Author Topic: Old project  (Read 3471 times)

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Vader

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Old project
« on: January 22, 2016, 03:42:06 PM »
Finally getting back to Invader refurb. Bought a '79 from a buddy of mine who had been trying forever to get it to run. First thing I did was check the crank seals, and they were literally hanging in shreds. Some fresh pistons & rings, and the motor was ready to go. Well, that was more than 15 years ago, and then other projects came along and it got pushed to the back burner.
A couple of years ago I picked up an '81 invader with the intention of using it for parts, but when I got it home and cleaned it up and took a good look at it, I realized that it wasn't in that bad shape. More importantly, it was 100% complete except for a windshield. So, I told my 13 year old son that it could be his if he works on it, and he's quite excited about the project.
67 Snow Cruiser 207E
79 Invader 440
81 Invader 440
95 EXT 580 Mountain Cat
96 Wildcat 700 Touring
97 Grand Touring SE 700 triple
98 Formula III 600 triple
00 Indy Triumph 600 triple

gixxer6

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Re: Old project
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2016, 05:02:17 PM »
You might want to keep the 81 for yourself...the Vari-ride suspension ride much nicer than what's on your 79.   ;)

Interceptor398

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Re: Old project
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2016, 07:32:59 PM »
81 Invaders were the cream of the Invader crop!!  My first Kawi was an 80 Invader that needed a lot of work.  I picked up a 78 Invader from the scrap yard that turned out to be better than the 80 I was planning to fix.  Long story short I still have them both.

Vader

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Re: Old project
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2016, 08:51:05 PM »
Before I picked up the 81, a friend of mine gave me a carcass of another 81 with no engine, seat or skis that he found on a scrap pile in the far north in Kuujjuaq, Quebec. (Google it, it's super far up north!) The tunnel was scrap, but I got the vari-ride and the longer heat exchanger from it to use on the 79. It also had a gas tank with a good filler neck, which I now need for the 'new' 81.
67 Snow Cruiser 207E
79 Invader 440
81 Invader 440
95 EXT 580 Mountain Cat
96 Wildcat 700 Touring
97 Grand Touring SE 700 triple
98 Formula III 600 triple
00 Indy Triumph 600 triple

Interceptor398

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Re: Old project
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2016, 07:33:19 AM »
That is up there a long ways, wonder how that 81 made it that far??

Gilson435

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Re: Old project
« Reply #5 on: January 23, 2016, 08:12:16 AM »
That is up there a long ways, wonder how that 81 made it that far??

" no engine, seat or skis that he found on a scrap pile, the tunnel was scrap" It didn't.... :'(
69 Panther 372 JLO
73 Gilson 435
80 Kawasaki Intruder 440
81 Pantera,93 Jag,(2)94 Cougars, (2)Prowlers, (2)Z440's
2002 Polaris XCSP 800

Vader

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Re: Old project
« Reply #6 on: January 23, 2016, 10:39:32 AM »
That is up there a long ways, wonder how that 81 made it that far??

Up there, snowmobiles are everyone's main transportation during the long winters, so they've been shipping them up there for a long time. My friend who found it runs a supply company that ships containers full of goods to northern communities during the short period in the summer when the waterways are clear. He's always throwing a few snowmobiles in with the shipments. He saw the Invader remains when he was there on a visit, so he thought of me and tossed it into the empty container coming back. Tunnel was badly crushed at one end, but the suspension and heat exchanger survived.
67 Snow Cruiser 207E
79 Invader 440
81 Invader 440
95 EXT 580 Mountain Cat
96 Wildcat 700 Touring
97 Grand Touring SE 700 triple
98 Formula III 600 triple
00 Indy Triumph 600 triple