Rupp Collector
Active member
Mine is a 75 with a 440. Actually picked it up in Iowa along with a 76 250cc Snowtwister. For not being Rupp's they're both very neat.
Kawa-Bunga! A Project Sled for 27
- Thread starter skiroule
- Start date
mezz
Well-known member
A little bit of information I just stumbled across regarding Kawasaki. They apparently abruptly ended their snowmobile program in 1982 after their prototype sleds were being reviewed by Snowwest. They were to introduce the Invader 440 fan cooled when they decided to stop production. Here is an ad that never came to be, too bad the good times ended there.
skiroule
Well-known member
A 440 Brut and a Snowtwister in one shot is an impressive score. "For not being Rupp's", I like how you think.
Yes, it's interesting how quickly some of these companies ended their run and the timing of the decision. When they were out, they were out. Chaparral did a similar thing in that the production line was set up for the 75 models when corporate turned out the lights.
My plan is to use something close to the color of the sled in the ad and the graphics are available. Very sharp combination.
skiroule
Well-known member
Small Town (Friday) Night 
Probable overkill on the detail here but I thought it necessary.
With the hood repair work finished, it was time to sand off most of the spray-can paint job. Don’t get me wrong, you can do some amazing work with spray cans these days. This hood job was not one of those jobs and the color choice didn’t help.
I was never a fan of the plastic hood vent, thought it kind of clunky and it didn’t fit well. So, I decided to go with the old tried and true frame and hex screen vent concept, which is much thinner and less bulky looking. First step was to make a template of the opening, using the proper template material.
Then, using the old frame as a pattern, cut the outside of the frame out of a sheet of aluminum. Finally, “carefully” mark the opening, adjusting the cut marks to allow for a lip for fastening the screen.
I’m not sure how it happens, but it eventually comes out looking like a frame.
This is the finished product. The frame will be painted to match the hood, giving it a more integrated look. All that for a little vent cover.
Probable overkill on the detail here but I thought it necessary.
With the hood repair work finished, it was time to sand off most of the spray-can paint job. Don’t get me wrong, you can do some amazing work with spray cans these days. This hood job was not one of those jobs and the color choice didn’t help.
I was never a fan of the plastic hood vent, thought it kind of clunky and it didn’t fit well. So, I decided to go with the old tried and true frame and hex screen vent concept, which is much thinner and less bulky looking. First step was to make a template of the opening, using the proper template material.
Then, using the old frame as a pattern, cut the outside of the frame out of a sheet of aluminum. Finally, “carefully” mark the opening, adjusting the cut marks to allow for a lip for fastening the screen.
I’m not sure how it happens, but it eventually comes out looking like a frame.
This is the finished product. The frame will be painted to match the hood, giving it a more integrated look. All that for a little vent cover.