Next 444 Project
Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 7:28 pm
Hi All
So this is where I am at. I was going to start this project early last fall but did not get started until my Christmas break from work!
I started by power washing everything to get the top layer of 50 year old grease, grime and dirt off of it. Next into the shop for a careful dismantling and preliminary inspection of all the parts. Then it was off to the welding shop where I repaired all cracks, filled in all the "after market drill holes" !! and
repaired all the sheet metal, repaired side screens and hood scoop screen which is usually damaged. I should mention I was going to just do one Hus ski but decided to do the other one at the same time. (twice as much fun!)
Also, at this time now I have also overhauled both engines, clutches, jack shaft, track sprockets (or as Hus ski calls them - front and rear wheel) and both axles are done too. The new skis are tripled coat varnished and new runners are painted and installed.
After all the welding and sheet metal has been hammer and dolly back straight again, I reassembled to check fit of all parts and now I have to disassemble it again and it is off to media blast to remove all the old paint and surface rust and temporary primer and then back to the paint booth for a nice new coat of epoxy primer and a final top coat of Tropicalia Yellow.
I will give an update when I get more done later this spring/summer.
So this is where I am at. I was going to start this project early last fall but did not get started until my Christmas break from work!
I started by power washing everything to get the top layer of 50 year old grease, grime and dirt off of it. Next into the shop for a careful dismantling and preliminary inspection of all the parts. Then it was off to the welding shop where I repaired all cracks, filled in all the "after market drill holes" !! and
repaired all the sheet metal, repaired side screens and hood scoop screen which is usually damaged. I should mention I was going to just do one Hus ski but decided to do the other one at the same time. (twice as much fun!)
Also, at this time now I have also overhauled both engines, clutches, jack shaft, track sprockets (or as Hus ski calls them - front and rear wheel) and both axles are done too. The new skis are tripled coat varnished and new runners are painted and installed.
After all the welding and sheet metal has been hammer and dolly back straight again, I reassembled to check fit of all parts and now I have to disassemble it again and it is off to media blast to remove all the old paint and surface rust and temporary primer and then back to the paint booth for a nice new coat of epoxy primer and a final top coat of Tropicalia Yellow.
I will give an update when I get more done later this spring/summer.