Show Us What You Are You Building? => Resurrections => Topic started by: EricR on November 24, 2019, 05:08:00 pm
Title: Elan bush beater from parts-
Post by: EricR on November 24, 2019, 05:08:00 pm
A couple years back I picked this well beaten, no engine no hood '71 Elan out of the boneyard of the infamous Ron "Goose" Thomsen one snowless day in late February. $20 was the price, the loopless 1971 skis were kept and swapped with more common later models with the grab handle on them. A some what intact '72 hood was plucked from his pile o hoods in the trees.
The track had good lug and it rolled nice as I surfed it standing on the tunnel while Ron towed me via the four wheeler to the truck. 8) I figured since I had assembled a good running 247 Elan mill out of parts (see a pattern here?) I now had something to drop it on. I deposited it in the shed at mom and dads for a year. A slack build needs a slack timeline. ;D
Initially I was going to drop the engine on it and go, but looking it over I saw the drive sprockets were disintegrating, the bogies falling apart, and some riveted patch repairs done where the belly pan had folded up in the past by someone with no welder. Thus I brought it home (where I live in snowless Georgia near the ocean) to re hab her.
Here is a tear down video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xg78CK6WZc&t=28s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xg78CK6WZc&t=28s)
Once you watch that video, you'll see why I didn't want to just put and engine on and run it! Had to cut the bearing cup and bearing outer race off to get the shaft out.
The next thing was the bogies- Elans run single spring units, I definitely wanted to go heavier. Once again Ron to the rescue, when in MN in the summer of 2018 I was given some bogie sets (he has them stacked like cordwood between the trees from sleds he has parted) in exchange for letting me rake hay and sling bales. I love running an old Johnny popper. 8)
I used bogies from an Olympic or TNT with a 15" track- they have four wheels and used dual springs. I replaced all the drive and idler sprockets. Bearings as need be, about 8 of the 12 bogie tires were replaced. Yes that's Cat yellow paint, because it was free. ;)
Now, lots of patching done in the belly pan. I did not waste any time making it look pretty. I re did my other Elan some years ago, spent hours skimming with mud and multiple primer coats. Now I like to ride an Elan the way they were intended, out in the woods and swamp breaking trails. A few rocks and now that machine has cracks and chunks of bondo falling out. This one wont, cuz there ain't any! 8)
On assembly, I found the track was shrunk. The remedy was to use rear link plates (what Ski Doo calls the plates that cup the rear idler shaft bearings, and connect the springs/tensioners) from an Olympic, as they are nearly 8" long and the Elan plates are 6 3/4". Worked just fine!
I picked up a good useable gas tank for $20 off a friend, and another guy I know was cleaning out his garage and I bought a pair of later offset forged spindles for a mere twenty bucks-
Here are a few all together pics- I am securing the hood with a bungee cord (did some pop rivet and tin splicing on 'er) and running an LED light on the handle bars. Not bothering with a tail light, this thing is not likely to go off the 40 plus acres of woods and swamp back in MN at the home place.
The muffler was five bucks at a swap meet, needed a little welding. The Indy seat was given to me by a friend. Belt guard from the trash at work. A toggle switch for ignition on/off. I love riding in the woods, and this is the machine to do it on. Like a trials bike on snow, geared low maybe tops out about 30. I wish I had taken gopro video when I brought it back to MN this summer, ripping through the prairie grass with no hood. ;D
Title: Re: Elan bush beater from parts-
Post by: dirtman on November 24, 2019, 08:03:23 pm
Nice belt guard Jethro!
dirtman
Title: Re: Elan bush beater from parts-
Post by: chris r on November 25, 2019, 11:46:49 am
Cool project Jefbro. 8) Looks like you'll be running into all kinds of stuff with that. ;D
Side note: The American flag John Deere cover.............. :(
Title: Re: Elan bush beater from parts-
Post by: EricR on November 25, 2019, 03:44:03 pm
No disrespect meant to Old Glory, hung back up long ago!
Title: Re: Elan bush beater from parts-
Post by: unobtanium on November 27, 2019, 01:42:15 pm
Nice work Eric R those elans are soooo much fun...light....narrow to fit between trees....float on top in deep snow....alot of trappers use them in northern Sask....only downfall don't turn well on hardpack not enuf ski pressure but 6" carbides will fix that....have Funn...Braaappp!!!
Title: Re: Elan bush beater from parts-
Post by: EricR on November 29, 2019, 02:37:11 pm
I did re drill the front mount holes above the running boards and move the first set of bogies up there, that helps on hard pack and I can always move them down for deeper snow. Hope to be able to do some boondocking in the brush this winter!
Title: Re: Elan bush beater from parts-
Post by: 69MarkIII on January 16, 2020, 12:04:58 am
I love this build! I've been wanting to do something similar with a '66 or '67 Olympique lately. Too bad they're getting kinda spendy. :(
Title: Re: Elan bush beater from parts-
Post by: EricR on January 16, 2020, 02:08:21 am
Marc, I have had a '67 super with a really rust rotted tub here for years. The only time I rode it on snow it punched the spindles up about an inch as it was rotted around the spindle area.
I have another much solider chassis to swap the parts to, need to clean out the tank and do a little running board patching first. It's getting a steering support so I can lift off the hood.
Title: Re: Elan bush beater from parts-
Post by: EricR on January 25, 2020, 03:21:41 am
Well she finally hit da snow, I call this a success! She's light and breaks the trail in the woods really good.
Title: Re: Elan bush beater from parts-
Post by: 69MarkIII on February 14, 2021, 03:12:11 am
Eric, you're a bad (good?) influence! I recently bought a ratted-out '71 with a cracked bulkhead and am in the process of putting her back together with the same type of build in mind. Only difference is I plan to go with a 335 and want to grass drag it this fall. Thanks for the inspiration!