my invader 440 project

[JosephNiemi]

my '78 invader,  building it into some sort of race sled.  a sled to take out to duane's and grass drag at least.  looks like it has had some newer parts put on it at some point.  new rear suspension, driveshaft, chaincase.  i cut a whole bunch of stuff off of it,  should be a fun sled to grass drag.  I put 120 studs in it,  thats all the holes i could really stand to drill.  just thought you guys might like to see,  get this one out of the way so i can get back to my interceptors.

[JosephNiemi]

made a rear close-off panel today.  just gotta pick up a foot of snow flap material and some lanyards and that should be isr legal,  if i grass drag it at an isr event.  found a cool led taillight on ebay for it too.  not sure if i want to make a gas tank for it,  i will probably buy the 5-qt. plastic tank from wahl for $45 and make a platform to mount it on.  got a nice little list going for wahl...gotta take it easy though...im trying not to break the bank with this sled!  i only decided to build it because my dad has soo many parts laying around his place.

[invader87]

Looks good so far. Keep the picks coming!!!

[JosephNiemi]

i just cant decide what color to paint it.  black...red...black and red...some kawi color, are the 1980 4/6's dark green?  they look like a dark metallic green in the brochure.  im just kind of thinking not the bright green,  if i make a sled bright green it will be a t.o.c. replica.

[Tory944]

  I know it's not Kawasaki flavors but I thought about using the Rupp "red and black" hood scheme for an Invader project.  I especially like the 3D snowpro hood colors.  I think you might change your mind from one day to the next.  One things for sure...  almost any color looks good with a "nice paint job".
  I started an 80' Invader project last fall, but I got sidetracked.  I bought an 80' that had been stripped and painted lime green (by someone else) with some black hood accents.  I thought I would repaint, but somedays it looks pretty cool...  I dunno.  I have an 80' LTD motor that's been rebuilt/ported with an electronics swap over I was gonna drop in.  About 15 yrs ago I did an Invader mod and painted the hood and windshield "BLACK" and left the subtle silver Kawi emblem on the hood... I had alot of looks (stealth)...  until the sled got away from its jack stand and went through my fathers garage door (ruined a set of AAEN pipes!~!).  Looking forward to checking out your paint scheme!  Keep us posted!

[JosephNiemi]

i am between red/black, blue/black, blue/white....i have colored so many of these little white invader hoods,  it is kinda fun if i get too bored.  i am just going to spray paint this hood,  but i should be able to do a decent job.

looks like i am going to rewire the whole sled,  after a sled this old passed through who knows how many hands,  you find wiring like this i guess.  looks like they broke the bulb socket and wrapped the wires around the contacts and taped it up.  there are bare wire spots here and there and a few places look like they got HOT.

[Tory944]

    ...  wiring looks familiar.   I am guessing you'd be more surprised if it were perfect.

[JosephNiemi]

would be shocked if it was perfect 
but the old bulb socket thing was new one to me...i usually just find loose butt-splices and bare wires.  oh well,  moving everything around and i will need less stuff and i can run the wires for a clean look.

[JosephNiemi]

working a bit more on my "gauge panel" today,  just need a 2" hole for the temp gauge.  made a custom bracket to mount the digatron tach,  everything should clear the steering post and the fuel tank.  alot of those wires will be gone too, i will cut them away as i run new ones from here to there.

the exhaust was my big question mark,  but my dad had these stock blizzard 9500 pipes hanging amongst all his race pipes.  he said since he has no use for them,  we can cut them up and tune them for the kawi!  his knowledge and extreme confidence gives me confidence that they will work great.  heck,  if he can get '77 Z mod pipes to rip on a moto-ski bullet,  this should be easy for him   

[thomy]

On that bottom image, what is that tunnel with the trailing arm set-up? are you building a racer with independent front suspension?

Thom

[JosephNiemi]

that is a larry rugland champ chassis from the 90's.  we were trying to sell it,  but we only got low balls or guys wanting us to chop parts off it,  so we are just going to hold onto it for now but its always for sale.  there are so many sleds between my dad, brother and i,  that it will probably take years for any of us to get to it,  by then it might be vintage..sweet!

[JosephNiemi]

i got the temp gauge mounted now,  so the panel is finished up.  just need to do a total rewire and make a new tie-rod and the chassis is ready to go.  we will see how long it takes me to finish modifying and rebuilding the engine.  i cant wait to hear some open mod kawi power!

[JosephNiemi]

the wiring is done,  just some small parts to finish the chassis.  when i finish the engine i can mount the pipes,  make a new clutch cover, mount the hood so it looks cool,  then figure out where i will put the radiator.  i cut part of the belly pan out,  i am going to hang some of it down off the hood.  i think it should look pretty cool.

i cut the invader saddles up and bolted them onto some aluminum racing skis.  the saddles that come on them are too narrow for the kawasaki spindles.  i might shave down a set of spindles to fit the more narrow saddles,  maybe.

[JosephNiemi]

made some more room in the garage by tearing down 'ceptor #575,  so it is hanging from the ceiling now.  I have started fitting the pipes,  looks like I can make them clear the hood.  I cut down the belly pan,  i am going to bolt it on the inside of the hood,  kinda like a little front air-dam.  been kinda slow going,  i hope to have it ready for some grass-drags next summer.

[invader87]

coming along nice. keep at it!!!