1979 390 Auto...

[390Auto]

this was in a storage bin since the mid 1980's.
original owner says there probably is about 20 hours on
the engine..... 1979 390 Auto.

i've not pulled the trans out yet to see how it looks,
but it seems that he may be right.... runs strong and
trans seems pretty good... i raced one of these in 1978~79,
so i've been thru the trans on them more than once.....

went down to transfer title, and they asked if i wanted a
red stickie, green stickie, or a license plate..... why, yes,
a license plate would be nice, thank you......

so it seems i'm the shiny new owner of a mostly unsused,
plated 390 auto. christmas in july......

 

[Michel Dufayard]

Arggh ! My heart.....

 

[motomwo]

Very nice! So tell us the story, how did you find it?

Marty

 

[jimspac]

It is actually a 1978 390 Auto and model would be ACC based on the appropriate 3.0 gallon green fuel tank. It will have a Motoplat with lighting coil if never changed. The engine may be a 420 after counting 9 fins and noting the presence of Husqvarna Automatic on the left engine cover. I do not recall that on mine but then it has been a long time since owning it. Check the engine number at www.husqvarna-parts.com

 

[ruwfo]

nice find, wish I still had my 78 390 AMX (automatic MX)

 

[grouty]

Welcome to the world of Auto's

Once you get the hang of riding one, you won't want to go back !

 

[motomwo]

It is actually a 1978 390 Auto and model would be ACC based on the appropriate 3.0 gallon green fuel tank. It will have a Motoplat with lighting coil if never changed. The engine may be a 420 after counting 9 fins and noting the presence of Husqvarna Automatic on the left engine cover. I do not recall that on mine but then it has been a long time since owning it. Check the engine number at www.husqvarna-parts.com

Jim, I believe you are correct as the 79 390 autos used the 79 250/390OR frame. With the large steel green tank. The 79 auto also used the same clutch side cover as the 1980 390 auto.

Marty

 

[oldbikedude]

Wow, like a time capsule....have fun with it.

 

[kanur]

Wow! Just Wow!

 

[390Auto]

It is actually a 1978 390 Auto and model would be ACC based on the appropriate 3.0 gallon green fuel tank. It will have a Motoplat with lighting coil if never changed. The engine may be a 420 after counting 9 fins and noting the presence of Husqvarna Automatic on the left engine cover. I do not recall that on mine but then it has been a long time since owning it. Check the engine number at www.husqvarna-parts.com

thanks for the link, and the info. i've got the original title, and original temp identification.
i started looking a bit on the S/N page...

i owned a '78 390 amx back when, and that bike came with 2 gallon green alloy tank,
and no lettering on the engine case. was bought from the same dealer this one came from.
action cycle in huntington beach. kenny weems.

now, this one gets different....

bike was purchased 02-10-79 original pink is model year 1979
frame number is ML30xxx which makes frame 1978.

engine number series starts with 2077, which makes
engine 1980 model year. dunno about displacement, yet.

no chance that things were changed. this is the way it came from husky.
small manufacturers sometimes get a bit relaxed in pairing stuff up,
if there isn't a lot of change from one year to the other. it's funny it
would span two years tho.

i've got a beta, and those in 2014 came in 2 stroke RR flavor.... what i've
seen is that the 2 stroke 300 RR red sticker bike, came with some
vin numbers that were from the RS dual purpose 4 stroke line....
and once you registered it red stickie, and pinned the vin to a red stickie,
you were toast, but.... if you checked the vin before registering it, and it
came up RS model type, you could plate it effortlessly. seen it done twice
so far.

so, anyway, it's an odd duck in a couple of ways. i'm gonna pull out the
clutch pack and take a peek inside monday, not a full tear down, just a peek
to see if all looks well.. the it and the beta are going up to kennedy meadows
for a couple days. i grafted a spark arrester on the thing, so it's USFS approved,
i'm not changing fenders or mounting plates... the plate and registration can
slide down inside my camelback if i need them.

screw it. i'm going riding. the last one was wicked fast in the woods.
this one should be similar.

but then again, to think about it, the older i get, the faster i was.
we'll start simple. try not to have to test drive the 406 locator beacon.

 

[390Auto]

Very nice! So tell us the story, how did you find it?

Marty

i didn't find it.

the welder two doors down from my shop has tons of vintage stuff.
RD 400's, RZ350LC's, you get the idea... we were talking about bikes
and i mentioned this auto i'd had, and how i was still annoyed i'd
sold it, and wished i could find another, and the thing i was most PO'd
about was the one i had was plated.... and i was never gonna be able to
do that again...

three weeks ago, he finds this on craigslist, didn't have my phone number,
texts the link to my buddy, who forwards it to me. i call the guy up, he's about
5 miles from my house, go over, and look at it. bought it on the spot.

he'd put a fresh set of tires on it. that was it. original knobbies wouldn't hold air any more.
had the original air cleaner element. original everything. i'm looking at the chain guides,
and they aren't worn, the frame rails and pegs still have paint on them. pulled the slide
out of the carb, and there is no wear marks on either the needle or slide.

the fellow i bought it from has a second one, that was in parts, and he's
having that one refurbished. it's got trans issues. last i saw, george was whittling
a fresh end on the dogs on the end of the trans shaft.

 

[jimspac]

2077 is for 1980 390 Auto. Difference would be cylinder stud spaced wider for future upgrade to 420

 

[grouty]

The engine number doesn't really mean anything with the Auto's. The small sprocket cover that has the plate on it will fit 360 upwards. It may have been changed after it broke. But if it is as original as you say ....