Early Run Cyclone

[jep_800]

Well guys, it's been awhile, but I've embarked on another restoration project, this time a 1976 JD Cyclone 440. The reason I'm calling it "Early Run" is the SN is: J44FE055703M, which makes it just over 700 off the line for Cyclones in 76'. This sled was located out in Pennsylvania, and my original intention was to buy just one complete engine, and a partial spare CCW KEC 440/22. However, the owner convinced me that he had the whole sled in a dismantled state, and he wouldn't charge much more to take to the whole sled vs. just the engines.... What are you gonna do?; buy the sled obviously.

You can see the sled was pretty rough when I began this resto, and of course the hood was broken in 4 places, which was common with these Cyclone/Liquifires as the hinge area usually broke due to the size and weight of the hood.

[jep_800]

The sled had an original decal from the dealer, which is always nice to find so you get a little background on the sled. TNT Vinyl re-popped the decals for me, which I changed from the rear tunnel to the side panels just so they are a little more visible.

I basically started with the engine, and since I've already re-built several 440/22 engines, this was already familiar to me. I did not have Northern Crankshaft rebuild the crank, as it was really nice except the outside Mag bearing, which I had a buddy help me replace it. But the engine received everything else new so I can be sure of the reliability, provided I sealed the engine well.

[jep_800]

My intention with the sleds I've worked on is not to create a 100% accurate example of how it came from Horicon, but rather they need to look good, and ridable / dependable on the trail. So everything that is a wear-out item gets replaced, and anything that needs to be reconditioned gets touched. If not, my experience is it will break with little trail use.

[jep_800]

One of the tasks I dread is installing the track, driver, and skid frame. I always feel that once this is done, it's pretty much downhill.

[jep_800]

Once the sled is flipped on its feet, the final outcome really starts to take shape. And you finally get to hear it run after days and months of waiting to get to that point. Anticipation is a killer sometimes.

[jep_800]

I really like the color that JD chose for this period of their sleds: Mean Green is probably my favorite color scheme they used. The graphics on this sled are so big, they scared me to install them, but as long as you take your time, they can turn out well.

[jep_800]

The electrical components can be confounding sometimes. David Clark helped me identify that the dimmer switch on this sled came off something else, which is why I was having difficulty getting my light to work as it should. JD has a green, pink, and black set up for the hi / low beam (and ground), but this was something completely different, maybe a Scorpion sled? Anyway, we bypassed it with a jumper wire to the high beam, and ensuring the switch on the dash worked, I now have a functioning light.

[jep_800]

I'd like to thank New Breed Parts for supplying many of the new parts that went into this sled, Motion Industries for sourcing some of the bearings, MFG Supply, Brock Weber on always coming through with NOS parts that you just can't find, David Clark supplied a spindle, a donor pair of skis, and misc brake parts, and Don Amber for re-popped items for restorations like this.

Oh, and Adam Luebner for hauling it from Pennsylvania to Thief River Falls.

Thanks guys!

[AirborneX4Special]

[400brian]

Really looking good Jason!

[snowmoer]

Great job on the restoration! This brings back some memories. My dad bought a 76 in 1980 as our first snowmobile. We would ride it double sometimes. Then the following winter I got my own 80 Sportfire. Then in 82 he traded it in on a new Trailfire LX. It always ran great and was just a fun sled.

[though]

Beautiful man, very nice! What did you do for a track, did you go all rubber?

[Platinum_2]

Always great to see another one survive!

[jep_800]

Haven’t visited my post in awhile.. It had one of the nicest shape 2/3 cleated tracks I’ve seen. There was just one broken rivet which I fixed. I have a 2/3 cleat on my 75’ JDX8, and a spare in the garage, but this one is nicer by far.

[nick80lf]

Wow....great looking cyclone. You're not alone, installing tracks and drivers is my least favorite job.