Some of you might remember my find back in the summer of 2009. I was able to buy the only known ETD '77 Liquifire. Now fast forward to a few weeks ago. I received a call from a friend who tells me he might have found another. My first thought was, no way. It has to be a consumer Liquifire with a juice brake. He sent me some pics and I did not see anything to prove it was one. I had a picture of the serial number tag and checked to see how close it was to mine. It was a dead match, the same number. I find out it has an aluminum suspension and cross country wear rods. I tell him i want it in my collection and he tells me it will have to wait until the end of the month. The waiting game starts and the research begins. Sunday he calls and tells me a deal was made and the sled is in his trailer. I was at his door step in 15 minutes and verified it to be a team sled. We made a deal and now it sets next to the sled with the matching serial number.
This sled does not have all the modifications of the other sled. Never had a Dator seat or cross country bars. It has a lot of the same items, vented chain case, reinforced Y pipe, cut off dimmer switch, Dator ski set up, Dator lite susp, juice brake and Dator clutch gaurd. It also has a Dator dash and coil cover witch the first doesn't.
After talking with Jon Carlson, Doug Hough, Steve Tabor, Doug Oster and Jerome Kretzman we are pretty sure it is the first Liquifre they built to race in 77. Doug Hough who was a mechanic at the time raced it in the first race of the year and was leading the first day until he blew a track. The back of the tunnel was messed up and the sled was used for short time to test and practice. The 4 new race Liquifire were built with more modifications. They were raced by Jon, Doug, Willie and Craig. You can tell the ser. # was hand stamped in the first sled I found. This might have been due to the other tunnel being messed up from the track and may have be wrote off for junk. This is the only way I can see the same two ser. # coming about.
Enduro Team Deere Liquifire X2
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deere memorabilia
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Enduro Team Deere Liquifire X2
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deere memorabilia
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Re: Enduro Team Deere Liquifire X2
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deere memorabilia
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Re: Enduro Team Deere Liquifire X2
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Cabindweller
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Re: Enduro Team Deere Liquifire X2
How about that! What are the odds? Congratts!
Old sleds are hours of entertainment.... then you get to ride them for a little bit.
Re: Enduro Team Deere Liquifire X2
Pretty cool Jesse 
To make room for it you better get rid of that White and Blue one you have and I know just the guy
Steve
To make room for it you better get rid of that White and Blue one you have and I know just the guy
Steve
Re: Enduro Team Deere Liquifire X2
Now this is cool!
Where is/was Patrick's sales and service?
This second one will get a full resto I bet.
Where is/was Patrick's sales and service?
This second one will get a full resto I bet.
Todd Schrupp
Milbank SD
Milbank SD
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deere memorabilia
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Re: Enduro Team Deere Liquifire X2
Patricks was in Brainerd not to far team race shop.
As far as a resto goes. No way, to much history to destroy with new paint.
Just clean it up swap a nice hood and original seat. Working on replacing the back close off panel right now and will fix the sides the best I can. If I can find a nice hood with a 340 decal on it both sleds will be at Princeton in Aug.
As far as a resto goes. No way, to much history to destroy with new paint.
Just clean it up swap a nice hood and original seat. Working on replacing the back close off panel right now and will fix the sides the best I can. If I can find a nice hood with a 340 decal on it both sleds will be at Princeton in Aug.
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nick80lf
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Re: Enduro Team Deere Liquifire X2
Wow, great story!!
80 Liquifire (purchased 1996 ~ Running)
80 Liquifire (purchased 2010 ~ Running....Now)
80 Liquifire (purchased 2011 ~ Not running - I officially have a problem now)
83 Snowfire (purchased 2014 father/son restoration project)
78 Spitfire ~ sold (should have been shot for this)
80 Liquifire (purchased 2010 ~ Running....Now)
80 Liquifire (purchased 2011 ~ Not running - I officially have a problem now)
83 Snowfire (purchased 2014 father/son restoration project)
78 Spitfire ~ sold (should have been shot for this)
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ICCSF 108
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Re: Enduro Team Deere Liquifire X2
Jesse, I might have a hood in Aitkin for it, I can look next week when I get up there..
Kenny
Kenny
AKA: Kenny, Grumpy, Mr. Richard Head
"I Hunt For it, Purchase it, Haul it, Sometimes Repair it, Sometimes Break it, Then Fix it Again, Label it, Warehouse it, Talk About it, So NOW, HOW Can I Take Any Less $$ For It?"
"God I love the smell of KLOTZ in the morning, That smell, you know that Gasoline/Oil Smell, MAKES the whole place SMELL like.. LIKE VICTORY. You know someday the 2 strokers are gonna end..."
Do Anti-War Protesters have reunions? If so what do they TALK about?
"I Hunt For it, Purchase it, Haul it, Sometimes Repair it, Sometimes Break it, Then Fix it Again, Label it, Warehouse it, Talk About it, So NOW, HOW Can I Take Any Less $$ For It?"
"God I love the smell of KLOTZ in the morning, That smell, you know that Gasoline/Oil Smell, MAKES the whole place SMELL like.. LIKE VICTORY. You know someday the 2 strokers are gonna end..."
Do Anti-War Protesters have reunions? If so what do they TALK about?
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Norton
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Re: Enduro Team Deere Liquifire X2
Jesse,
It is great to see these old race/test sleds show up after all these years. You are part hound dog, part historian, part wheeler dealer, and now have enough material as a museum curator! It is starting to sink in now, about ETD’s effort to make the LF into a full race sled while the up-dator was mostly sold as the CC sled for 77. Thanks for the pics and story and hope to see and compare sleds at a show too.
keith
It is great to see these old race/test sleds show up after all these years. You are part hound dog, part historian, part wheeler dealer, and now have enough material as a museum curator! It is starting to sink in now, about ETD’s effort to make the LF into a full race sled while the up-dator was mostly sold as the CC sled for 77. Thanks for the pics and story and hope to see and compare sleds at a show too.
keith
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JoeRainville
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Re: Enduro Team Deere Liquifire X2
Jesster,
I can't belive your excellent luck at find real live factory racers. Congrats buddy, hope to see them in person on my way to or from TRF this month.
Well done! (and this also proves that several sleds did escape the ETD dumpster!)
-Joe
I can't belive your excellent luck at find real live factory racers. Congrats buddy, hope to see them in person on my way to or from TRF this month.
Well done! (and this also proves that several sleds did escape the ETD dumpster!)
-Joe
Honorary Tech Editor
Chuck Norris doesn't get frost bite. He bites the frost.
Chuck Norris doesn't get frost bite. He bites the frost.
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IBLEEDCATGREEN
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Re: Enduro Team Deere Liquifire X2
Jess...some guys have ALL the luck! Awesome find.....if you need to make room I have a spot for all the stuff that goes with that cat grille in that one pic!
see ya around...Eric
see ya around...Eric
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sledder670
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Re: Enduro Team Deere Liquifire X2
i have a 440 hood you can have if you have i way to get it. nice condition
I buy sell and service all brands. Contact me and i might be able to help. sleds 2-liquidators, 75 340/S, 80 liquifire, 78 440 liquifire, 75 jd 300, 83 9700 skidoo blizzard, 86 skidoo formula plus, 79 motoski super sonic, 91 skidoo mach 1 x, 92 formula plus x, 95 mxz 440, 3 toni hiakonen edition mxz's, 98 mxzx, 97 mxzx, 77 skidoo rv cross coutry, 77 skidoo Rv 340, 75 skidoo tnt 340FA, 97skidoo formula3LT, 06 800 skidoo summit, 08 skidoo tnt full trail mod with nos
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Sprailfire340
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Re: Enduro Team Deere Liquifire X2
Heard DA might be making a trip to WI later this summer...? I've got parts in IN I need to pickup also. One way or another I'm sure we can work something out.sledder670 wrote:i have a 440 hood you can have if you have i way to get it. nice condition
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deere memorabilia
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Re: Enduro Team Deere Liquifire X2
Sledder670, thanks for the offer. I will keep it mind. If it works for someone to pick it up I might be interested.