1980 Spitfire Rehab - All Done

This is where you can post the story & photos of your John Deere Snowmobile project.
kube1
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 1:56 pm
Location: Canada

1980 Spitfire Rehab - All Done

Post by kube1 »

A guy I worked with asked me if I was interested in his old Spitfire. I have kinda always wanted a free air machine and my boy and I have talked about the Spitfire in particular so when the guy asked I said "Sure! How much?" . He responded with "I dunno. How bout a case of beer? I just want it to go to someone who will have fun with it." Done deal. I went out to his farm the other day to pick it up. Turns out he burned up a piston in it back in the day and then parked it. He had pulled the engine, taken it apart, and put all the parts in cupboard. The sled sat in the barn up on blocks so the track is in pretty nice shape. Other than a good cleaning and engine rebuild its a pretty easy one to get going again. My Scorpion is nearly finished except for the hood, so while I wait on that I'm going to clean this Spitfire.

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Last edited by kube1 on Sat Oct 18, 2014 9:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
kube1
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 1:56 pm
Location: Canada

Re: 1980 Spitfire rehab

Post by kube1 »

Spent the whole afternoon cleaning this thing. Stripped it down, sprayed the whole thing with citrkleen and hit it with the pressure washer. The fuel tank was the worst. Ball bearings and citrikleen then the pressure washer took care of that. A little wax on the hood and new hardware for the windshield as well. New hi fax and wear bars tomorrow.

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SS440-80
Posts: 261
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 5:00 pm
Real Name: Robert
Location: SWEDEN

Re: 1980 Spitfire rehab

Post by SS440-80 »

SWEET :clap:
Sleds...
2xJOHN DEERE SPRINTFIRE 1983.
YAMAHA GP292b 1973
OCKELBO Trioman 1975
YAMAHA SRV 1982 (shrinked)
YAMAHA SRV 1990
YAMAHA SRV 1991
LYNX Rave 600ACE 2013
LYNX BOONDOCKER RE 3700 850 ETEC 2018
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Steven
Posts: 124
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 10:42 pm
Location: Ontario

Re: 1980 Spitfire rehab

Post by Steven »

Wow! It looks great!
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skoalmint
Posts: 759
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2010 11:33 pm
Location: Circleville Oh

Re: 1980 Spitfire rehab

Post by skoalmint »

Pretty amazing what a little TLC will do for a old sled. :beers; LOOKS GREAT. Brock
sledhead16
Posts: 1386
Joined: Sat Dec 14, 2013 3:39 pm
Real Name: Allan Campbell
Location: Saint Peter MN

Re: 1980 Spitfire rehab

Post by sledhead16 »

Thats a nice price for that gem!
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***
Matt
Posts: 4747
Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:00 am
Real Name: Matt
Location: Coopersburg, PA
Contact:

Re: 1980 Spitfire rehab

Post by Matt »

Cleaned up very nice!
:usa: Matt - JDsleds.com Administrator
cntracin
Posts: 17
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:31 am
Real Name: cory
Location: nh

Re: 1980 Spitfire rehab

Post by cntracin »

great looking sled, I would like to find one for my boys someday
kube1
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 1:56 pm
Location: Canada

Re: 1980 Spitfire rehab

Post by kube1 »

Thanks for all the positivity! I have spent the week cleaning out the engine. Turns out it has been sleeved with cast iron and bored 0.01" over. I did find some oversize pistons and they are on the way. Used muriatic acid to clean the bores and a light hone. They measure up well within spec and aren't oval. The o-rings on the crank bearings were all deteriorated so have new ones as well as new seals and gaskets. I polished all the carbon off the heads in the lathe as well. One of the rod bearings was seized and the pin worn really badly. New bearings and pins also. Maybe run by weekend. If my pistons show soon.
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snowkat79
Posts: 154
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 2:17 pm
Location: Central IL

Re: 1980 Spitfire rehab

Post by snowkat79 »

Looks just like my first sled! I love it!
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...)
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snowkat79
Posts: 154
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 2:17 pm
Location: Central IL

Re: 1980 Spitfire rehab

Post by snowkat79 »

Be careful, sleeved engines don't dissipate heat as well as OEM.
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...)
kube1
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 1:56 pm
Location: Canada

Re: 1980 Spitfire rehab

Post by kube1 »

snowkat79 wrote:Be careful, sleeved engines don't dissipate heat as well as OEM.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll keep that in mind. This thing wont get run hard anyway.
kube1
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 1:56 pm
Location: Canada

Re: 1980 Spitfire rehab

Post by kube1 »

I have been picking away that the engine all week. The crank and bearings are in very nice shape. Most everything needed a good soaking in the hot tank and a pressure wash. Here are the old pistons.
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I can see why this engine failed. It was sucking air all over the place. The crank seals were both pooched. The intake sides of the jugs were really beat up. This part I don't understand. I looked like someone had been hitting them with something. I put them in the mill and faced 0.015" off the intake side and then 0.007" off the exhaust side to square everything up. The exhaust side loaded with carbon scale. It couldn't be scraped off. It would have taken me hours. I media blasted it instead.
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The heads were really loaded up with carbon and junk. I mean loaded! It was like a thick scale! I put hem in the lathe and polished it all off.
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The case halves cleaned up nice.
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The stator looks like new. Nothing to worry about here. Except maybe age.
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Lastly, the rubber dampeners. I have one. Can anyone hook me up with 3 more?
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buckeyetrailfire
Posts: 241
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:26 pm
Real Name: Mark Elliott
Location: Springboro Ohio

Re: 1980 Spitfire rehab

Post by buckeyetrailfire »

Nice find for a case of beer . I wonder what one could get for 2 cases ? Nice clean :letitsnow:
1979 Trailfire 440
1980 Trailfire 340
1980 sportfire
kube1
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 1:56 pm
Location: Canada

Re: 1980 Spitfire rehab

Post by kube1 »

Well, my pistons showed up yesterday and they are fine. The rings are a different story however. I was told they were chrome rings and they are not. I am a little pissed. Does anyone have any 0.01" over chrome rings to sell? I think 0.02" over could be made to fit maybe as well.
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