Summer Sled Projects cont... - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

Ad's Cat · 06-29-2008, 06:24 PM

So we're well into the warm weather now. Anyone have any updates on their projects. Figured i'd start a new thread...

You've seen the hood or at least you have now.

Cleaned the carbs, armour all'd just about everything.

Finished painting the tunnel, still have to polish to make 'er shine!

Just swapped in my new skid today, out of a 97 zl 440. What a difference! Of course i won't know how it rides for a while but just the look alone was worth it.

Still have to paint the front suspension, sync the carbs and oil and throw it all back together. I have a list somewhere...

Here's a pic!

Adam

snoeproe · 06-30-2008, 10:11 PM

I have a '71 panther 399 i just picked up that needs a good cleaning, new fuel lines, lubing and a fuel system cleaning.
I have a track to change on my '83 9700 blizzard. The rear skid will get a servicing at the same time.
When thats done, there's a few more things on the "to do" list.

**smallengineguy** · 07-01-2008, 06:13 AM

All I need to do is change a trailing arm on my wife's sled. I'll do that in the fall.

**RJ Gleason** · 07-01-2008, 01:47 PM

Still dismantling the 90 Wildcat.

Some parts are being stubborn about coming off.

lrnnorth · 07-02-2008, 02:19 AM

I got my entire sled taken apart. Now i just need the parts and Ill throw it back together in august. Its amazing what you find when you really go through everything. I had a bad motor mount and the torque stop was getting ready to kick out.

clodev · 07-02-2008, 03:24 PM

Starting my project on sat. Taking my wifes 85 ss440 totally apart cleaning it and reassembling it including new paint. I assume there's a book out there that will help if i get stuck and have alot of extra parts. pu a parts sled last weekend that had all the small things i needed to fix it up

Question when i paint can i use bondo or do i use sandable paint?

Jim Jessup · 07-02-2008, 08:15 PM

My Mach 1 is now down to the bare tunnel. I also got my new bulkhead last saturday. Its off a 91 Plus. So far I have about 100 hours in prep and painting and its only 3/4 done

Everything that was painted from the factory is going to be stripped down and repainted. In the end it will be worth it though. I tried a new paint and its working great.

I'll have to get some pics some time soon.

clodev · 07-04-2008, 06:20 PM

Here we go. Friday 10am and the 85 ss440 is up on her side and I'm starting to take the track and rear suspension off. Its now 4 pm and the rear suspension is off and i discover major corrosion in the underbelly. 6 pm i decided what to do to the underbelly with out scrapping the entire body. Here I am making a pattern of the underbelly. What i decided to do after pricing alum for the underbelly is take some diamond plate aluminum that i had in my shed and rivet it to the old underbelly. I'm going to sand off the diamond plate on the bottom until the curve where it starts to curve. I think it will look pretty cool with out costing me a bundle. The last pick is the old sled we just picked up as a parts sled. $150 and it has all the spare parts that i needed for the good sled.

clodev · 07-05-2008, 08:09 PM

Here's day 2's progress. I was able to get the diamond plate alum cut fairly easy with a jig saw and a metal blade. I only had to trim a tiny 3 inch piece ( thats really good for me) I was able to get it riveted pretty easy on the bottom than i used a small propane torch to heat it up to have it curve easier. I had to use the 5lb influencer and the torch to get it to wrap around all the little curves. That left some ugly marks on the alum but not to bad. I'm going to try to buff it out latter on once its painted. Day 3 will consist of me taking the rear syspention apart and start to prep it for paint.

600HOToy · 07-06-2008, 06:46 AM

Your not even that dirty to be doing all that work.
I rebuilt the skid on the trail, and looked like I crawled through the sled.
Diamond plate looks really good under there, I dont think I would sand it off.

05polaris550 · 07-06-2008, 08:39 AM

Thats awesome, i was going to do the same thing to my sled. How much did that peice of diamond plate set you back? If you dont mind me asking

Ad's Cat · 07-06-2008, 10:39 AM

Yah, that diamond plate looks really good. I wouldn't sand it either.

**RJ Gleason** · 07-06-2008, 01:15 PM

That looks like it will be quite nice when completed, I kinda like that idea and may have to "borrow it" for my sled too.

clodev · 07-06-2008, 03:06 PM

Thanks for the input guys. I'm really glad i spent the time to do it. The diamond plate didn't cost me anything because i had got it from a old cub cadet display that we where throwing away at work when i was with tractor supply a few years back.
My next contemplation is Paint and rust removal. What do you guys use or recommend using for rust removal for the rear suspension system? Liquid, sand paper, or sand blaster?
Also Pam picked out her paint colors but this is my weak point I'm really bad at design and the possibilities. She picked out a Ultra marine blue (almost aqua but more blue) and a Frost Lt blue. She also picked out a darker Gray for the under belly.

Her only requests where to keep the skies blk for ease in replacement if needed. Can anyone give me some suggestions on what to go with for lines or design style? I was thinking painting the rear suspension the ultra marine blue.and paint the boggies the darker grey or lt blue.

SSnthe10s · 07-06-2008, 04:32 PM

I have a set of Vforce 3 reeds in installing in the cooler fall weather and maybe a set of HTG pipes if i buy them.

clodev · 07-06-2008, 05:45 PM

here's a pick of her sled if anyone wants to give the paint scheme a shot. I've included the color samples also. I'm so bad at this.

SSnthe10s · 07-06-2008, 05:53 PM

those are great sleds! my dad bought me one of those when i was about 9 or 10 and i road the crap out of it. That little 440 rips in that light of a machine.

Ad's Cat · 07-06-2008, 07:31 PM

Hey Clode, hardest part is designing. A few ideas... Not sure from that angle but how much of the suspension can you actually see when the sled is sitting. Might be better to spread the colours on the tunnel, belly and hood, and the bogie wheels. Don't know what kind of image processing software you have, but photoshop, if your familiar with it, can do wonders. If you don't have it i actually picked up a quick and easy program at home depot, made by one of the paint manufacturers. We're deciding on exterior paint colours for the house and this program was simple to use. Just took picture, outlined the areas we wanted to change clicked the colour and we were done.

Just remember that anything dark on the suspension will prob look darker back under the sled.

If your thinking about some kind of design, i've just found a sign making shop that will cut out peal away vinyl stickers that you can use as templates to paint around.

Good Luck
Adam

clodev · 07-07-2008, 12:07 AM

Ad Cat,
Can't see a lot of the rear suspention but why not paint them blue or some combination of blue and grey would also work. If it makes Pam happy the better my chances of getting a newer sled will be later :-) ( and i need something to do this summer)

**RJ Gleason** · 07-07-2008, 07:17 AM

http://www.snowmobileforum.com/arcti...t-project.html