Just thought I'd post a few before and after photos of my latest project. I bought this 2002 Mountain Cat 800 144" in January 2010 from a guy that, well let's just say he wasn't too hot on any kind of maintenance.
Here are a few of when I first bought the sled. You can see he was a sticker fiend. What is a little harder to see is that the hood was broken almost in two just behind the hinge, the bulkhead was cracked, there was no key, the kill switch, handwarmers and headlight didn't work, there were loose rivets on the tunnel, the silencer had rust holes in it, the pipe was cracked-welded poorly-rusted, etc., the seat and seat foam was torn.......you get the picture. But the darn thing ran like a top.
I went ahead and bought it and then because I wanted a 4 place enclosed trailer I sold my near perfect 2003 mountain cat 800EFI 151" which I found out tonight is now owned by new member Onlyinaxj90. I still regret that sale, but it prompted me to got the 2002 fixed up. I totally disassembled the entire sled except for the engine. I welded the cracks in the bulkhead. None had opened up yet so there wasn't any straightening to do on the bulkhead. I straightened a bend in the aft part of the tunnel, tightened or replaced the loose rivets. Plastic welded the hood, removed the stickers, polished it and made some new decals for the nickname the sled got from my riding buddies. Put a like new e-bay pipe and new front dump king cat silencer on. sandblasted the front a-arms and painted them. got some skis that were in better condition. Went through the rear skid. Put a 2" challenger track on it. Fixed the seat and seat foam and then made a custom seat. I made my own forward mount post like the CR Racing one. Made some pivot risers for it, polished the tunnel and fixed a plethora of stuff that is too numerous to mention. It came out pretty good. Not afraid to ride it now. The best part is I still have only $2k in it, not counting my time of course. I don't count my time because working on stuff is relaxing for me and my wife claims it is my sickness. Anyway, here is the almost finished product. I still am going to make some sno-eliminator type boards. Making them myself of course.
Here are a few of when I first bought the sled. You can see he was a sticker fiend. What is a little harder to see is that the hood was broken almost in two just behind the hinge, the bulkhead was cracked, there was no key, the kill switch, handwarmers and headlight didn't work, there were loose rivets on the tunnel, the silencer had rust holes in it, the pipe was cracked-welded poorly-rusted, etc., the seat and seat foam was torn.......you get the picture. But the darn thing ran like a top.
I went ahead and bought it and then because I wanted a 4 place enclosed trailer I sold my near perfect 2003 mountain cat 800EFI 151" which I found out tonight is now owned by new member Onlyinaxj90. I still regret that sale, but it prompted me to got the 2002 fixed up. I totally disassembled the entire sled except for the engine. I welded the cracks in the bulkhead. None had opened up yet so there wasn't any straightening to do on the bulkhead. I straightened a bend in the aft part of the tunnel, tightened or replaced the loose rivets. Plastic welded the hood, removed the stickers, polished it and made some new decals for the nickname the sled got from my riding buddies. Put a like new e-bay pipe and new front dump king cat silencer on. sandblasted the front a-arms and painted them. got some skis that were in better condition. Went through the rear skid. Put a 2" challenger track on it. Fixed the seat and seat foam and then made a custom seat. I made my own forward mount post like the CR Racing one. Made some pivot risers for it, polished the tunnel and fixed a plethora of stuff that is too numerous to mention. It came out pretty good. Not afraid to ride it now. The best part is I still have only $2k in it, not counting my time of course. I don't count my time because working on stuff is relaxing for me and my wife claims it is my sickness. Anyway, here is the almost finished product. I still am going to make some sno-eliminator type boards. Making them myself of course.