1976 DT250C Flat Tracker project.

[motomike14]

I have a tank from an MX250 that I run with my 75 DT250B mxer. Not sure if it's something you're interested in, but I can send photos. Inside of the tank is near perfect; outside is just primer. Includes a petcock.

[dirt_bloke]

Practice Day this Sunday, 11th of March. If you're not flooded in! I missed the swap meet due to being at work, but I'm home now. My bike is staying in the shed this weekend, the club still has no replacement Race Secretary for me. Anyway I've been too busy to prep the bike (yes what a slack bastard).

Anyway here are a few more motivation pics:
My bike Before and after:




And what you'll be doing when you hit the track:



(What a crap start!)

Get off the bloody computer and go back to the shed!

[Hunsta]

Originally Posted by dirt_bloke

Practice Day this Sunday, 11th of March. If you're not flooded in!



(What a crap start!)

Get off the bloody computer and go back to the shed!

Gday mate. Wont be able to make the practice day. Not even to just watch, as the 11th is my daughters 10th birthday.
I love the race start pic. My opinion in racing was to always let the hero`s race out first then reel em in. Ha Ha. Who am I kidding.
Computer is all I got at the moment. Frames being powder coated and Im not going to touch the motor til I have all the frame back together. That way I can do the motor and then put it straight in when its done. have truck loads of parts arriving from all [parts of the globe at the moment. I even bought some stuff (and paid thru the nose) locally.
Got the big Maleny Swap meet on the 18th. Hoping to find a tank and a few other bits there.
Craig

[Mickldo]

Originally Posted by Hunsta

Gday mate. Wont be able to make the practice day. Not even to just watch, as the 11th is my daughters 10th birthday.
I love the race start pic. My opinion in racing was to always let the hero`s race out first then reel em in. Ha Ha. Who am I kidding.
Computer is all I got at the moment. Frames being powder coated and Im not going to touch the motor til I have all the frame back together. That way I can do the motor and then put it straight in when its done. have truck loads of parts arriving from all [parts of the globe at the moment. I even bought some stuff (and paid thru the nose) locally.
Got the big Maleny Swap meet on the 18th. Hoping to find a tank and a few other bits there.
Craig

[hijack] Is the Maleny swap just on the Sunday 18th or is it on the Saturday too? Where is it in Maleny? I'm thinking of heading down for a look. [/hijack]

[Hunsta]

Well its been a couple of weeks since there was a move on the bike. 2 floods in a week then a busy week on the powder line, had me waiting like a 7 year old for santa for my frame to be ready. Well as they say all good things come to those who wait. And I was lucky enough to get it today. While I was waiting Ive been busy on ebay buying lots of bits for the rebuild. Unfortunately Im still waiting on a few bits, but I had enough to keep me busy for an hour or two.

Mmmmm nice powder coating always makes a job look better.



After getting all the parts inside, I thought Id start to put the frame back together. First was a new set of swing arm bushes. the book says these should just push in and out with no trouble. Well I guess they never tried to do the job. I had to destroy the old ones to get them out and the new ones were such a snug fit, Im hoping to never have to do the job again. One of the parts that hasnt turned up were the steering head bearings which was a little dissapointing, so basicly all I could do was the swing arm and fit the new shocks. A nice set of YSS shocks. They are 20mm longer than standard ones, which help with the load the bike will have to put up with and this should match the longer forks that are one the bike.

What comes apart eventually starts to come back together.


Now once the forks are rebuilt I`ll be starting on the motor. It will be a bottom up rebuild. Crank bearings, big end, small end, and a total new top end. Not sure if its been rebored before. Ive rebuit a DT250A before and got a full gasket kit from The Old Parts shop in Singapore, but this time Im having trouble finding a full kit for the DT250C. I did find 1 seller, but he refused to post internationally. His loss I guess, so ive started buying gaskets individually. Ive hand cut gaskets before, so I`ll make the stator cover and oild pump cover by hand, but Ive bought a clutch side case gasket. I did manage to get a full motor seal kit, but until I get the rest of my bits the motor and the rest of you, will have to wait.

New bits

[JeffS77]

wow I like what you guys are racing over there..more of a run what ya brung kind of deal..out here it is pretty much framers and purpose built trackers all running Maxxis and Goodyear DT tires.. I modded my '79 KLX 250 a bit and did a few races last season and actually beat a few guys on " real" flat trackers in the main


just threw on some shinko trail bike tires and a reverse cone on the exhaust..its a blast to beat the real bikes with it




KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK

[dirt_bloke]

Good one Jeff! K.I.S.S principle.

BTW, what is the tasty little yellow and white Yammie hiding in the shed there?

Noice powder coating Craig, how's the project coming along?

I'm still at work, the cyclone in the gulf has made it a wet week! The weather radar at home doesn't look too good for you getting out again!

Pete

[Hunsta]

Originally Posted by dirt_bloke

Noice powder coating Craig, how's the project coming along?

I'm still at work, the cyclone in the gulf has made it a wet week! The weather radar at home doesn't look too good for you getting out again!

Pete

Thanks mate. Things coming along nicely. Went to the Maleny swap meet today. Got me a nice tank. Its off a `76 DT100, but its fairly good on the inside and the shape is very similar to the 250 tank. I just have to move the securing pin 20mm forward on the frame to make it fit. I`ll paint it up and put a 250 sticker kit on it. And as my father was often to say "A man on a galloping horse, wouldnt stop to look at it".

[TheTrav]

NEAT! I have a 76 DT250 myself. I'm curious to see how that sister model MX250 pipe you have works out. I have a pipe from a 73-74 MX250 which looks alot like the stocker but lighter and more of a chamber.. however never got it fitted. I also hav a hand-made pipe that two of us on Yamahaenduro had made, but it totally killed the low end, and I have never been able to make it work really good up top, but it wants to rev to the moon.. The consensus was those guys didn't know what they were doing.

I'm anxious to see this develop and see how it runs for you! What carb are you planning on using?

[Hunsta]

Originally Posted by TheTrav

NEAT! I have a 76 DT250 myself. I'm curious to see how that sister model MX250 pipe you have works out. I have a pipe from a 73-74 MX250 which looks alot like the stocker but lighter and more of a chamber.. however never got it fitted. I also hav a hand-made pipe that two of us on Yamahaenduro had made, but it totally killed the low end, and I have never been able to make it work really good up top, but it wants to rev to the moon.. The consensus was those guys didn't know what they were doing.

I'm anxious to see this develop and see how it runs for you! What carb are you planning on using?

To tell you the truth I`ll be interested to see how it goes myself. The silencer at the end as I said was made for the exhaust, but never used. As a flat tracker, I will be using mostly mid to mid-high range so if there is any low end loss, it wont effect it too much. The biggest thing Im concerned about is the fact that its held together just after ther start of the pipe by springs. I`m not all that clued up on the way 2 stroke exhaust of this type work as the original had no joints and wonder about losing exhaust pressure through the joint.
Im using the stock carb it came with. Just putting a kit through it with a foam pod on the end. Ive also had a single cable made up for it as Im not using the oil pump. Im limited in what kind of carb I can use in the category Ill be in (pre `78), so there may be a bit of R+D along the way.
As for the rest of the bike I should have a more updated pic soon. Been trying to get a complete rolling chassis going and am being held up by of all things tyres. Ive been informed yesterday, that I`ll have them by Monday.
Til then..............

[Hunsta]

OK its been a little while since I gave you an updated pic of the bikes progress. Since getting the bike back from being powder-coated, I set about putting it back together. I wanted to basically have a finished rolling chassis before I started on the motor. I didnt want a new motor sitting round while I did the frame.
I had a hard time finding a 1976 DT250 tank. There was a few in the US, but they all looked a little cruddy, and the inside, no matter how they were described were really an unknown quantity. Also the postage was at times more than the tank itself. Luckily my favourite swap meet was coming up and there sitting on a bench was a nice 1976 DT100 tank. It was nearly the same shape with little damage and the inside looked in good nick. For $70 down from $150, I thought I got a good deal.
So I sanded the tank back to bare metal, then primed and painted it. A DT250 decal kit was on its way from the US and with a very shaky hand (I was nervous I was going to stuff it up) I applied said decals with as little bubbles as possible. A quick prick with a pin soon fixed any bubbles and then a few coats of clear over the tank again and she was good to go. All Im waiting on now is the petcock for it.
The seat was next. Basicly it was a simple case of recovering it in vynal and it didnt come out too bad for a first time.
The forks were given a once over on a buff to bring them back to a bit of a shine and new fork seals, dust covers, new oil and fork gators were next on the list. Then it was onto the wheels. The spokes and hubs werent in too bad condition, however I did give them a going over with a wire wheel and a touch of paint (I know. Tacky but it worked) they were good to go.
Today I finally got my new tyres. I have to run a trials type tyre on the rear and any type of knobbie on the front.
So there you have it. The motor is next. I have new crank bearings. Big and small end bearings. New crank and cugeon pin. And a full seal kit. I havent bought the piston kit yet as I will have it looked at to see what size over-sized set I need.
So the next time I have an update to post it should be a finished product.
Til then...............
cheers
Craig

[vudu]

Having one of these myself I'm enjoying your progress. Schweet! Which sort of trails rear did you end up using?

[Hunsta]

Originally Posted by vudu

Having one of these myself I'm enjoying your progress. Schweet! Which sort of trails rear did you end up using?

I went with a Pirelli. $149.00 The front is a Vee Rubber. Bit El-cheapo, but will do for now.

[Valleyrider]

Really looking good!!!
Keep the pictures coming

[anonny]

Looking good.