I was just wondering what some of your projects started out as...basket cases, running and ready to go , or just a spare piece ya found here and there that started you on your quad.... I thought my Zilla was all set save for needing front fenders, but found out otherwise when I bought it. I first see it in an old dark shed, so most of its problems were hidden. But once the owner fired it up for me, I had to have it, then after a quick test ride a few months later(had to wait for the snow to melt-it was jetted for warm air temps) it was mine. Two days later it was stripped after I blew the head gasket, and here's what else I found out was wrong.....

1.rear tires dry rotted so bad you could pull them open w/ bare hands

2.shocks and springs worn out

3.all suspension bearings were dried and half disentigrated.

4.wheel/axle bearings shot

5.absolutely no brakes

6.grab bar fell off out in the woods(found it later)

7.exhaust mounts broke and it was hose-clamped on

8.coil elecrical-taped to frame(mount was broke)

9.air box full of mud and sludge(UNI filter was still good though)

10.thumb throttle housing was cracked and caused the throttle to stay wide open every now and then

11.frame spray painted dark blue(and everything behind it)except where something may have to removed, so the top half was light blue

12. carb leaked fuel out, and tank petcock leaked in the "off" position

13. radiator leaked and had a good layer of sand on the inards

14.seat latch is missing

15. fender support bars are missing

16.rear brake disc wore through skidplate

17.frame had some hideous rewelds(my uncle cleaned that up for me)

18. swingarm was cracked(uncle also welded that for me)

20. I have yet to tear into the motor(kinda scared)

And to top it all off, my girlfriend is STILL mad at me for spending $1500 for my treasure. Since I repainted the frame bright yellow, and bolted on freshly painted A-arms and a polished swingarm, its looking better everyday. Slowly but surely, its getting done.....So how bout it? How did your project quad start out? Where you better off or worse than I was? P.S. my project is an 87 Zilla....

 

Alright, we both have the same projects!!!! I think you have it better than me cause everything is there, while I have to buy alot of stuff. Here is a list of what I have right now.
1.Frame
2.A-Arm
3.Rear shock
4.Front shocks that aren't in great condition.
5.Axle
6.Hubs and all rotors
7.Tie-Rods
8.Broken Steering Stem
9.Bearing Carrier
10.6 tires(2 front, 4 rear) VERY CRAPPY
11.Extra set of trashed Douglas rims.

I am getting everything sandblasted for free!! And then powdercoating the following
1.Frame(DUH)
2.A-arms
3.Steering Stem
4.Maybe swingarm
All I can think of right now.

When I find a bottom end I will do the following
1.Put inserts in it
2.After-Market clutch
3.LRD Cylinder kit(comes complete with cylinder,piston,cool-head)
4.LRD exhaust and intake.

Later, I might upgrade to the following chassis parts.
1.+2+1 A-Arms (LSR)
2.LSR swingarm
3.LSR Axcalibur Axle
5.Front Ohlins
6.Revalve rear

Well, those are the plans for my 87 zilla project.

 

After reading your bio of your Zilla, I consider myself extremely lucky. I purchased my 87 Zilla back in 95, and with the exception of a few smaller items and a pair ITP wheels that looked like someone beat em with a sledge hammer mine was in pretty good shape. Of course since then it has gone through a complete overhaul, now it's a screamer (maybe that's me screaming at top speed), anyway I wouldn't trade it in for anything. I've added to my stable with the purchase of a 400EX, but for blasting through the trails and sand dunes nothing beats the mass power of an LT500R.

Good luck on project "rebuild".

 

mt '91 i bought Aug, '99 and it needed nothing... but it has needed some TLC along the way.. fall 2000 rear axle bearings came apart at sandfest, eating the bearing carier in two, fix: rad axle carier w/ taper bearings & durablue x-33 axle. Nov 2000- magnum +2 A-arms. jan 2001- top end blown, bored .020" over new top end & all seals. sept 2001- too lean jetting hurt the top end- light seize at florence, OR.. fix: hone cylinder, new top end.
other stuff i've done: removed headlight & switch assy. put on tether kill & button kill switches, e-brake block off, KX clutch lever, answer bars, graydon nerfs, FMF p&s(on when bought), sand skate II's & razorbacks on douglas .125's,
to do eventually: LRD pipe & silencer, works Front shocks, rear shock re-valved & re-sprung, AC grab bar, LSR or laegers swingarm, LSR steering shaft, pro-tapers.

my brother's quad has been a real basket case put together:
-when we bought it it was painted teal green, on top of a pink on top of the original paint. but that's only the beginning....
-bent crank
-bad counterbalancer
-bad clutch
-bad wiring
-cylinder needed re-sleeving and was ported...went back to stock
-carb was a 38mm POS... so we got a used stock carb
-needed reeds... new rad valve
-airbox was screwed up, replaced it w/ a direct fit K&N & outerwears
-swingarm & linkage bearings needed replaced
-small cracks on swingarm
-cracks in frame
-bent steering stem
-steering bushings bad
-blown out ball joints
-front shock bushings bad
-rear brake seized
-axle bearings bad
-plastic was cut, & broken in misc. locations
-seat cover torn
-lighting coil is bad

the ressurection:
- now it's back to stock color & runs good;
- AC bumper & grab bar
- stock A-arms off of mine
we've been bringinging it back for some time already but it's nowhere near done. to be added eventually: cool-head, X-33, works front shocks, +2 A-arms, rear shock re-valve, LSR swingarm, LSR steering shaft, maier race plastic, new seat cover....

 

I bought my rolling chassis 86 quadracer the first week of july and haven't regretted it since, even though the engine is in need of probably 65% of the parts! still looking for that engine!

 

Hi all.

I recently picked up an 85 Quadracer in decent but basketcase shape for $600. The only thing missing from it was really front tires. The motor(s) was in decent shape but disassembled and there are no cracks in the frame.

Unfortunatly I'm not fixing it up for myself but to sell to try and get some TRX parts for my other project... turning a beat up but running 86 ATC-R into a TRX-R.

The QRacer came with a front anti-sway bar, nerfs, and a durablue axle(+2 I think). The motor is getting a complete external polish hopefully and a reassembly. The frame and arms may be repainted too. I also plan on buying a set of sand tires for it. The plastic, pipe, and seatcover may or maynot be replaced also but the airfilter deffinatly will.

I'm hoping to get $1500-$1200 out of it when I sell it... I would really like to get my TRX assembled so I may trade it off on TRX parts I need if someone offers.

Chris...

P.S. What parts are you needing for your 86 engine? My second engine is completer except for a top end and a counterbalancer.

 

About 5 yrs ago I purchased a 87 LT500 for... $150. Yes $150 bucks complete less plastic and seat. Before everyone gets exited it was literally a basket case. The guy had seized the piston and tried to fix it himself. He pulled the engine out of the frame and took the head off the engine and thats as far as he got and this was a few years before I purchased it. So needless to say most of the hardware and small parts were missing (oh yah the pipe was gone too) he had a Clymer service manual though.

A guy I work with told me about this atv his buddy had for sale he said it was an 87 250 quad racer (the manual was for a 250). So I go look at it thinking it`s a 250. The rolling chassis is behind the garage weeds taller than the seat. The engines in a box under the bench in the garage. Some parts here some parts there. I`m looking at the engine and see 499 cc on the side (keep your mouth shut !!!) so I offer $100 bucks he says $150 I say sold.

I get it home thinking I stole this thing cheap but after closer examination the engine was in sad sad condition. Every engine mount in the engine was cracked both sides, the shaft for the gear shifter was bent like the engine was dropped, the kick starter shaft was stripped, all the brakes and cables are froze from sitting outside.

This is just a project bike I don`t need to ride it this weekend, I got time. It sat in my garage for a year untouched. At the time I had a Warrior with a 435 kit to ride. I wanted better suspension for the Warrior so I sold the LT500 for $800.

The dumbest thing I think I`ve done. I still wish I would have kept it and finished it to this day.

Hind site is always the clearest.

 

My brother picked up an '86 Quad Sport that was complete but pretty hammered. I got it running inspite of no choke linkage, shredded air filter, grit in the airbox and boot, various stripped out bolts, non working clutch, lots of metal shavings in the engine plus a loose exhaust. The Quad will now start and run, but not very well since the thottle cable sticks, clutch doesn't work and the engine blows out a lot of blue smoke when first starting.

I'm not convinced it is worth fixing up since the rear shock is blown, it needs tires, the rear disc is completely warped, the steering stem was broken off and re-welded, the foot pegs are bent downwards, the handlebars are junk, it needs wheel bearings and worst of all it has a loud ticking noise when the engine is running. I tightened the cam chain but it didn't help with the noise.

Any suggestions?

 

The ticking you hear is the time-bomb, and sounds like any minute it will detonate. Actually it looks like it could use a total rebuild. It depends on how much money you are willing to spend to get this thing back in good shape. You might be better off using it for parts.

 

i bought a 87 quadsport that was advertised as an 88 out of the paper for $450 dollars. it didnt run. the day i got it home my dads friend had it running. at the time i didnt know anything about quad motors. mine ticked real bad so we pulled the head. it turned out to need a cam, valve cover, rocker arms, piston, rings, cam chain, and to be rebored. at the time i thought i got a decent deal until i started replacing all the rigs on it. its easily cost me over $2500 and it still looks/runs like poo. recently i picked up an 88 warrior. my friend bought it for 1800. he didnt know anything about quads and he wanted one because everyone else was getting them. well he broke the clutch and replaced it with a hinson basket and full barnett clutch kit. all it needed was a tie rod and solenoid. i rode it home and paid $500 for it. it is excellent shape with a ceet graphics seat cover, new tires all around on douglas aluminum rims, DG aluminum bumper and armadillo skid plate on rear. i only put a coil, solenoid, tie rod on it so far but it suddenly lost spark. i think its the stator