Star Car build by High School Students

[Docjim]

This is great!   I was contacted by an instructor at a school near Waconia MN.    He would like to get on the forum with some questions his students have about vintage snowmobiles.     Because they are so close to Waconia the instructor (Jim) is joining the site and his member name is
Jkocherer.

Since his note to me was a great introduction I will post it

Food for thought, I am a high school engines teacher and the reason we are joining is the interest in working on vintage sleds in the shop class.  The Waconia, MN show is in our back yard and the kids are currently working on a 1969 Polaris Star Car restoration.  They have pulled half the engine block of a 327 Fuji apart to clean out the innards on and have reached a point where we don't know how to pull out the interior electronics.  Attached is the pic.  I see future potential to post stuff with kids to get feedback on. 

So here are the photos Jim has sent.   Lets see what we can do to help these future vintage sled guys




Thanks For Joining Jim and welcome all students  )

[Vintagesleds.com]

[Docjim]

Just a note.    These guys are learning and may have some questions that seem pretty easy to us.    I am sure we can all remember a time when things were not so simple.   There are no silly questions.    Maybe some of the questions asked could teach us.

[Jkocherer]

The engine model is EC37P, and the displacement is 372, not 327 (typo).  The kids have pulled off the flywheel, and are looking to get the pictured pulled off to gain access to the block bolts (speculation).  The goal at this point is to open up the block to clean out the reservoir and piston parts (dirt and grime).  A secondary goal was to inspect the contact points due to no spark being generated--they were thinking that the rust might have something to do with it.  Has anyone ever pulled one of these apart?  Thanks for the help!  Like my letter says, this is off of an all-original Polaris Star Car--and there isn't too much out there about them.  Even a specs sheet or links to replacement parts (gaskets, rings, etc) would be appreciated.

Kocherer

[mikem4]

I think what they removed was the starter cup for the recoil. You will need to remove the flywheel and ring gear. It looks like you have the nut removed from the crankshaft. Use a three hole puller and thread into the three holes on the flywheel. Be careful not to thread the bolts in too deep because you can damage the lighting coil among other things. Thread them into just the depth of the threads.

[mikem4]

One other note. If they are going to remove the stator plate make sure you mark its location for ease of reassembly. You will have to move it slightly to time it correctly after you clean the points.

[Docjim]

The Stator or the point and coil assembly should come of in one piece.   Mark its location as mentioned and just check point gap for future reference if needed.    Its hard to get books on these old engines so mark everything when dissassebling.

[vintage_snowmobiler]

Wow that's really cool!  The only option i had in school was an independant study which i brought a couple of my John Deere's into the ag shop and worked on them...  Loved it!

[beverlynsteve]

Photograph everything before you take it apart.  It's way easier to put it back together.  In other words keep a digital record.  You will never have too much information or pictures to look at.  Trust me, I am just finishing a restoration and all the pictures I took were very helpful upon re-assembly.  I took hundreds and could have used more.....

By the way...welcome to the site.....For your technical questions, you might want to use the Tech Help area.  Some of our Gurus may miss it here.  Maybe DOC could make it a sticky thread and keep it at the top.

[71SX440]

What a great idea! Some more new young guns to the sport! Hats off to you!! We never had anything like that when we went to school. But where I went to school it was a farming community and everyone that went to our school lived on a farm- where you learned to fix anything and everything. So this is fantastic for young guys and gals to learn how to repair mechanical things! I second the motion to mark the stator before you remove it- scribe marks into the stator plate and onto the crankcase- then on reassembly you simply line them up. Good luck- And we all like pictures! Indy REALLY likes pics!

[mercmike]

Excellent way to keep the kids involved!!!  All the best vintage guys are on this forum.  Any question you and the kids may have will without a doubt will be answered here!!!!   

[markcp]

Great project.  Looking forward to following this through it's completion.

Be ready for several hits on Chix on Sleds with the students now..

[jddecalguy]

Jim, Welcome to the site, I'm Ken Heins " ICCSF108 " I think We still have a buzz box ( for Points Ign. snowmobiles ) that will work better than a light to time the engine when your done, ( It's In Montrose ) When I get down there on my way to Waconia I'll hunt it up & donate it to your class as we won't ever need it again anyway. Right now I'm in Palisade restoring 3 Chaparral Racers for the show in Waconia. Give me a call @ 612-325-8527 or you can email me at [email protected]

Kenny on Chris's computer

[71TXman]

That is a great project, lot of good people here to help!

Is it me or do the threads in that flywheel look stripped out?

Make sure you use a good puller too, nothing cheaply made or weak...

[71SX440]

That is a great project, lot of good people here to help!

Is it me or do the threads in that flywheel look stripped out?

Make sure you use a good puller too, nothing cheaply made or weak...

I was looking at that too- but thought maybe just the lighting or the angle of the camera

[dirtman]

looked thru all my Polaris manuals...   multiple parts books on the 372 fugi but no repair manual.   was hoping to find one to let them use.  if you are interested in borrowing the parts manual please contact me.

dirtman