1969 Skidoo Olympic 320 Restoration

Flashback to restoring a 1969 Skidoo Olympic 320. Special thanks goes out to friends and family who contributed with this project. From powder coating to repairing and painting the old cracked up hood, you folks know who you are!
I usually hate slideshows on youtube, so this one is a mix of video and pics that I was able to bring together. Hope folks like it.

[@tarivard]

I had that sled when i was a young kid. This brings me right back to remembering all the awesome fun I had with that sled. Great job!

[@gmcliff555]

That was my first snowmobile. WOW such a GREAT job you have done. You should be VERY proud

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

Thanks, and yes it was a fun project and turned out great. It was so much fun to drive this winter even with such little snow. Check out the video, it runs like a dream! Definitely takes everyone back in time.

[@sdecourcy]

Wow, Keith, what a fantastic restoration. The sound it makes brings me back to my childhood.

[@briansilcox5720]

We owned a ‘69 320e from 1969 til ‘71. Loved that machine. Back then in AK you could ride on the streets to get to the trails, and hours of fun driving in the darkness of short days. Nice job!

[@andrebondu7790]

Nice job

[@snoxpro]

This turned out amazing!! And the ski-boose!! Awesome!!

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

Thanks! I’m cleaning it up to go to cabin to put it to work this season. I’ll post some more videos of it in action with the skiboose.

[@davetapani3253]

Nothing sounds like a old single banger Rotax. Beautiful job on your restoration. I have owned a few and wish I could have kept them.

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

Very true! I think this one is going to stay with us long term. It was such a fun project!

[@markcooper9033]

Most excellent!! Great job. Thank you for the post. Truly inspiring!☝️

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jboscoe]

simply wow

[@dennybarlau8065]

My grandpa use to rent out these machines, I believe they were ten hp At one time had 23 machines, for 5 dollars an hour in DULUTH MN At one time they also had a bar restaurant where up 200 machine's would be outside, a great time in life Ty

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

Yes they really started the sport back in the day. I find snowmobiling to be a very social sport. Warm up sheds, food stops, rallies have lots of friendly folks enjoying the outdoors.

[@hcj1955hjhj]

Had 1# out of Syracuse N.Y. and ride it all over up state 🏁Thanks always "Dad"

[@user-lw6lz9ip2q]

wow, did that bring back memories. Our 69 was the only machine in the neighborhood that broke trail after a 30 inch snow dump. So much fun.

[@AidanDul-un4sj]

Good for you man that looks so awesome hope it’s still doing awesome😊

[@hakankinnunen3270]

Så vackert.

[@patmayer7222]

...bought my 69',,denver co,,its still alive,,land o' lakes,wi..many moons

[@user-ot5rn3zm3p]

had one it was great

[@dylanyku]

Great vid Keith, keep it up. I love the pop-up headlamp! 😁

[@Eutanas1a]

My first snowmobile with 9hp engine with plastic track. When i was 5year old, those memories 🥲

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

Amazing how much fun in snow we had as kids! I’m trying to hang on to that.

[@majorappliancellchouston5863]

Thank you I watched the whole video. My first sled when I was 14 years old was a '71 Olympic 335. That engine sounds like my youth!

[@yukon2159]

Great job!

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

Thanks!

[@josephzilafro2720]

Great work (and rewarding)! That rebuilt engine seems to have some zip on it.

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

I was surprised how good of shape it was in considering how beat up the sled was. The cylinder wall was perfect and I didn't even need to put oversized rings in it! Just a quick honing, new rings and bearings and away it went. I really enjoyed the process and will probably do it again on some future sled :-)

[@McCullochMac6]

🥰🥰🥰

[@ronchase474]

Beautiful machine, beautifully restored! We had a ‘64 10hp that looked very similar. I was 13 at the time. I put a 292cc kit on it in ‘70 that about tripled the hp. What a blast that was to ride. I was riding that sled every chance I got. My passion got passed on to one of my sons and their family currently have five sleds, one for each of them. They were in the Old Forge area in NYS just this past weekend.

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

Sounds awesome! We aren't getting much snow this winter and its hard to do the snowmobile content I wanted to. I have a total of 6 sleds (varying generations) and wanted to do some videos on them as well, but this winter isn't cooperating. We still have a couple months of winter up here, so I'm still hoping!

[@quick65filly]

Very cool. My neighbor had two of these and the trailer. The other had two Sno-Jets, and a friend had a Polaris Colt. Just loved it. Picking up my first ever in a week, a 2024 Grand Touring LX. Never lost the bug.

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

I just got a 2014 grand touring this summer. I’m itching to get out there, but we are having a warm start to winter and not enough snow yet. I can’t wait to get out there. I know you will enjoy the grand touring!

[@stinkstar1]

Nice job , love the ski boose to, we had a 69 and 70 olympics, love hearing that single cylinder. Thanks from upstate ny

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

Yes, the old girl takes a person back in time!

[@christinesmith7625]

nice job i had one years ago

[@decommonifyable]

Looks beautiful. Well done.

[@TheMuskokaman]

I had a couple of those. Best sleds ever made!

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

Yes, they are tanks!!

[@TheMuskokaman]

@@RandomThingsKeithDoes Ski expanders were a great option for stability.

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

Haven’t heard of those. I’ll have to take a look.

[@richardelinskas6663]

Well done! Great video Subscribed!

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

Awesome, thank you!

[@harrycallahan8573]

Looks great, nice job!

[@Zippy1wood.]

Very nice

[@96Duelfuel]

Nice to see it running. See you have a good one(s) under the snow as well...

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

I might have a bit of a collection… LOL. Might see some videos on some in the future

[@justinleyland4056]

Great job, looks good

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

Thanks 👍

[@donnieflame]

@randomthingskeithdoes buying a 1969 skidoo tomorow that's complete and going to. Be doing the same restoration! Very excited, and your neighbour from manitoba

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

Awesome! The gas tank is the hardest part, but I figured out a good way. I actually just got mine out of storage (I just posted a Short) and I'm going to clean her up and put her to work this season up at the cabin. More video's to come. Let me know if you need any tips along the way.

[@donnieflame]

@@RandomThingsKeithDoes what part of the tank is hard? Removing or repairing? Im redseal autobody tech so making it look good won't be a problem just the mechanical stuff like engine rebuild will be tedious

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

The tank is actually built into the steel in the front part of the chassis. In my research, some folks were cutting into it to clean and repair, etc. I used a different technique and it came out beautiful. Read the reply I made to johnsharonwhitaker9242 about the tank, he's also from Manitoba :-)

[@donnieflame]

@@RandomThingsKeithDoesyou got somewhere I can contact you for questions? I'll show you it and the price im getting it for lol

[@Z-Bart]

Minty!

[@johnsharonwhitaker9242]

thanks Keith. I am starting in on a '70 Olympique I bought new. Low miles. Engine sounds good with external gas supply. Were you able to reuse the original gas tank ? John in western Manitoba.

[@RandomThingsKeithDoes]

Yes I was, but it was in very bad shape. There were actually rust balls in it!!! First I pressure washed as much as I could out of the tank. I then used muriatic acid and filled it and let it soak for a while. There was still some ugly rust, so I used some heavy braided wire and a drill to get some mechanical action in there. I separated the wires on the end that goes in the tank to create like a wire brush and spent a lot of time with that. One more quick muriatic acid bath and then I used some por 15 gas tank sealant. I used a scope to make sure I got full coverage. It works perfectly. It was a ton of work but totally worth it!!! Good luck and let me know if you need more info. Be careful with muriatic acid, it’s nasty stuff.

[@johnsharonwhitaker9242]

Full marks for your diligence here. I will run this one on external gas for a bit. It sat outside for too long and the hood and seat need serious attention. A neighbour gave me a '70 motoski (493 Hirth engine) but it has been on the ground under a truck cap for 25 years and everything is froze down. May put my energies there first.@@RandomThingsKeithDoes