My new 82 250 XC

I posted before that I was looking at this bike. Well, this past weekend I made the trade. I gave up my 04 KTM 250 EXC that I've been trying to sell for a year in favor of this beautiful bike. It runs great. I plan on doing some restoration to it so you will be hearing from me quite a bit in the future and I'm sure I'll be asking TONS of questions.

I took a bunch of pics so give me your thoughts / opinions.

Great looking bike, Matt. Looks to be complete and all original. You even have a dent free alloy tank!
What are you planning to do restoration-wise?

This is my first restoration and I by no means am a master mechanic so I want to try to keep it simple, but well done. I've done some research on Huskyclub.com, I've looked at a number of the threads (like the one on HuskyT's resto), and I've done some google searching. I think I want to restore it to look like an ISDT replica. Basically, just with the WR rear fender, preston petty frong light etc.

I think the first step since I just got it is to get out and ride it and simply enjoy it a few times.

Once, I start the break down I need to determine what finishes I want on what pieces, what pieces need to be replaced etc.

My first two questions are:
1. How do you determine how to finish a lot of your pieces? Some guys paint frames, some guys powdercoat. I've seen a lot of nickle and cad plating of brake and control components, pegs etc. Is there a consensus on what should be finished with what or is it personal preference. I want the bike to look period and original, but I'm not looking to make it into a registry or anything with extreme detail.

2. What are your opinions on chemical stripping vs. bead blasting parts, frames, engines?
I know bead blasting is usually easier and more common. I noticed that Husky T did a lot of stripping. The negative that I've read about stripping is that the chemical gets where we can't. This makes me worry on pieces like a tubular frame. If the inside is stripped and I can't get there to seal it, will it rust from the inside out?

3. There is some metal damage in a couple areas. In the one pic you notice a gouge on the side of the jug that appears to be from the kick starter. What do you do to prep areas like this? Is bondo suitable? Is there a better recommendation?

Thanks!

Too nice to restore.... just ride it!

It would be an ISDE Replica. An '82 would have been ridden at the '81 ISDE at Elba, Italy. This was the first Six Days after name change from ISDT to ISDE.

Correct Hella '82 round tail light is hard to find, but a round metal body trailer light is a good substitute. Preston Petty light is more correct for Seventies, but '82 would have the Factory headlight.

You might as well leave the gouge..... It's the sign of a well used Husky!

Good luck and enjoy it!

I've posted this before, but here is my '82 250 WR with the OEM headlight......

Norman,
I found this listed as an 81' Dick Burleson replica. Would these be the lights they ran or would they run the headlight like on your WR?

I agree with with Norman, don't restore it,just fix what you need to. A bike is only original once.
The first thing I would do is get the nylon wear piece for the swing arm, so the chain does not start "sawing" into that. The blue vent hose for the transmission is ugly and it looks to large.
VERY COOL BIKE, I would want to leave it as an XC (just my perspective)

Regards,
Team WR

Matt, very nice bike. The XC's and WR's are my favorites. My advice on restorations/restifications etc. is gather ideas and info from all you see and make it the way YOU want it to gain the most satisfaction for your efforts. You only have yourself to please.
I'm a mechanic, so I mainly think mechanically first then cosmetics second so bear with me! If it was my bike this is what I would do, like I said IF it was mine. Replace/repair any missing parts, like the chain rub pad. I would look at the steering head bearings/races and steering stem for corrosion/ wear. I would also look at the swingarm bearings, o-rings and spacers for the same. Remove clutch cover and do the following. All the 82 250's I have seen have had misaligned primary gears, clutch gear is further "outward" than the crank gear. This causes poor alignment with the kicker idler gear and kicker gear on backside of clutch gear resulting in high wear of that clutch kicker gear, you will likely see that gear "sharp" to the inside. I machine the face of the kicker gear on the backside of the clutch .040 and add another washer between clutch basket and hub. This gives better primary alignment and kicker gear alignment. I would also replace the kicker gear and kicker idler gear bearings at the same time. While clutch cover is off I would reseal the kicker shaft. The shift shaft is a usually a leaker, I machine another O-ring groove in the shaft like the later ones have for another O-ring to promote better sealing. Clean coil mounting surface to have good grounding, I like the Yamaha style 2-wire kill switch, I run NGK B8EG plugs gapped at .018. Like I stated before that is just what I would do If it was mine and by no means I'm telling you what to do, Scott

Great info. Can't some of you guys move close by so you can teach me all of this great hands on knowledge. I'm a very visual learner so explanations are good but I have to get my hands on it to really understand it.

As I said I'm not much of a mechanic and have only been riding about 5 years. We didn't have bikes when we were kids so once I finished college and was out and independent I bought a bike and it has become my passion. I want to learn more on just the way motors function and operate. Any good resources / reading materials out there?

Awesome... no... INCREDIBLE find!! Congrats.

Yes, a bike is only original once. I'd do mechanical clean up and freshening and then go ride the heck out of it. As you enjoy it over the next several years, keep your eyes peeled for parts you'll eventually want and start gathering them up. You can restore it in another 20 years!!

That bike is what me and my buddies call "Minty" nice find!

Very nice XC and nice tank!
One thing I'd do besides doing a routine maintenance on everything (greasing steering head and swingarm bearings, lube cables, check fastener tightness, check nitrogen pressure in the Ohlins (185 psi), changing all the fluids, etc.) is to look at the details.

For instance, there are four blind nuts on the rear fender loop. Perfect openings for moisture to enter the rear subframe and rust the tubes from the inside.
I blank those off with stainless M6 allen screws and a little blue loctite. I use a low profile rounded head so they don't snag on anything.

Clarke makes a variety of plastic tank sizes if you want preserve your original or need more capacity.

Maybe find a MS skidplate to protect the frame tubes and then go have some fun.

Winter is always good for a major refresh.

I avoid powder coating because it tends to obliterate details like the VIN# but it is durable. I use a 2-stage auto paint and it seems to hold up well.

Peter

Peter, I've used your bike as a reference on a lot of things. I want to do mine a lot like you've done yours. Did you also paint your parts like your pegs brake components etc.? What about fastners? Did you have them
plated or just put in new stuff?

Matt,
Cool bike!! I'm jealous! Nice to see another rescue. Anything you might want or need to do to it, as far as basic repairs, is in the vintage section. Post up what you might be working on.
Rick

Sweet find. It is very much like my 81 430XC. I ride mine with plans to spruce it up over time. These old bikes rock. Simple to work on and fun to ride. Enjoy!

And what is the front sprocket? Not a Husky part for sure.

The bike on the website was built to original specs with the exception of a WR rear fender and tail light, a Preston Petty headlight number plate, shorty Magura levers, a custom case protector at the countershaft, fork gators, and Buchanan spokes and Sun rims.

All the original fasteners were replated. All the parts that were painted originally were done so again. It was totally rebuilt from the bare cases out. That bike was built to ride certain events and to recreate my original bike that I purchased new in '81 in the crate, but not as my primary rider.

I also built a second 250 XC from parts to be my primary rider. It's perfect mechanically and to the same spec as above, but cosmetically I didn't replate the hardware, installed used and new fasteners, a Clarke tank, and '83 wheels. It's great to ride hard and I'm not concerned about it.

So I guess the point to this diatribe is to identify what your intentions are for using your XC and then build it accordingly.

Peter