1979 340 Drifter Project # 2

[dr1979-340]

I just picked up my 2nd 1979 340 Drifter this past Saturday.  It is complete except missing the air box.  I got it home and checked it for spark.  It has good spark and seems to have good compression.  It looks to have a lot less miles on it than my 1st project sled because the motor mounts aren't worn and the steering bushing are nice and tight.  My guess is that they ran it into a tree and parked it outside and there it sat.  The guy I bought it from said it came from a former Kawasaki dealer.  Maybe that is why there are no registration numbers on the hood.

I got it for $125.

I was intending it as a parts sled when I said I'd buy it, but now that I have it home I'm going to restore it.  I enjoyed fixing up the 1st one and learned a lot so this one should be easier, now that I've done one.

Now that I've got two Kawi's does this qualify me as having "Mad Kaw Disease"?

[dr1979-340]

Torn down....ready to starting cleaning it up and pounding out dents.

[Tory944]

LOL...   The disease has spread more for some of us... but it is not too late for you to turn back! 

                  HAVE FUN!

[dr1979-340]

Thanks Tory!!  Hey check out the 1974 trailer I'm fixing up.  It was made in St. Cloud, MN.  Original brand was Weeres but now it's a Kawasaki.....Ha Ha!!

[Tory944]

Nice!  Now you can bring you Drifter(s) over to Maine and we can go riding!

[dr1979-340]

Engine all cleaned up after tearing completely down and replacing all the gaskets and crank seals.

[dr1979-340]

I got the engine back in along with the converter.

Also got the deck on the trailer.  I found an old can of blue paint out at my Mom's house.  It's not OEM Kawasaki blue but I like it.

[rminier]

 Lookin' extremely good!! Where is the "like" button for the trailer??

[dr1979-340]

Thanks!!

[dr1979-340]

Getting closer to completion.  New seat installed.  Working on the suspension and skis now.

[dr1979-340]

Trailer is done.

[dr1979-340]

I got the skis on the other day.

[dr1979-340]

Ugh!!  Set-backs!!  I put the suspension on and put gas in it.  Tried to start it and nothing.  Lost spark on one cylinder.  I thought I had spark on both when I brought it home.  The Project # 1 sled did the same thing and I replaced the capacitor and it solved that.  Now I have a gas leak....probably around the outlet valve.  I didn't notice any leak when I cleaned it up and rinsed it out.  Heck, when I brought it home it had old gas in it that was there for years.  I'm letting it sit for a while because I'm pissed off at it.  I'll go back to Project # 1 and finish that one first.

Oh yeah I forgot about the chain-case cover.  That leaks too.  At least the hood is coming along nice.  It's sealed and ready for paint.

[dr1979-340]

Update:  Replaced both condensers.  Had spark on both cylinders.  Got it started for the first time.  Ran for about a minute.  Really hard starting.  Got mad and left it til the next day.  Got it started again and it ran for a few minutes and quit.  Could not get it started again.  One spark plug is very black.  No spark on same cylinder again.  Next up....change the points.

On the brighter side, I finished painting the hood.  It turned out darker than the first one.  Vintage Paint was where I got the paint.

[Checkmarks]

Drifter jealousy.  Reports are they float exceptionally well, yet to drive one myself.  But I dream.