83 Liquifire Restoration

This is where you can post the story & photos of your John Deere Snowmobile project.
fastl82vette
Posts: 460
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013 8:22 am
Real Name: Greg Cyrocki
Location: LaMoille, Il

Re: 83 Liquifire Restoration

Post by fastl82vette »

Beautiful sled!! :clap: :beers;
-Greg

'82 Sprintfire (original running project) SOLD
'72 400 (original non-running 2nd owner)
'73 400 (original non-running 2nd owner)
'86 Kitty cat
'77 Cyclone SOLD
'78 Spitfire x2 (sold one)(I think I officially have a sickness)
'84 Liquifire #420 "The Last Liquifire" (rescued, SOLD)
'82 Spitfire #2100 "The Last Spitfire"
'83 Sprintfire (wife's sled ;))
'84 Snowfire
'88 Yamaha Sno Scoot
'71 Massey Ski Whiz Special
cledussnow77
Posts: 573
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2007 1:00 am
Real Name: Ed Jones
Location: northwest ohio

Re: 83 Liquifire Restoration

Post by cledussnow77 »

Nice job, good lookin sled :clap: :beers;
Nothing Runs Like A Deere
User avatar
ihengineer76
Posts: 467
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2013 11:53 am
Real Name: Tom Rehberg
Location: SC Wisconsin

Re: 83 Liquifire Restoration

Post by ihengineer76 »

Thanks for the compliments, guys! It's been a lot of fun doing this one!
1976 Liquidator - 970 mile raced sled
1975 340/S - I-500 raced sled
1978 440 Liquifire
sledhead16
Posts: 1386
Joined: Sat Dec 14, 2013 3:39 pm
Real Name: Allan Campbell
Location: Saint Peter MN

Re: 83 Liquifire Restoration

Post by sledhead16 »

Just showing a bunch of guys at work here in MN your resto!!! looks awesome!
1975 340/s Speed Run Sled
1975 340/s I500 #161
1980 Liquifire SN# 4995 From WA Speed Run Sled
1980 Liquifire SN# 4996 From MN
1983 Sportfire
1984 Liquifire Deep Snow Tunnel 4/6 motor
1984 Sprintfire (2)

***Duelling Deere Garage***
pkehrer
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 2:02 pm
Real Name: Paul Kehrer
Location: Lakeville ,MN

Re: 83 Liquifire Restoration

Post by pkehrer »

Tom I think you need to bring it up to Waconia and show that bad boy off !
81 sportfire
83' liquifire x2
81'liquifire
80 sportfire
81& 83 Trailfire 440
discus
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:00 am

Re: 83 Liquifire Restoration

Post by discus »

Great looking sled..What brand/part# Ski Skins are you running? Been thinking about trying some but I don't see JD listed for any applications.
User avatar
ihengineer76
Posts: 467
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2013 11:53 am
Real Name: Tom Rehberg
Location: SC Wisconsin

Re: 83 Liquifire Restoration

Post by ihengineer76 »

The ski skins are a pair for a '91 Arctic Cat EXT that I had on the shelf. They are a touch long, but fit pretty well.
1976 Liquidator - 970 mile raced sled
1975 340/S - I-500 raced sled
1978 440 Liquifire
largecar04
Posts: 146
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2013 10:27 pm
Real Name: scott ohm
Location: walnut ia

Re: 83 Liquifire Restoration

Post by largecar04 »

Can you comment on how the deep snow kit worked compared to the stock setup? I've been considering putting one on my 80
02 arctic cat zr 800 efi
02 arctic cat zr 800 cross country efi
User avatar
ihengineer76
Posts: 467
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2013 11:53 am
Real Name: Tom Rehberg
Location: SC Wisconsin

Re: 83 Liquifire Restoration

Post by ihengineer76 »

The purpose of the deep snow kit wasn't to raise the tunnel. What it did was put the pivot point of the rear swing arm farther forward. This gave the rider more leverage over the back end to lighten the front and get the skis to ride on top of the snow. If you don't plan on riding in a lot of deep powder, I wouldn't make the change. It won't make a large difference anyway since you will be mainly limited by the short lug track. A taller lug track conversion would help much more. It does nothing for trail riding except make the rear suspension bottom out more. I actually put it back to factory after trying it.
1976 Liquidator - 970 mile raced sled
1975 340/S - I-500 raced sled
1978 440 Liquifire
Matt
Posts: 4747
Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:00 am
Real Name: Matt
Location: Coopersburg, PA
Contact:

Re: 83 Liquifire Restoration

Post by Matt »

That's a great explanation. I've been trying to understand the difference, that helps.
:usa: Matt - JDsleds.com Administrator
largecar04
Posts: 146
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2013 10:27 pm
Real Name: scott ohm
Location: walnut ia

Re: 83 Liquifire Restoration

Post by largecar04 »

thanks for the info. I'm heading out to the rockies to do a little riding and have been debating what to take for sleds. I finally came to the conclusion that i'm just riding a sprintfire, trailfire and sportfire and sticking to the trails. I really don't need a sore back from constantly picking the sleds up out of deep powder all weekend! I thought about renting a couple 2014 mountain arctic cats but that would've ran me around $800 for a couple of days. I'm pretty sure i'm just going to keep heading up to Minnesota and Wisconsin in the future and keeping my old deeres.
02 arctic cat zr 800 efi
02 arctic cat zr 800 cross country efi
User avatar
ihengineer76
Posts: 467
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2013 11:53 am
Real Name: Tom Rehberg
Location: SC Wisconsin

Re: 83 Liquifire Restoration

Post by ihengineer76 »

If you are staying on the groomed trails, you will be fine without it. If you venture off the trail, you will be in a world of hurt anyway. When I lived in Southwest Colorado, I rode an Arctic Cat Mountain Cat with a 162" track with 3" paddles and still managed to get buried in deep powder. I would just correct your jetting, and enjoy the old Deeres out there. Where abouts will you be riding?
1976 Liquidator - 970 mile raced sled
1975 340/S - I-500 raced sled
1978 440 Liquifire
User avatar
snowkat79
Posts: 154
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 2:17 pm
Location: Central IL

Re: 83 Liquifire Restoration

Post by snowkat79 »

It really is a sharp sled, good job! I bet you have a pretty good sense of accomplishment after that ride!
Last edited by snowkat79 on Tue Feb 11, 2014 8:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
80 JD TrailFire 340 (440 motor, currently toasted)
80 JD LiquiFire (currently being restored)
80 JD Spitfire (becoming this years rider, hopefully)
80 JD Spitfire (project, parts? Who knows...)
largecar04
Posts: 146
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2013 10:27 pm
Real Name: scott ohm
Location: walnut ia

Re: 83 Liquifire Restoration

Post by largecar04 »

We're not exactly sure just yet. I think we're going to be in the Winter Park/Breckenridge area just west of Denver. We've never been out there and have no idea where to go or what to expect. It will be myself and my two oldest kids that are 19 and 12, neither of which have any experience riding so i'm sure we don't need to be going off of the trails anyway. Do you have any recommendations?
02 arctic cat zr 800 efi
02 arctic cat zr 800 cross country efi
User avatar
WinnipegStPaul9
Posts: 5577
Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2005 12:00 am
Real Name: Don Amber
Location: Churubusco, IN

Re: 83 Liquifire Restoration

Post by WinnipegStPaul9 »

Very Nice !!!

DA
Feel free to check out our website www.buscobullet.com for restorations or parts.
Post Reply