before that purchase is made. Hope it shows up.

Checked out the connected lights and electric start. So far, everything works but the test battery will need replacement.

Carbs are close, have them jetted pretty rich right now so some adjustment may be required. Throttle linkage is ready to go but ordered another choke cable setup that I think will work better than the first setup I ordered. This sled isn’t designed for choke cables so it’s a little tricky to come up with a logical routing. Once that’s sorted out, I’ll be running out of excuses to not fire it up.

[skiroule]

Good to hear the bark of the big Hirth again. Needless to say, this relieves the stress level considerably. Might have to break out the good beer tonight.

[gary_in_neenah]

Wow! Starts on the first pull. You must be one of those "Hirth Whisperers".

[mspease]

Sounds great Kelly! Those handlebars remind me of my buddies Rupp bars when we were kids. Love the hand grips too.

[skiroule]

Wow! Starts on the first pull. You must be one of those "Hirth Whisperers".

Well Gary, we both know the magic of PowerDirector video editing. But seriously, I'm really impressed with how well this motor fires up. I'm sure that the switch to Mikuni VM carbs is a big factor.

Sounds great Kelly! Those handlebars remind me of my buddies Rupp bars when we were kids. Love the hand grips too.

Mark, I have to admit, this thing is loud! Sound reduction wasn't really a feature of the Donaldson "mufflers" and yeah, the rake of these handlebars is just plain cool. They are a key part of the look of this sled.

[skiroule]

Brake Assembly – Not a very big deal in the grand scheme of things but it’s worth mentioning because it was a reminder that a little luck sometimes goes a long way on these projects.

Most likely, the 72 Chaparral mechanical brake design was unique to the brand (or a limited group of manufacturers), which doesn’t really help matters when it comes to a rebuild. When completely installed, this mechanical braking system consists of over 35 parts, many of which are design specific. If any of these parts are lost, damaged, or worn out, a time-consuming hunt will be on for replacements, assuming some can even be found.

In my case, this is where the luck comes in. For reasons I can’t recall, I had no less than three mostly complete, spare 72 brake systems squirreled away. These were pretty rusty and beat up but I was able to build a fully functional system using a combination of original sled parts and parts from two of the three spares.



Only a couple of hours of work left “under the hood”. Then it will be time to re-tool and begin hood assembly.

[WorkHardPlayHrd]

It's a good thing my 12 year old isn't in your garage. Shiny and in pieces!!! He would be unable to keep his hands off of it.

[skiroule]

It's a good thing my 12 year old isn't in your garage. Shiny and in pieces!!! He would be unable to keep his hands off of it.

Your 12 year old and I have a lot in common.

[mezz]

Love it!!! Sounds real healthy, & again, beautiful work. -Mezz

[fjr4me]

That is absolutely beautiful and sounds spectacular.

Fine work Sir!

[skiroule]

Thanks much! Always good to hear that people are fans of the "old iron".

Funny how things seem to come together so much more when the hood goes on. A few more things to go but the finish line now seems achievable.

[skiroule]

K&N’s showed up today so everything is complete except for the seat. Always impressed with the K&N website. It provides about 15 specification details on each filter so you know exactly what you are getting and the fit is perfect.

Going to attempt to fabricate the seat from scratch – that should be interesting. Beer foam I understand, seat foam - not so much. Going to try to roughly duplicate the dimensions but not create an exact replica.

[swampy2]

That is just AWSOME!!!!

[skiroule]

Thanks swampy2! Fired it up yesterday just to confirm that the first firing wasn’t a fluke. Adjusted the idle screws so it idles at a sweet sounding 1400 RPMs. Will leave it at that for now. Hoping that the next time it runs it will be on the snow.

My dad got by with a sofa cushion on his 67 Skee-Horse, so I guess I could leave my seat design in its current form – seems pretty functional.

[800etec]

looks GREAT Kelly!

[skiroule]

Thanks 800etec , I'm moving on with the seat fabrication (such as it is). It's pretty well roughed out, with maybe a little more tweaking to go. As I mentioned, this will be a pretty basic seat, but the shape looks a lot like the seat that came on the 74 SSX, which was a little more wedge - looking than the 72 SS version.

Waiting for a chunk of 1/2" think foam that I'm going to attach to the bottom to provide a better bottom edge and give the seat a little more lift. Combined with the base board, that will add an inch of height, which should match up well with the tank.


Will post another photo once the vinyl is on.

[skiroule]

Wasn't going to post any photos until the seat was covered but my upholstery guy - a friend - said he wouldn't be able to get to it until at least mid-January. Kind of a bummer but can't complain as the price is right (free). In the meantime, I figured I'd post a couple of shots. I also have another sled project that I'm fiddling with and since we have 6 -8" of new white stuff (and counting), riding might be a good way to pass the time.

Got the foam form fitted for (that's a lot of "f's") the base board and the board cut. Also got the tank cutout done. Not exactly surgical precision but it's functional.



Seat doesn't have a lot of complex detail but it looks right on the sled. The edges and corners will soften a little when the cover is installed. Also, it will fit a little tighter on the tunnel when fastened down.

[grub]

I think I see a little tiny blemish on the hood right above the second r on Chaparral. You should probably fix that. Otherwise it is about perfect.

[skiroule]

I think I see a little tiny blemish on the hood right above the second r on Chaparral. You should probably fix that. Otherwise it is about perfect.

Went back out and looked at it from every angle, saw nothing. I've concluded that you have a fly poop on your screen.

BTW, trails around Baudette are excellent. Rainy River and lake trails are marked.

[jackdog]

Lol. When will the seat be done. We would like to see that beast on the snow !!

[mezz]

Simply a gorgeous piece of artwork. Done by a real craftsman! I love the attention to details & it shows. -Mezz

[skiroule]

Lol. When will the seat be done. We would like to see that beast on the snow !!

I have to admit, it’s really tough to be this close to finishing and be in wait mode. I had to go out yesterday and fire it up just to get a little fix. My upholstery source is back in town this week so hopefully he can get to the seat soon and I can put a ribbon on this baby.

Added the final touch to the motor:

[grub]

Fly poop out of season. Think it is dog snot. Your Chap is better than it was when it was new. I will give you $429.00 for it.

[gary_in_neenah]

Pretty sure your offer buys you an opportunity to sit on it and go vroom, vroom.

[skiroule]

I will give you $429.00 for it.

I might at least give your offer a passing thought if you threw in a couple dozen cases of whiskey from your hometown distillery (Far North Spirits). Their ROKNAR 100% rye is a personal favorite.

Pretty sure your offer buys you an opportunity to sit on it and go vroom, vroom.

It could also buy the opportunity to puff out a few impressive smoke rings, for effect (using a legal source for the smoke, of course).

[grub]

You should have named it Jesus instead of Reaper since it has come back from the dead. If you believe in that sort of thing. Maybe not as intimidating as Reaper though. But then again there is room above Reaper for something else. How about Red Reaper?

[skiroule]

Probably could have used "The Grim Reaper" but at my age, that's a little too close to home. Maybe "The Phoenix" would have been a better choice.

[snoluver1]

Sled looks amazing Kelly! Fantastic work!

[skiroule]

Thanks Adam! Think this last month has been the most frustrating of the entire build. I delivered the seat foam and base to my upholstery source for him to do the seat cover but he runs an unrelated seven day a week business and just does upholstery as a hobby in his spare time (of which he has little). In mid-January he suffered an eye injury, which is not helping the situation.

I should know more by Friday, as he said he was going to try to work on it this week. Fingers crossed, it's hard to be this close and just not quite there yet. Luckily, the snow is not going anywhere soon around here.

[skiroule]

My upholstery guy finished the seat cover yesterday so I installed it on the foam/base last night. It's a basic design but I'm OK with that. I actually like the clean appearance and think it will look fine on the sled.

[euphoric1]

just went through all your posts on this from beginning to current, UNBELEIVABLE! you certainly can and do work some magic! a true show piece!

[gary_in_neenah]

Should probably thank the Mrs. for allowing the project to move into the kitchen.

[mspease]

Looks good and he got on it pretty quickly once he was back! Can't wait to see it on the sled.

[skiroule]

Thanks euphoric1! Somewhere along the way in this thread I think I said this project would be a challenge and I was right. Being able to find some local guys to do the exhaust, paint, and seat cover really helped.

I was pleasantly surprised at how fast my upholstery guy turned the cover around once he got to it. I think he did a really good job for a guy that doesn’t do it professionally. And yes Gary, I can’t explain how I got the seat work through the kitchen activity approval cycle. Of course, technically I guess I never asked.

Mounted the seat today so the job list is getting really short. Only a few items left that were waiting on the seat install and a final check of things. Barring any unforeseen problems, by this time next week she should have tasted snow for the first time in probably at least 35 years.

[mezz]

Saweeet looking seat!! -Mezz

[skiroule]

Regardless of the project, it’s always kind of a weird feeling when it’s done. Maybe because it’s hard to believe it’s actually finished.

Thought it would be worthwhile to re-post a couple of starting point photos, in addition to a couple of the maiden voyage today. Thanks to everyone that followed along!

She runs like a Boss and is an absolute blast to ride! Makes it all worthwhile

[mspease]

As always, very impressed with your work! That first picture looks like it could be a marketing photo for the brochure when the sled was new. Well done Kelly!! I love the before pictures to compare to the finished product. 2 thumbs up!!

Now comes the question; what's next?

[elf]

Amazing job, that sled looks great!

[skiroule]

Thanks guys! It's a good feeling to save an old Bird from the crusher.

Now comes the question; what's next?

Great question! I definitely have some projects in mind that hopefully could be completed in less time (including a pretty cool one). Doubt if I would do another board "blog" for the next project though. Maybe some photos when it's complete

[gary_in_neenah]

Kelly, I hope you realize there's not many guys on the planet that can do work like this. Excellent craftmanship, NOW PARTY LIKE IT'S 1972!!!

[J.Glenn]

Thanks guys! It's a good feeling to save an old Bird from the crusher.



Great question! I definitely have some projects in mind that hopefully could be completed in less time (including a pretty cool one). Doubt if I would do another board "blog" for the next project though. Maybe some photos when it's complete

I'm sure it takes some additional time to do progress/before/after pictures along the way and post in a blog, but I for one, have enjoyed following your progress in bringing the old iron back to excellent condition! I typically don't comment much on here but I thought it was worth it in this instance.

So, if you're doing another project, I would definitely follow along (even if from the sidelines) on the journey, just as I did this one. Excellent job!

[mezz]

I agree with J.Glen, I have enjoyed following your progress, not only on this, but your previous endeavors. You do such "high class" work, it really is something special. I realize that not only does it take your time to do the work itself, add in the time to put it on-line, that is a chunk out of your clock. It's been fun. She sure looks good on the snow! Enjoy. -Mezz

[skiroule]

NOW PARTY LIKE IT'S 1972!!!

I’m afraid that if I partied like it was 1972 (I was 23), it would take a week to recover now .

It’s really rewarding that a number of you follow and enjoy these types of projects, especially in this case where it was such a long time to completion. It means a lot!

Capturing the state of a project in photos is not really a big deal, in part because I take a lot of photos for help in re-assembly anyway. It’s amazing how much you forget about putting things back together. In addition to the photos, I think a project thread tells a story and I do find myself looking back on things that have happened along the way.

Making a project public can be pretty intimidating but more importantly, can be a motivator. Once it’s started, you really don’t want to let people down that are looking forward to the finished result. So far, I’ve been lucky with completions but I can’t help but wonder if the day will come when I’ve pushed my luck too far. We’ll see what the future holds. I’ve got a few months to think about it.

[garageguy]

Everytime I visit the site, I check your thread for updates. Watching the progress is very interesting. Fantastic work!!! Please continue to document additional projects.

[High Country]

That sled turned out awesome !! Great work. I also cannot wait for your next project and hope you continue your blog,very impressive.

[jccams]

I also don't post much but always follow your builds Kelly. This one was especially interesting to me as I grew up watching people ride these by my house and dreaming of someday owning one (never did). Thought then and still do today that they were beautiful. Yours is nothing short of a work of art. Since I could never pull off what you have accomplished following your journey was the next best thing.

[skiroule]

I can’t tell you guys how encouraging it is to hear that you have an interest in these old sleds. They were built in a very unique period of snowmobiling history.

This one was especially interesting to me as I grew up watching people ride these by my house and dreaming of someday owning one (never did). Thought then and still do today that they were beautiful.

I owned a 72 SS back in the day (which I foolishly sold) and now having worked on this project, I’ve tried to figure out what it is about this Chaparral sled design that makes it so appealing to me. I don't have an answer but I also think it’s one of the most beautiful sled designs of the 70’s. Chaparral tweaked the design in the 73/74 models to give the sleds a more refined look and were gorgeous sleds, but my favorite is still the 72. Something about that big air intake maybe.

It’s really a shame that Armco, the Chaparral parent company decided to pull the plug in 74 with the 75 models (reportedly with a forward mounted engine) all ready to go into production. We’ll never know how good that sled could have been.

[handiman]

Wow! What a great accomplishment.
Been following this thread since the beginning. It has been like reading a book that you were hopeful that it would have a great end and you certainly did not disappoint skiroule.
I admire your skill, workmanship and patience.
Fantastic job!

[skiroule]

It has been like reading a book that you were hopeful that it would have a great end

Thanks handiman! You’ve written a fitting conclusion to this project thread in a single phrase. I have to admit that, almost to the very end, the outcome of this project was a complete wild card. There were so many things that had to fall into place. Luckily for me that happened.

I know there are other members with vintage sleds and projects out there and hopefully they will share photos and stories in this forum.

As for me, at least a couple in this group could be a project candidate, but I do have one I’m favoring. I’ll know more about that potential project later this year but who knows, in the meantime I might stumble onto a deal that really catches my eye. If money were no object, there’s a few out there I would pick up in a heartbeat.

[euphoric1]

Skiroule, was hoping to see a new project in the works, you kind of hinted at it in last post. Hopefully you are doing well in all of this.

[skiroule]

My wife and I are doing well but being in the high-risk group with respect to the COVID-19, we are being careful. Hopefully, we will continue to remain healthy.

Over the summer I’ve dismantled a few things here and there to assess the probability of success of any future project. As I’ve mentioned before, there’s always a chance that a project will come to a screeching halt with a problem, the solution of which is beyond the resources of most backyard operations. I do try look at what those problems might be before I get too far into something.

If I do attempt another, it might be this one: The seller said it just needs a carb cleaning. Don’t think he was being completely truthful.