Barn find... now what?

[JDT]

So you dragged home a sled that you found in a barn that has been sitting for years.
You have decided to get it running and go out and have some fun on the snow.

So what do you do and where do you start?
I read a lot of posts on here from new members that jump right on the engine to get it running.

Maybe you do get it to run but the fun on the snow may only last 15 minutes.
A sled that has sat for years needs a lot of attention.
There is a lot of things to look over and address on a vintage machine in addition to the engine.
Chances are that you will not have much success if you start work on it saturday morning and expect to hit the trails later that day.

Another senario is the sled you drive by everyday on the way to work. The first time you saw it you stopped and looked at it with the $600 FOR SALE sign on it.
A few days later you notice it has been moved and the price is now $500. The next week you see some people out there looking at it.
But two days later it is still there and the sign says $200.

So you stop and knock on the door this time. The guys says it may need some work. He really just wants it gone.
Others have looked at it, maybe even drove it, but it is still there. You buy it for $100.

There is probably a good reason so many others have passed on this sled. Likely lots of reasons!
But if you think that because you got it so cheap you don't want to put much money into it your are not being realistic.
If you want a old sled to be safe and reliable it will involve two things; time and money.
Make that three things. Patience.

Over the years I have resurected over 100 vintage snowmobiles. Some I found in the trees, others in sheds. Some were bought at swap meets, others won on e-bay.
A few were free for the taking, others set me back $50. A few I paid hundreds for.
But the upfront cost is nothing compared to what it will take to do the thing up right.

A good rule of thumb is the cheaper the sled was the more it will cost to bring it back to a condition that is close to what is was when it was new.
And that does not mean restoring it to show condition. That will run you into serious money.
What I mean is making sure that it starts and runs reliably, the brakes and lights work, and it looks decent.

Ask anyone that has done a full bore resto and if they are honest they will tell you they have thousands into it.
I have nothing against restoring, in fact I have done a couple myself.
But I take pride it putting them back on the snow rather than in the show.
Making sure that all the original parts are in place and everything works like it is suppose to is what I do with most of the sleds I have had my hands on.
Originality and completness is very important when you go to sell a machine. Especialy if it is a rare model. Some parts are almost impossible to find.

[lwb140]

todd , thank you for spending the time to draft this post , your writings should be made into a handout as it speaks to the lessons and experiences of a vetran sled guy . wade

[JD_Sledder68]

I am going for "Trail Rated" restorations on mine!!

[400brian]

The whole " I didn't pay much for it, so I don't want to stick much into it" attitude, kind of burns my arse.

I have an 18 year old hired man, who has been reminding me of exactly this mind set. Gung ho, no money, no patience, and no time to do things right. Mainly what he needs is a few more birthdays I guess.

[S_Kyle]

I am neck deep in my first quasi resto ( rattle can resto to some), and quite frankly I can't belive the amount of stuff that is no good or broken. Granted it was an oval racer sled for at least a season so it didn't have a good beginning. But everything needs fixing or replaced it is nothing short of redicious.

Scott

[Cabindweller]

Right on the money Todd. There is alot that goes into getting a 30 year old sled back to dependable again, I have found this out myself with my 74 600. Time, money and patients. Like you siad it might still run after sitting for 10 years or even 5 years. but how long? 15 minutes 15 days? Something that has to be considered for sure.

Jerry

[I500]

Nicely said Todd. I passed up on lots of free sleds because i couldnt afford it.