1979/80 CR390 Works Hybrid Project - Passion Inspiration Action

[HuskyT]

I have decided to move the meat of this thread over here from TT and start it in a whole new way... I rarely go on TT anymore . Generally this thread will be kind of a blog if you will as I work through the rebuild of this bike. Most of you will have seen most of the images over on TT but as time goes by you will start seeing more and more detail:

Here is where it started:

Passion, Inspiration, Action
I was bit by the Husky bug a long time ago when I was 14.... 1981 to be exact , when a few local guys in Vanderhoof B.C. Canada (my buddy Steve Wilde and I) raced our first 3 hour hare scramble /enduro race through 18 miles of forest, swamp, muskeg, river crossings and insane hillclimbs at Bednesti, B.C. Canada. I was impressed by a guy named Toby who showed up from Prince George B.C. .... he was the local Husky dealer and ruled the entire field at every race on his Husky.... believe me they were not common..... I couldn't afford one back then but I never forgot the first Husky I ever saw......

This was it ... a 1980 CR250 HUSkY and MXA featured it in one of their articles that year:

Toby lit the Husky fire for me... his bike was the passion and the inspiration.... over the last year I have slowly gathered the parts I need to start my new project.... no 2008 TXC's for me this year .... instead a drop back to 1980 ... here is the start of my project..... over the months ahead my dream will become a handmade, custom, unique Husky reality that will be passed down to my son....... he is almost 4 now and I have to tell you that he helped me lay out every single piece shown here and did his best to even help me move the good motor and the parts motor into place..... he fell asleep tonight with grease on his face and hands and a smile a mile wide...

I could have bought one off of e-bay but it wouldn't have been the same....I guarantee he will remember building this one from the ground up... we are going to do every custom trick that has ever been written about to this bike....together.

It all starts here:

Thanks for indulging me in my moment........more to follow in a before and after type format.... I'll include specifics wherever I can....

LET THE BLOG BEGIN!

T

 

[HuskyT]

Here are some inspirations and abominations

Afterlooking at Huskys' of various years and sizes, I found that no Husky is Identical to another Husky. They have been modified over time by each individual rider to his or her purpose.....( as some of the pictures that follow will tell. If some of you recognize or can claim any of these bikes , let me know......this is what I ended up deciding was the bike that I was going to build.... a 1980 CR 250 or OR or combination of similar....
This is a 1980 CR250 with an XC frame ( rear frame loop) apparently this bike has Professional Race history.... if anyone knows it's accurate history from the Midwest please post up!

after almost two years of hunting around I found a 1980 CR 390 motor that came from this frame. Some people have different tastes... this bike was obviously combined from many other Husky's as well as a kx part or two****************************************

As stated above.... people modify Husky's to their tastes and styles...

Here are more inspirations: Huskydogg has inspired me lately with his project....

These pictures are courtesy of Steve... Huskdogg

and his frame rebuild:

Can't wait to see the final bike!

And these are Motopat651's bikes (him and friends) thanks for letting me ride it! Shown Here at McCain Valley Husky Demo Days! (San Diego)

and a cool 82 430 CR I found pics of:

and another iconic 82 1/2 CR500****************************************

And another 82 XC 250

and a "Desert Queen" that I bought for $300 1979 OR 250 ... I've stripped this frame and will be using it as a test platform for my CR390 motor rebuild before going into my new frame****************************************

and someone's 1980 WR 390 ( looks well used):

and 1977 CR125

and MY 1978 CR250 Modified bought for $425:

and a 1979 CR 250

All of these bikes inspired me in one way or another or have given me parts for my special Husky. If any of you can claim any of these bikes, let me know.... all are inspirations.... I will add to this post as new images inspire me****************************************!

By the way ... feel free to post up thoughts and or comments in this thread****************************************

T

 

[HuskyDude]

Just Love New Pic of Old bikes.

Great Job !

 

[Coffee]

Based on the chunk of wood under the kickstand it appears Husky has trouble designing kickstands for quite a while.


Nice pics, thanks for sharing

 

[HuskyT]

And Now Starts the Before and Afters Kicker

Here is the Kicker. They are hard to come by in good shape! I am now lucky enough to have Two! ( always have a spare!)

I started with on very nasty one with a broken, sheared and seized bolt ... a few minutes on the Bridgeport had it out:

Close up:

in use:

Stripping down:

Degreased:

Professionally stripped cleaned and spline shaved with dull Nickel Plate for superior corrosion resistance and subtle Bling Factor courtesy of Coastline Metal Finishing - Thanks Eddie and Joe Padilla!!:

Now onto the next item!

Can anyone out there tell me how the O-ring goes into this assembly properly?

T

 

[HuskyT]

Airbox Before and after

Here is the airbox before and after....

Airbox mounting bolt before restoration with rubber washer

And now after Restoration:

Inside after Restoration:

And here are detail drawings for your reference:

T

 

[HuskyT]

Footpegs and springs before and after

Stock Pegs prior to restoration

Springs prior to restoration:

Foot pegs , springs and Bufo Bolts after professional stripping and plating with Dull Nickel for superior corrosion and wear resistance

T

 

[Picklito]

Based on the chunk of wood under the kickstand it appears Husky has trouble designing kickstands for quite a while.

I think that's a factory part... I got to build my Husky 430 right out of the crate... it came with a block of wood.

Hey Husky T,
This is a fantastic thread. I'm reading every word but will refrain from adding a bunch of distracting posts. Just wanted you to know we're out there enjoying this thread.

Can we have some more info on this Dull Nickel?

 

[Motosportz]

Very cool and glad you moved it over here for us to enjoy. Love this build. Look forward to more posts.

 

[robertaccio]

keepin it real!! Bravo Tim**************************************** Thanks for posting, keep us up to date!! Rob

 

[HuskyT]

1980 Axles Before and after

Here are some shots of the axles and spacers before restoration. My goal... make them better and easier to use than stock.

After:

Detail Left side of bike after:

Detail Right side of bike after:

Right side spacer before restoration and plating:P

After:

Opposite side of spacer:

Left side spacers after restoration ( note that both of these are the same just machined differently by Husky )

Front axle Before restoration and plating:

After:

WR Quick Pull Rear Axle Before restoration:

And after Restoration:

And a close up:

And another:

All of these were professionally stripped , thread chased and plated to a better than new condition with dull Electroless Nickel. Now more Corrosion and wear resistant than when new.... plus adds subtle bling!!!

 

[HuskyT]

1980 Chain Tensioners Before and after!

All of these were professionally stripped , thread chased and plated to a better than new condition with dull Electroless Nickel. Now more Corrosion and wear resistant than when new.... plus adds subtle bling!!!

Before ( shown sandblasted) :

After :

T

 

[robertaccio]

its funny how the Swedes strength quality was always great but the finishing was always a bit rough on the bit parts, my last Swede Husky was the 1986 510TX, after dialing it in (basically blue printing it) that thing ripped, and nothing snapped or broke, but man some of the bits like you are cleaning up were really rough. Keep up the great work, Rob

 

[HuskyT]

Vintage Sunline Shifters And Perches Restoration

So I kept finding old beat up Maguras that looked like this:

But then I found some Vintage Sunline Shifters and perches on an old 1980 OR 390 bike set up for the desert. Not in good shape but worthy of restoration:

Here is a general picture of them before :

Some of the broken threads and adjuster still in it:

And another :

And another:

And the shorty lever:

Now after Restoration to a Full Flat Black Hard Anodize:

Up close Perch shot after Restoration with new clean threads:

And the whole set ......Now ready for new cables and adjusters... Dull Nickel Plated bolts/Screws and Cleaned brass bushing are waiting in the wings.:

T

 

[HuskyT]

1979 1980 Hybrid Factory MM CR Frame Before and after

I started this bike intending to build a 1978 CR 250 as It was the more complete bike. The guy I bought it from told me: I have another frame that someone started on... do you want it.... so I took it for $80 and then realized that I wanted to build the 1979 1980 instead....

Here it is shown with my Dog Lulu ( German Shorthair Pointer - all Liver colored)

Someone had already prepped it with this paint ( and no I do not know what the paint mix was other than Automotive) The 35 mm forks are very clean but have been stripped off and I added the old wheels from ebay. This was taken approximately two years ago. The fancy blue shocks were 76 or 77's taken off of an RM Suzuki. I stripped them and Ebayed them away. The swingarm was the 1979 Short version. This had to go:

So I found a Long 1980 Swingarm in poor shape. The kickstand had been ripped off and had a gaping hole in it. Of to my local welder Guru who soon had it looking like this:

I decided that I didn't care for the color. To stock. To Pure. To Perfect. I wanted something a little bit meaner looking. I had visions of Husqvarna Gun Barrels glinting in the warm Swedish sun! So I stripped it at Olympic Powder Coating in Orange County and then clear hardcoated it. The effect was amazing!

Here it is now:

Swingarm after blast and clear:

I love the color of pure blasted Chomoly steel!

T

 

[HuskyT]

Swingarm Before and Now ready for Reassembly

Here is a before of the swingarm

After - Now ready for reassembly:

With all new or reconditioned components and an Uptite Racing greaseable chain roller:

T

 

[gaspipe]

Wow. Makes me want to go disassemble my bike and do it again!



The low luster nickel plating looks great.

 

[Motosportz]

This '74 CR400 I hope to complete and race at the Hammer & Tongs vintage race at Washougal in June. Cheers.
Steve

Cool your local. In fact i thought you look familiar, i bet we have run into each other at some point. Do you know Scott Dubrowski that owns / runs Eddieville and Starvation ridge tracks and has all the old huskys?

 

[HuskyT]

Okay, I finally figured out how to post photos. Above is a photo of the XC about 6 weeks after I picked up the basket case. I rushed to finish it just in time for our Oldtimers' MX club's first vintage race, see photo below. What a blast to race the old Husky!

Still a few details to complete, but now I'm sidetracked on yet another Husky project bike. This '74 CR400 I hope to complete and race at the Hammer & Tongs vintage race at Washougal in June. Cheers.
Steve

Steve,

Simply amazing! You continue to inspire!

For me..... the best thing on your bike is the Tank..... I love the look of it.... it looks great. The black is amazing... the pipe looks really good to.... Someone did a good powder job on it!

T

 

[HuskyT]

Okay, I finally figured out how to post photos. Above is a photo of the XC about 6 weeks after I picked up the basket case. I rushed to finish it just in time for our Oldtimers' MX club's first vintage race, see photo below. What a blast to race the old Husky!

Still a few details to complete, but now I'm sidetracked on yet another Husky project bike. This '74 CR400 I hope to complete and race at the Hammer & Tongs vintage race at Washougal in June. Cheers.
Steve

Steve - can you take some detail shots of your rear brake backer plate on the bike in detail and send them to my home e-mail or post them here?

T