With basic maintenance (bearings, plugs, belts) he rode that machine until 1993, when he decided to buy a newer machine with easier access to parts.
I went off to University and my brother used that Liquifire while I was gone. One day it disappeared. I asked my brother about it… all he said when I asked where it had gone was “You don’t want to know.” I was never able to track that machine down.
Fast forward to 2017. I was working a job where I often had time on my hands and started thinking about that old Liquifire. In a fit of interest, I placed an ad on Kijiji just stating that I was interested in a ‘78 Liquifire, any condition.
I received 1 reply. The gentleman (2nd owner of this particular sled) said he had one in near mint condition that I was more than welcome to have a look at. He sent me pics and I was super impressed! I arranged to go look at it and it was even better in person than I had hoped.
The only problem was price. The owner knew what he had and was asking a fair, if high-ish price. With three kids, soon headed off to university I knew I couldn’t afford it. He told me that the sled really wasn’t for sale, but that when I was ready it would be there for me.
I took some pics, shook his hand and thought “Well that’s that.”
Fast forward again to this past Friday. I had never stopped thinking about the sled I had looked at. Life had moved on, as it always does, and I was in a better position to take on the challenge of the Liquifire.
Thinking that anything could have happened, he may have sold it, it had been destroyed in a fire, it had been stolen, given away to a family member… I dug out the phone number for the owner.
I reminded him who I was, asked about the sled. He still had it! Was he willing to part with it? After about a 10 minute conversation we came to a deal we both liked and now I am the VERY proud owner of Liquifire #971.
If I had to describe the sled in a few words it would be “used but not abused”. Engine has already been redone with new seals. Carbs are tuned. It starts with about half a pull on the rope.
There is work to be done… my headlight and tail lights are not working but I have a brake light. The skid will need to be pulled and greased (nothing is stuck, just stiff). Track is really good, but if a rubber one came my way…
It still has the original round shaft, not the hex one that was retrofitted (the original owner must have missed that memo).
Sorry for the long post, but I’m excited! Bring on the snow!
