Thanks guys, I guess I'm drawn to the late 60's or very early 70's with the cheetah print on the seats and the front ends that don't resemble anything of the sleds from about '75 or later.
Gary, now you've narrowed the search criteria considerably. I have to admit the cheetah/leopard (whichever it is) print, while a little cheesy, put the cat look on the Cat. I have a friend that says the late 60's sleds looked like little cars with tracks.
Since this sled is in your window of interest, close by, and figuring in your time and the cost of fuel to pick something else up, you might have some room to up the offer a little. Maybe offer him $200 cash on the spot. After all, you're making his sale easier as well. If you can get it for around that price range, you don't have much in it if it doesn't work out as planned.
One nice thing about the cats is they went with an unpainted aluminum tunnel early in the game. No rust and very little or no grinding/sanding. If the mounting plates are steel, that's about the only thing that needs sanding/blasting and repainting.
If the motor has spark, it's bucking the odds (most don't from sitting and points/condensors were a little problematic). Points/condensor replacement is almost automatic and should be done anyway just for reliability reasons. Sometimes flywheel removal can be a bear on these old motors but with the right puller they'll usually come off.
One of the Vintage Sled ads mentioned installing a rectifier in the wiring system on a late 60s' Cat that supposedly eliminated the headlight burn-out problem that Gary "South of Lambeau Field" mentioned.
If you decide to work a deal, keep us informed. It makes for great reading in the off season.
