Some not so deep thoughts on a Sunday night.

August has arrived and it means that I’m starting to make some noises about getting my project painting done. The first step in setting up my “paint booth” is to move some sleds into the house garage to give me some room to paint.

I don’t normally see most of these sleds on a regular basis a…Read More

A little project diversion here. Finally picked up this little beauty today. Looks like the 2027 project is locked in. Long drive, but it was worth it. Nothing like that new sled smell. Gotta love the free-air sleds.

Really enjoying Gary’s event photos, amazing stuff! You Arctic Cat guys also have to be lovin’ this. The new ZR White Tiger. Awesome looking sled!

Drift busting on the RTX, 1974

Wow, that is some thick smoke! Don’t breath! But seriously, be careful. Jon, I don’t know about the Circle Flies. We have our share of fly varieties but I don’t think we have those.

Brian, I’m adding a post with another photo of the rear suspension to give you a little different angle. As you said, there is really no shock dampening on the front swing arm.

The curious thing is how it all really works. The coil-over provides all the springing on the rear of the suspension by pushing against a fixed shaft that is only c…Read More

I doubt anyone else does this but I find that if I put a couple of squirts of Klotz in the lawn tractor gas tank when I fill it, I get a whiff of winter every time I fire it up. It really helps me get motivated to cut the grass .

On the Kawasaki “Kawa-Bunga” project.

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend. Decided to create some fireworks of my own Saturday night (at least from a vocabulary perspective) and tear down the rear suspension.

There’s a lot not to like about the condition of the suspension. Some stuff is OK but I don’t think some parts can be…Read More

Brian, you keep getting those grandkids out there. In what will seem like no time at all, they’ll be this age and loving fishing.

The Kawasaki “Kawa-Bunga” Project:

As hot as it is, why not think sleds , so we’re talking egged-out suspension holes, caused by years of pounding.
There are a number of solutions, depending on the mounting design, including welding/brazing. Not having the ability to do either, I have to find other means. This will take a couple of post…Read More

The Kawasaki had two different solutions for the front and rear. The rear of the suspension is mounted to 1/16” plates that are replaceable. I was able to find a good right one on a spare chassis and a good left one on another chassis. Drill the out the rivets and replace the plates with the good ones. The first photo shows the hole d…Read More

The damaged hole is drilled out to the size of the bushing. After checking the bushing fit, I shim it just enough to be perfectly even with the inside tunnel surface. Done!

Free-Air Friday!

Co-worker gave me this shirt today. Apparently I”ve established a reputation.

Words to live by….

The Kawasaki “Kawa-Bunga” Project:

Got the steel parts of the chassis blasted and painted. Also did a little polishing on the aluminum. Haven’t decided the level of polishing I’ll settle on but the tunnel isn’t perfect enough to go crazy. Maybe just give it a little brighter look.

Summers are busy! It’s hard to find time for the project but I try to find some time now and then to keep it moving forward. One of the shots shows how the repairs to the back of the hood came out. Hood is ready for paint.

I figured I’d really kick this page off with a few photos to bring everyone up to speed on my current restoration project, a 1980 Kawasaki Intruder.

After I bought this last fall, I got it running and actually rode it a little last winter but as these things often go, it had a LOT of issues – missing parts, broken parts, worn parts, and ass…Read More

Greetings everyone! I promise that this will be longest post of mine that you’ll ever have to wade through.

Some of you may already know me but for those who don’t, my name is Kelly and I will be your host for this vintage sled page. I’m old enough to have ridden vintage sleds when they weren’t vintage but my interest in vintage sleds was rea…Read More

Testing, Testing.