Well, time for a progress report.
Bigbadfrankie has been a recipient of correspondance recently regarding this machine, as he has one himself and has been a fantastic source of help and support.
I bought this machine off Ebay knowing it needed some 'work', the ad said a new fuel tank was needed, with the idea that I'd get the work done end of last year and puit it to work over the winter. It lacked the drive wheels which normally come with an F400 which made moving it diffcult since they don't usually have transport wheels fitted. I made the fatal mistake of storing behind my shed with a view to fettling it when I got round to it, and there it stayed 'til about 2 weeks ago when I suddenly realised I needed it, urgently!!
Anyhoo, this was it as bought:
Rather unloved as you can see. As I have now found, the total catalogue of damage was the aforementioned leaking fuel tank (cracked & rusty), leaking axle oil seals (sort of knew that but thougth I might get away with them), missing belt cover knob, worn-beyond-repair carburettor, damaged clutch lever, frayed-almost-through clutch cable, 1 missing M12 x 1.25 nut (fine pitch metric thread, had to buy one!
) and a maintenance shcedule from the previous owner which seemed to consist of putting petrol in it..............and that seems to have been about it really.
You may well be asking "why the hell did he buy it?!?!?!". Believe me, I've asked myself that very question a few times lately!! It boils down to it being very cheap to buy, pointless I know when it's going to cost so much to repair, and there were none to be had nearer than about 150 mile away. Typically, as karma dictates, just as I've got myself around to getting it running again and managed to find & buy a set of drive wheels from Ebay, two pop up for sale quite close to me. Just goes to show, when I thought I was being patient and waiting for the bits to come at the right price, I should have just waited some more.
Anyway, some more pics:
BEFOREThe 'interestingly' modified tines (two of the outer ones should turn outwards, not all four inwards)
The engine, complete with knacked fuel tank and carb & dirty air filter housing:
The leaky axle oil seals with unique tine pin (bent 6" nail!!!)
The 'sports' exhaust, so called 'cos it would have been ruddy noisy!
AFTERGrafted on petrol tank from dead Honda GX120 engine, fitted using a home-made adaptor plate.
Grafted on silencer, also from GX120. This may change soon as I don't think my welds will hold.
Knackered carb body. Note the hole the butterfly spindle fits into is now oval.
Carb butterfly, nicely burred at the edges due to chatter in the previously pictured carb body caused by the loose butterfly spindle.
Inlet port, with what looks horribly like rusand or/red-brown dirt in it
I'll hopefully be posting some more 'after' pics soon