79 440 Drifter Needs Rehomed and Lots TLC

[northerner777]

Checking the Ser# and engine #s I think it's a 79. Long story how we got the unit but I'm attaching pics just taken. My son got it from his boss probably 5-6 years ago. He got it buying a mountain home that had it sitting on the property. It's been sitting at our place since then. I put it on a trailer to get the track and skis off the ground and to be able to move it. I put two new spark plugs in last fall trying to get it running. It ran only a few seconds. Let it sit since then. For grins I just now pumped the primer a few times and pulled the starter cord and she fired right up. I didn't let her run more than a minute due to lots of debris in the cooling fins. We don't know much more than what the pics show. Since acquiring it my son got married and now with two babies, obvious priority changes have come to his life. I just need to simplify his and our lives. Those in Colorado know this was a terrible snow season in the SE of the state. We've never had enough snow in Pueblo County in several years to even attempt to ride it. Neither of us have the motivation to pursue restoring it. I don't want to scrap it since it runs and obviously the Kawasaki sleds have a serious following. We're offering it to anyone in Eastern Colorado. I'm willing to slide it into the bed of my pickup and meet someone somewhere who is interested. Not sure how to value it, just make us an offer and cover gas unless you want to come down to Pueblo County to pick it up. She just needs someone who has the wherewithal to clean her up and restore her. I think I have my cell# in my profile along with my email. Let me know if you're interested. In case my email isn't listed use:  skyking310b@yahoo.com

[Interceptor398]

Welcome to the site!  That old sled hopefully will find a good home, they are great sleds!

[northerner777]

Thanks, I hope so. As I said, I don't want to have to let it go to salvage. Someone needs it!

[dr1979-340]

Hang on to it.  Hopefully someone will get it.  I wish it wasn't so far away.  I restore Drifters and would love to have it but I would need to arrange for shipping it here.  I'm coming into some money this winter so it wouldn't be until next spring when I could afford to ship it to Minnesota.  I'll check back then and if you have I may decide to get it if no one has claimed by then.  Thanks, Dale.

[northerner777]

Dale,

Thanks for your interest and encouragement. Yes, I'm hoping someone closer to Colorado will want it. Maybe as the Summer season draws to a close someone will see my post. But if no one shows interest, as I indicated, I don't want to scrap it. I haven't put it on my local Facebook Swap pages for the Front Range and I may not. If you are still interested, keep in touch through the Winter. Maybe things will work out for you money-wise and you can arrange its transport. I have a large lot so I'm not needing the space. I'm keeping the trailer it's sitting on, I just use the trailer to keep it off the ground and so I can move it around.

Roger Brown
Pueblo West, CO

[dr1979-340]

Roger,

That sounds good.  Thanks, Dale.

[northerner777]

Dale,

No one has expressed interest in the Drifter. If you still are interested, I realize that's a long distance to pay for a transport and adds a lot of expense to a restore. I haven't tried to list it locally on a Facebook sell/swap or Craigs list so I don't know of any collectors or enthusiasts groups in Colorado and how to contact them. I realize also Craig's List has its liabilities with a lot of looky-loos and harassers so I may avoid that route. If you're still interested, let me know. I've had it partially covered for several months since the pics I posted, mostly from the seat to the handlebars. It has sat unprotected for quite a while before it came my way. So as I said it needs a lot of TLC but started and ran for a few seconds when I was taking the pics this Summer.

Roger

[Interceptor398]

I have purchased some sleds off Craig's list and it went just fine.

[northerner777]

Interceptor398, I have also had reasonably good experiences with Craig's in the past but that was a few years ago. It seems to have deteriorated over time. But I agree, it has the opportunities for success. I may try to sell it locally but I wanted this group of enthusiasts access to it first thinking it might have a better end result for its future than to the general public. Still hoping my original responder is still able to take it. I've not heard back from him yet, maybe after the holidays.

Roger

[northerner777]

UPDATE: The Drifter has gone to its new home in Denver to someone who actually just saw my post last week. It's in the right hands to give it a new lease on life, much more so than I could have. I'm grateful for this forum and its focus on keeping the marque alive. Thanks for the views and support.

Roger
Southern Colorado

[Interceptor398]

Good news indeed!  You did a great job of being patient with this!!