Okay, I'm confused.

[Den]

Yah.
That's a lotta goo on under that exhaust.
At least it's all Spitfire parts!

[buck43]

I had the same deal a couple years ago bought one from original owner he bought it from dealer painted black hood and tunnel painted a dark silverflake had the rite decals looked real nice. I sold it to a buddy got it back last year and resold again now its in WVA.

[just_some_dude]

I got the sled for $125. The guy told me it was a 1978 when I bought it, but it wasn't until the other day, that it all clicked to me that things were weird. So far, I've taken the carb out and cleaned it, changed the spark plugs, just purchased a new CDI, and purchased some "just in case" gaskets and belt.

The throttle and brake levers, and all the surrounding plastic, is all broken and taped together. I took the windshield off because it was broken. The seat is ripped to hell. It needs a new brake pad. The sled looks as though it was rolled a few times, mainly because of the handlebars and windshield damage.

The guy I purchased it from mentioned something about a piece of nylon that is below the sled, between the track, that needs to be replaced. He mentioned it would help with steering. I haven't figured out, yet, what he's talking about.

It's a fun little sled. Really light.

When I first got the sled, I was running extremely rich. I don't know if a couple days worth of riding would make that much of a mess. The plugs were black and sludgy. When I ran the other day with the new plugs, I took them out and they still showed a little oil. I'm going to see what's up after I run the sled with the new CDI.

[JDT]

There is nylon strap, like a seat belt, under the sled. It is called a suspension limiter strap.

Without the strap the front slide springs lift (take weight off) the skis making steering less effective.

DK sells a universal strap for like $18.00

[80spitfire]

Yeah there's like 3 diferent ones on eBay right now, they're all going for like 5 bucks.

[just_some_dude]

Is that something I can just make myself? Seems really basic...?

[80spitfire]

I guess you could always try. I suppose it wouldn't be all that hard to make if you're good with a needle and thread. The only bad part about that strap is that it's probably gonna be pretty in depth. I doubt you can do it without pulling the suspension. Not that it's very hard it's just time consuming.

[JDT]

The strap can be insatlled without taking the supension out.

however....

As you have already learned that this sled has seen a lot of revisions and modifictions and you do not know the history of it.
Therefore a complete tear down would be in order if it were mine.
You never know what else you have to fix.

But fix it all as these Spits are a great machine.

[80spitfire]

Really? I didn't know that they could, I guess I've never tried though. When I had the suspension on mine out I just assumed that if it broke I'd have to pull it all out again. That's good to know that you don't have to though. Thanks for correcting me on that one JDT. I have to second what you said too. Replace everything that needs replacing, it's definitely worth it with the Spitfires; they're fantastic little machines.

[gnfreak]

i put one of those ebay straps on earlier this year and it was easy to do without taking everything apart. just look at the parts diagram to see where everything goes. it was really cheap.

[spitfireguyII]

thats cool here in ontario iv seen a few the exact opposite. 80-82 that is painted all green to look like the 78 79. i always look at the handle bars first its the one thing thats differnt and and easy to see in most pictures. straight up bars 78 79 and bent back bars 80 82