Started out driving down to Racine, Wisconsin which is south of Milwaukee and a 3 hour drive to pick up a Diablo 503. Bill M from Racine found our website and decided restoring his 503 was not in his immediate future. Bill has several other projects including two 1971 Sprints in great shape. He was sorry to let the 503 go, but I was happy as I was looking for a good 503 restoration candidate and this Diablo fits the bill. It is complete and in good shape except for some heavy rust on the chassis and a dent in the side of the chassis. The seat is in great shape too. Pics will be on the site as we get it started later this summer.
After leaving Bill's house, I punched in another address into the GPS of a Diablo owner (Steve and Betsy L) from Racine and I'll be darned but they lived only a mile from Bill. So I drove on over and visited. Steve has a 502 he just bought last year that blew a screw out of the Primary Clutch. We had a nice chat. He told me his father had a 503 years ago but sold it. Here is the catch, Bill and Steve both had Diablos and they lived a mile apart and never knew it or each other.
After leaving Steve and Betsy's, I ran into Bill again on the way out and I had to tell Bill about Steve and that he had a Diablo. In talking (pay close attention now), I find out Bill bought the Diablo from what we believe is Steve's dad. Now is that a coincidence or what.
On the way home, I stopped by my cousins and their parent's in Fredonia (just outside Port Washington). If you remember me telling before, my uncle worked at the Bolens Plant in Port.
Ok, more on that later. My last stop was going home through Elkhart Lake where I picked up a scrap 500. No motor, no sled, most part gone. This one will be getting scrapped out for parts sad to say.
On the way home, I'm at a stop sign in the middle of nowhere and a guy drives by and comes to a screeching halt and points at the two Diablos on the trailer. I pulled over into a parking lot and we talked for 10 minutes about how his dad had one when he was a kid. That's why I love these sleds.
Now the most important epiphany of the day. In talking with my uncle, he tells me Diablos were not assembled at Port Washington. They always came assembled from Canada.
WHAT DID YOU SAY!!!!!
My jaw dropped. I always assumed as many others did that Hus Skis were made in Canada and Diablos were made in the US. According to my uncle, that is not true. All models were made in Canada. How about that? Next time Barrie blames the Diablo Engineering on US intellect, I'll have to remind him of this.
Enjoy the day,
Bruce
