The continuing saga of Niksons 1402 IMP sn 129

[turbinator62]

You appear to have forgotten the circuit for the remote mount margarita mixer.

I think that is Kristi KT7's claim to fame!

 

[Cidertom]

I trailer mine more than you do, but one I found worthwhile is isolating diodes on the tail turn signals and an umbilical to the tow trailer. That way the cat's signals replicate the trailers. The cats signals are in the face of following drivers,where the trailer mounted signals are almost on the ground. I also did the back up lights. Very handy in the gloom of winter.

 

[nikos]

HEY Turbinator62

Great work ( the electrical wiring diagram ) as always.

Nikos

 

[JimVT]

good to see you back in the game.
when are we going to have a foot race?

 

[turbinator62]

I think my running days are over. Even when I was younger I couldn't run or jump worth beans. But I was always real good at falling down.

 

[turbinator62]

Do you think they would take my Imp as a trade in?

The Ripsaw.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-9uzLBtMtY&feature=youtu.be

 

[turbinator62]

The problem with having a lot of time on your hands while recovering from medical stuff is you spend a lot of time on eBay. I found these mirrors for 20 bucks. They are for a Suzuki SV1000 motorcycle.
I put a set of mirrors on the cat back in 2013. The problem is I park the cat in an 8' wide storage container. The cat is about 6 feet wide across the tracks and a little over 5 feet across the cab. Due to my ample girth, I have to get it as far to the right hand side as possible in order to get out the door and side step along the side to get out of the container. A skinny young friend once parked it in the middle. I had to go in the back door and climb over the engine and shifter to get in. He must think I'm thinner and more agile than I am.
The tracks are wider than the body, but not enough to keep from peeling the mirror off the right hand side driving through the door. (Been there, done that.)
These mirrors have an arm that allows the mirror to fold down to where it is less wide than the track so it can't be torn off. I put some index marks on it so it can be positioned to the same spot every time. Now I just have to remember to lower it .

It is also streamlined for high speed.

 

[PJL]

Those look very nice. You will appreciate the streamlining at high speed. Less turbulence buffeting the Imp.

 

[JimVT]

my snow trac has a Suzuki mirror .it has been holding up good. lots of brush marks on it. at a closer look I see Kawasaki on the back side of it

 

[Nikson]

Hey Bud,

Great to see you still tinkering with it...

I'm sure that between 2 of us, the cat got a new life for sure...

Just to think about it, where it was when I first picked it up.....

Unbelievable...

 

[turbinator62]

Thanks Nik.
We could call our work the

SILK PURSE MANUFACTURING COMPANY
SOWS EAR RECEIVING DEPARTMENT

(I don't know if there is a similar term in Russian, but here we call it "Making a silk purse from a sows ear")

For anyone who doesn't know, this is what the cat looked like when Nik bought it. I don't think I would have undertaken the restoration. I usually tell people when I show them the picture that "you would have had to pay me to haul it away".

Fortunately Nik saw the possibilities and had the drive to make his vision a reality. I'm glad I was able to buy it from him.

 

[BearGap]

My Russian friends at Boeing have a saying, "You only cut a dogs tail off once". If you have to go back again you will get bitten. In other words, do it right the first time. Nik definitely does it right the first time!

Dan
777x

 

[turbinator62]

Getting ready for winter. We took the cat back to Ellensburg after sitting in my hangar all summer. I had hip surgery in May and Spine surgery in Sep. so I should be ready to go when the snow flies. I am anxious to see if the new Kevlar clutch and gearbox oil work.
I wanted to get it over the pass before the state starts salting the roads. I spent a lot of time this year on corrosion control.
Heading to Hawaii for 2 weeks. When we get back winter should be getting started.

 

[JimVT]

are you going to McCall in feb?
jim

 

[turbinator62]

No, that's out of our range.

 

[Tye one on]

Aww come on. Just a hop skip from your place! Everyone's gonna be there, you gotta go!

 

[backroad explorer]

Turbinator you gotta come to McCall just so I can see Your's & Nicksons work on My Old Imp.
Between the both of you Gentleman you built my vision for the 1402.

I Applaud You Both Great Work!!

Brian Hamilton

P.S. Stop by the N.A.P.A. Auto Parts Store in McCall if you come to Town.

 

[turbinator62]

We would really like to come but I am just not comfortable towing it that far in the winter with a half ton truck.

 

[Nikson]

Both cats turned out nice, my 1450 seemed to find a new home as well here in Cali, another "cabin" access cat it will become.

New owner doesnt seem to be very mechanically savvy, but has the right funds to keep it right (in my opinion), so I'm glad it will go on and be preserved and my labor/work wont be wasted...

I know that the IMP is fine while in your hands...

 

[turbinator62]

We made the run up to our cabin yesterday. We have about a foot of snow and the temps are in the high 20s. It looks like the clutch slipping problem may finally be solved. The combination of the Tribco Kevlar clutch disc and the John Deere Hygard oil did the trick. There was no indication of slipping. This morning I took the inspection covers off and the oil still smells fresh (not roasted) and there is no reduction of the clutch engagement force. This is after several trips up and down the mountain. I even had it in 2nd and 3rd gear. I couldn't do that before without the clutch slipping. It is finally working the way it should.
We had the rear cab so stuffed with gear I could hardly get the back door closed. I am a little appalled by how much gas it uses though.
I hope to get some videos and will post them later.

 

[JimVT]

I been wondering if you been out or still of at the islands.
you still planning on skipping the Idaho party?
jim

 

[MNoutdoors RIP]

I'm glad it worked out for you. We have had good results with the Kevlar material.

 

[wasatchjohn]

Thanks for the update. Glad to hear your fix did the trick...duly noted.

 

[Snowtrac Nome]

well replace the wisconson with a Kubota diesel and watch the fuel milage double or replace it with a small turbin from an APU and cut it in half but than look at the performance gain from a turbin conversion.

 

[turbinator62]

I been wondering if you been out or still of at the islands.
you still planning on skipping the Idaho party?
jim

We are going to have to miss the McCall show this year. Just can't fit everything in. I thought when I retired there would be time to do whatever we wanted. Whoever said that was full of crap. Between disabled kids, elderly parents and our own medical issues, it seems like every day on the calendar is full.

 

[turbinator62]

well replace the wisconson with a Kubota diesel and watch the fuel milage double or replace it with a small turbin from an APU and cut it in half but than look at the performance gain from a turbin conversion.

A T62 in this thing would weigh about 1/4 as much as the Wisconsin but cost more than the whole cat is worth. The 10 gallon fuel tank would last about a half hour. It would be impressive though. The exhaust would keep the snow melted.

The Kubota diesel would make a nice set up, but I'm just not able to take on a project like that any more.

It is slow, but I have also found that there is a fine line between slow and too fast in this thing. Especially going downhill.

 

[Snowtrac Nome]

just think how cool a t62 would sound while ascending a hill

 

[Cidertom]

Glad you found the issue. Sorry it cost so much to identify, but the rest of us know about the wet clutch and motor oil issue now.

I've always had good results with the hy-gard So that shouldn't trouble you again.

Take care, be safe.

CT

 

[turbinator62]

I want to give my heartfelt thanks to Cidertom, MNoutdoors, ben2go and mtncrawler for the advice they provided in my efforts to solve the slipping clutch problem. I have made 5 round trips up and down the mountain for a total of about 35 miles with no issues. The new clutch will get the cat going in any gear. It now will climb in 2nd and 3rd. Now that it is working the way it should, the 30 hp is plenty of power for what we are doing. A little slow climbing a steep grade, but we made the trip up in about 35 minutes. It would be about 10 minutes with a snowmobile, but I would have had to make 4-5 trips to haul up the same amount of gear and would have had to burn the same amount of gas. Not to mention being in a warm comfortable cab.
It would be real hard to maintain a machine like this without the wide experience of the guys on the forum.
Thanks again.
The last picture is a little blurry due to high speed.

 

[turbinator62]

I finally got some videos uploaded to you tube. This is my first time trying this. We'll see if it works. My cherry is popped!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odqwbzxxtZI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udwCYNKvDQQ