KawasakiTrax Community

General Category => Kawasaki Owners => Topic started by: Tory944 on December 17, 2014, 02:21:46 PM

Title: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: Tory944 on December 17, 2014, 02:21:46 PM
  Just finished up my Drifter today!  Seems to run well...  got a new windshield and waxed her up.  Of course there is  no snow left and it is POURING!  Oh well.  Going to get the 82' LTD ready next...  just found a NOS windshield for it!  It wasn't cheap, but it's the only one the gentleman had left...  The 82' should clean up nice.  A new windshield always makes a sled look- takes your eyes off the little bumps and bruises ;D
Title: Re: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: rminier on December 17, 2014, 03:41:07 PM
Sheesh...that was quick. You must have found a carb that worked :D ;D. A hundred and thirty some miles? That's REDIKULUS! Like Kawhead mentioned...pics when you have time. Forget the LTD For now...we need pics 8). Enjoy!
Title: Re: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: Tory944 on December 17, 2014, 04:12:18 PM
O.k.  pictures tomorrow.  Had a carburetor on the shelf - just needed all the correct jets, etc. :)  I set up the sled with the 77' Jet specs.  No econo jet.  Thanks for the info!
Title: Re: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: Interceptor398 on December 17, 2014, 07:30:30 PM
You are a very busy guy!!
Title: Re: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: Tory944 on December 18, 2014, 03:34:53 PM
  O.k...   here are some pics.  I had it out in the yard (slush) for about 1/2 hr.  This was one of the sleds that came from the Nebraska warehouse.  Most all of these sleds were used for advertising, promotional pictures, etc.  Many were in rough shape, but this one managed to survive.  You can probably imagine what a sled would look like sitting in the back of a warehouse for 35 years!  It took ALOT of elbow grease and patience, but worth it!  Fun little sled...  sorry I couldn't shoot some pics of the Drifter "drifting" but hopefully some snow in the near future.   Enjoy!
Title: Re: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: Joel on December 18, 2014, 07:32:18 PM
Looks great also looks familiar. Joel
Title: Re: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: rminier on December 19, 2014, 04:47:13 AM
VERY nice! Thanks for the pics. :)
Title: Re: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: Dandb7 on December 19, 2014, 07:36:33 AM
Looks real clean....another ''survivor'' back to life !!

Did you add some vents ? Or does the Drifter come like that ?

Will be wishing you some snow for Xmas...  :-)
Title: Re: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: Tory944 on December 19, 2014, 08:12:51 AM
Pretty sure all the hood vents are original...   I know that some of the Nebraska "warehouse" sleds also had some prototype items added.  Funny you should ask about the vents.  The vent below the pull cord (on the hood) has what looks like a partial decal (underneath) where the vent is.  Maybe some of you guys with 79' Drifters can confirm this vent on yours.  The sled was never registered, so if that vent or any others were added...  it would have been through Kawasaki.  The 79' 340 Invader I have (also from the warehouse) used an Interceptor rear snow flap instead of the "K" flap.  If you look at that Interceptor flap it was clearly added at the factory...  the rivets are original as is the rear bumper.  You can't drill out the rivets without taking off the bumper.  That sled also has very low miles and can't imagine someone needing to "replace" the sno flap!
Title: Re: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: kawhead on December 19, 2014, 12:05:15 PM
those vents are for the h d cooling kit....after being photo sleds they were prob used for product development...
Title: Re: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: bbap on December 19, 2014, 12:33:06 PM
I have the same right side vent on my 79 340 Drifter.  It leads directly to the intake horn on the airbox.  Steve
Title: Re: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: Tory944 on December 19, 2014, 01:18:41 PM
Good info...   thanks for that piece of info Kawhead...  took the sled out today and it is surprisingly quick!  I was pleasantly surprised.  Now on to the 82' LTD...   Electric start!
Title: Re: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: Joel on December 19, 2014, 03:30:26 PM
My 79 has the updated vents in it as well, Tory. If I'm not mistaken, I think it came out as an add on kit (extra vents) in 78 and came standard in 79.
-Joel
Title: Re: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: kawhead on December 20, 2014, 08:17:46 AM
it was an optional kit   
Title: Re: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: kawhead on December 20, 2014, 08:20:58 AM
i'd take the rubber 'funnel' off the air box if its still on, i've seen more than one suck in the choke roll pin, all the way thru the airbox.....but not the motor :o
Title: Re: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: Tory944 on December 20, 2014, 05:57:23 PM
No funnel on mine...  also didn't come with a tach.  There was a thick black plastic "plate" over the tach hole.  Must have been an option for the Drifter.  The plug was there so I installed a tach and it works fine.
Title: Re: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: 5kaws on December 20, 2014, 08:59:01 PM
My dad has a 1979 drifter  340 that has factory electric start on it.  I think that may have been a option also?
Title: Re: 79' 440 Drifter up and running
Post by: kawhead on December 20, 2014, 11:22:02 PM
pretty sure e start was dealer installed on drifters