ABANDONED Rotary Snowmobile - Will it Run After 20+ Years?

Today we bring the Arctic Cat Panther back to life!
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#snowmobile #revival #junkyarddigs

[@JunkyardDigs]

UPDATE: If anyone wishes to Mikuni swap their 303 cat, I found a 120 main jet to be pretty darn good in the VM26 I'm running. ATV carb like this one with a flange will bolt right up, otherwise a standard boot of the same size will adapt a snowmobile style carb

[@hura1919]

first

[@MilkMad]

@@hura1919 are you sure?

[@Nizzino_40]

Thank you for informing us Kevin!

[@brandonfloyd6321]

I didn't win anything then? 😭😭😭🤣😂🤣😂

[@MilkMad]

@@brandonfloyd6321 aw man so no free iphone? 😭😭😭

[@kigsbiker]

Snowmobile powered RX7, now a rotary powered snowmobile... You guys really have all bases covered!

[@dehydratedwater4759]

I don't have to tell you that the guy saying you won a gift is a scammer right?

[@kigsbiker]

@@dehydratedwater4759 Nah, I seen that right away.

[@johnbowse4693]

TOO FUNNY SMITH

[@galatians515]

Now they need a 7.3l powered snowmobile, and a snowmobile powered f350.

[@Sluders_slow_shop]

Lol to the "giveaway-691".. shame 🔔🔔

[@bepowerification]

Phoenix seems like such a nice guy. Always smiling, always positive. Good to have friends like him

[@djmips]

They didn't shout out the name of his powder coat company - what was it?

[@frittibreezedancer]

Heyyy, the Panther is back! And you made it look even awesomer than it already did! I'm sure all of you guys will have a ball at that snowmobile fest next week, but be safe and don't hurt yourself because we wanna have y'all around for a long time to enjoy great videos like these! 😉

[@damole7874]

I have had one of these in my back yard since I was born, (my mother's), and I had NO idea it was a rotary engine! Seriously giving me the urge to tear into the thing now!

[@dalehadley3283]

I say go for it!

[@JunkyardDigs]

If it's a 303 it sure is!! A 340 is a twin cylinder though, let us know what you find!

[@ROT4RYfc3s]

Do it. There's nothing else quite like the brap brap braps of a wankel rotary

[@shawnsatterlee6035]

If been sitting that long it's toast! Track will b spent along with everything else. Maybe least see if will run, but it's not going anywhere.

[@chrisbasilebuilds]

Kevin, thanks for bringing this back. I was pumped when you found it in the first video. These little rotary motors are so cool. Glad you saw it through. Thanks as always for the great detailed videos

[@gfd1166]

Excellent explanation on CFM. Your hand signals make perfect sense along with your description. Well done.

[@klc3478]

Couldn’t help but notice the engagement ring on Mook’s finger in the “hello fresh” segment. Congratulations guys!

[@masonaulik7232]

To Kevin and anyone else riding snowmobiles please be safe. RIP Ken Block. Thanks for all the amazing content and be safe out there.

[@lonestarcars1379]

Just found out he passed. RIP...

[@chrisnorden8043]

Our man is a showman, but he needs to wear a helmet on these off-road rides.

[@feelinghealingfrequences7179]

fast snowmobile and safety do not go together adrenaline junkies that die while sending it die doing what they crave

[@JunkyardDigs]

@@feelinghealingfrequences7179 thank god we have slow snowmobiles

[@TheChrisgralnic]

Jet skis and snow mobiles are gnarly when things go wrong

[@mattnowak8706]

Awesome! Just had someone offer me a 80' Kawasaki invader after sitting for ten plus years. I love these videos, and gives me some confidence on what to look for on a old sled!

[@Ameritude]

If you have any questions on the invader, feel free to hit me up on my channel, I race em.

[@lawrenceveinotte]

I tried out a new Invader for a weekend in 1980.

[@feelinghealingfrequences7179]

update please? did u take the invader? did u make a video of it for your yt chan?

[@stevecook7551]

I had a 78 and a 79 440 invader

[@xtr3m3fLx]

I owned several kawi' 440's. All Intruder fan cooled. Wicked fast for the day and for what they were.

[@tdetsm4360]

Awesome to see that snowmobile ripping around again that thing is clean as hell and happy y’all saved it from rotting away.

[@Ed-G]

I was just getting ready to comment on how much I enjoyed you incorporating everybody else in this build and then you mentioned winterfest! Growing up in upstate New York, I know all about the dreaded snowmobile. 2 hours of work for every 15 minutes of fun!

[@johnpearson492]

Your description of how vacuum driven secondaries on carburetors work is why I love British SU carburetors. They are side draft, "constant depression," carburetors where the throttle plate gives the vacuum signal to lift the piston that slides out of the way to allow the correct amount of air in and lifts the needle the correct amount for the correct AFR.

[@JunkyardDigs]

Oh God I working on those so much. constant velocity carburetors are the bane of my existence😂😂

[@johnpearson492]

@@JunkyardDigs Lol! Nothing wrong with them alone, the challenge comes when you need to synchronize two of them. But man they are brilliant when synced and you're zipping around some back roads or surface streets. Have fun out there on the sled!

[@JunkyardDigs]

@@johnpearson492 that it is!

[@radicalracing09]

the crazy part is I literally just rewatched the last part of this snowmobile revival and now you post this its perfect

[@jackjumper4231]

For cleaning out metal tanks CLR works way better but make sure you do not expose it to any rubber or plastic and make sure you hit the tank with a chemical neutralizer , and make sure that your neutralizer is flammable

[@Camshaft2011]

Agreed. CLR works really well on metal tanks.

[@tallat8888]

I recieved a hand-me-down 71 arctic cat lynx rotary when I was young and I had a lot of fun on that sled. Damn thing was pretty fast to boot!

[@johncarella1836]

You guys are AWESOME!!!! Thanks for everything!

[@terryeustice5399]

Kevin had no idea buddy. The fuel tank repair was awesome. Your a man of many talents. Thank you for sharing!

[@bobbyharrison6535]

Apple cider vinegar works wonders on rust in tanks! Let her sit for a couple days, drain and rinse with distilled water and use a heat gun to dry it out! Ive done this on a couple old boat motor tanks and a couple 3 wheeler tanks. It works great!

[@Trenton-om9qs]

It's always a great day when Junkyard Digs uploads a new video. Nice to see you return to this snowmobile. It turned out great

[@markkeller1778]

Thank you! Funny how a winter storm kick's it across America, and everyone is reviving (Alaska) transportation lol 😆 luv you guy's.

[@pancakeking78]

seeing how that CVT worked at 4:00 is very cool

[@QuantumLeap83]

Evaporust also works miracles on the inside of a tank. Just takes a bit longer, needs to set 24 hrs.

[@lucasstiles8012]

Heck Yeah! I'll see you folks in Elk River!

[@Drew_379]

Finally some snowmobile content! Glad you guys are getting snow. We haven't gotten any that you can ride in 😤

[@FierceMotorworks]

White distilled vinegar also works great for rust removal. You can buy it by the gallon from most grocery stores. Might be worth comparing to the specialty stuff you tried for the fuel tank

[@dougstripp7522]

I’ve been watching you and mook since you started videoing. Love your work. The way you explain things have helped a lot of people. Keep up the good work. Cheers Doug.

[@alyssatipton5080]

You guys did awesome work on getting this old girl back out on the snow! It brings tears to my eyes! Keep up the amazing work!

[@willdawes7354]

Hey Kevin, Evaporust is a great rust removing fluid to use on fuel tanks and pretty much everything else. Used it on my ‘70 Land Rover tank that was completely trashed and it looks like new now after leaving the stuff in overnight. Pretty sure you can find it anywhere but I picked it up at harbor freight. Loved the video! The sled sounds great!

[@alan6832]

I've had good luck with acids, starting with Vinegar, and as with radiators, I've had a better time with epoxy than with solder, mostly because it is easier, but also long term, solder is a dissimilar metal that will accelerate future rust where it ends, where epoxy won't.

[@TheGeekiestGuy]

Thanks for the awesome free content, Kevin. I hope you folks are staying warm. 🤙🏽

[@Robert-ni6ut]

Glad to see the old snowmobile is back . It's so nice that you guys revisit projects instead of just forgetting about them 😁.

[@AlaskaMike72]

That Arctic Cat sure brings back some memories. My family had one back in the 70's here in Anchorage AK. I was pretty small, but I specifically remember that leopard print seat, and the front bumper for some reason. I also remember the fuel tank on the back of the seat, because I found that if I dipped a rag into it, I could wipe dirt off the cowling and make it really shiny. Dad wasn't happy with me when I did that of course. I was probably about 5 or 6 years old at the time. That old Arctic Cat I remember as a kid is now at a remote hunting cabin about 75 air miles NW of Anchorage. It's been sitting there unused since the early 1980s, so I don't have any hopes of getting it to run, even though it's been under good cover all these years. My Dad rode it out there with his hunting partner in the late 1970s moving building materials, across Turnagain Arm, up several frozen rivers. Probably about 110-120 riding miles. Thanks for doing this video, it definitely brought back some great memories.

[@kylealbertsen5672]

I love how long ur videos are and the details you show and all the information you share

[@ChannelRat-LXIX]

Good job Kevin. Totally out of my wheelhouse. Thank you for teaching me something. Keep it up. Hi Mook 👋🐶😺

[@andrewschrotenboer9445]

Evaporust works pretty good for rust removal too. Just another option to try.

[@mclarenscca]

When in doubt though, you can braze up the fuel tank like a champion!!! I just wish we got more snow here, like we used to.

[@atractorkid7]

Thank you Kevin, this video made me smile and remember the fun times I had on my old arctic cat. Since my dad passed things haven't been the same but having the memories of me and him going through a lot of the same work you did just was awesome and made my day. Cheers 🇨🇦

[@zacharyedwards9661]

Thanks Mook and Kevin for all the amazing videos. Y'all give me inspiration to get out of my depression and go get my 97 dodge 4*4 back up and driving. Love you guys and keep up the great work.

[@berad891]

Man I'm jealous. I wanna be out there fixing my old sled. Had a 73 Merc 440 SR. Picked it up for 200 and all we had to do is clean the points and it fired right up. One of the best winters. Have fun man!

[@PoleBarnGarage]

I'm here to scout the competition. It's gonna be a close one, but the Enticer will be tough to beat. What I'm really worried about is that big Johnson, not sure I can take it.

[@anaphylastiks]

Laughton rotaries in NZ would love to see this video. They are the rotory nut bars. It's worth getting in contact with them.

[@MM_in_Havasu]

That fuel tank makes a screen door in a submarine look watertight. Great video!

[@byrongilbert3720]

with snowfall being so erratic these past dew years, resurrecting a vintage sled makes the most since. that panther is a sweet looking ride. its snowing outside here atm and i'm wishing i had one lol.

[@STREETCARCULTURE]

So cool to see it make a return amd running! Wish Australia had snow! I'd be cruising one of these

[@dalewhitley2096]

Hey junkyard digs I'm always motivated and I'm gonna be getting my first car soon and i will be using your vids to help fix my own car have a great day riding your snowmobile

[@user-xl5sv9qg3h]

Being from Kentucky I've never even seen a snowmobile in real life so these videos fascinate me lol it does seem like being pulled by a truck in the snow, it sounds like a fun idea but not so much in practice

[@MrSEANDEERE]

I love seeing these old school snowmobiles getting revived and shreaded around on. I grew up around these old things as my uncles were never convinced about the newer sleds. They were usually right, the old school sleds just refuse to die and actually fun to learn mechanics on. I'm currently re-doing a 1970's Bombardier Olympic in bright yellow and I finally got it out on the trail last weekend. It ain't the fastest but it's a blast!!!!

[@Nunya_Bidnez]

You got to love the old Snow Machines. Something about them just makes me smile. They just have that old school look.

[@michaelandnyx]

just want to thank you for really opening my mind on working with engines. have a few bikes and a atc 350x that i was able to get running because of what you taught me

[@JunkyardDigs]

Dam a 350x!!

[@Dirtroad_mechanic]

My grandpa had one of these and he got it brand new and it’s still one of the best sleds he’s got Absolutely love the video

[@davidnielson1960]

Good job on bringing that old Arctic Cat back to life

[@terryroths4254]

Great memories! I had a 340 Polaris TX. 1973. Back in the day. I'll be back near Chetek next year hope to see you up there. Arts Electric on Bob lake had ol parts.

[@wallydyck844]

Ever since I got into rotaries from Rob Dahm and when I saw the first video on this sled I was waiting for this one to come up. That sled is just too cool I want one soooo bad.

[@MayhemWrecker409]

Oh no not the artic cat again. Here we go again. LOVE YOUR VIDEOS

[@brettknighten1171]

Best way to keep the running boards straight is to put a piece of rebar down the rolled edge. Makes a huge difference

[@garymittelstadt7821]

I had one of these back in the late 60s in high school. Dad and I got a screaming deal on a pair. Road to school every day we had snow. Did 1000s of miles on it. Loved the wankel. Provided plenty of speed and torque. Would have been awfully boring winters without that sled!

[@dob1662]

Brilliant build Kevin you worked through a lot of issues, thanks to hello fresh the world has seen Mook spoon feeding you, 🤣😂🤣😂 PS, I would fit a fuel pump so you still have good flow up hills

[@stubeatson]

PLEASE do a video on that motorcycle in the storage shed!

[@JunkyardDigs]

I will, I promise 😂

[@gregbartle5956]

Kevin, I saw Lukes "briggs and stratton" short that you have a cameo in and was wondering when you two are gonna do another collaboration video. Yalls old farm truck revival is what got me into both channels. Best of luck man

[@ryurc3033]

On easy rust remover. Evapo-rust works the same way. Can be thinned with water. Or straight white vinegar works wonders as well

[@WrenchesAndRiffs]

Love your vids you inspired me to make my own channel keep up the good work thanks:)

[@brodiedavisalmostprimitive1262]

Nice work. Love to see that old stuff restored.

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Wow at the end That old Girl Is one fast Sled 😳 Looks fun As heck Kevin @Junkyard Digs

[@DieseltheWhiteTailedBuck]

Was wondering when the next snowmobile revival was!

[@TempleofAmon666]

Been watching since the f250. Love how the channel has grown. You and mook Make a great team. Perhaps you And Jesse can trade jobs one day for a one off. He does the revival and you film.

[@scottfrost47]

This was fascinating! Your academic explanations are super understandable. I always learn something new. As a Rolls Royce hobby mechanic I enjoy the theory elements you work in with the entertainment bits. Great job.

[@mikeball9715]

That Metal Rescue is awesome stuff. And the most amazing part is, it's just potato water! That's an awesome looking sled. Keep up the great work!

[@lucasstiles8012]

Man that makes me so happy to see that old machine moving. Making dreams come true bud!

[@scarisgaming9650]

I love your videos your doing a good job !

[@jamesbigham9036]

this was a fun video to watch and something different from cars. I watched the first video on this snowmobile before this one. I always enjoy seeing the lovely Mook in the videos

[@ReallyDumbName]

I cannot express how thrilled I am that you still have this!

[@sammy13ificationable]

With everything you know about the technicalities behind running engines and carburetors, I feel like it would be an absolute hoot to see you snag a 50cc four stroke motor scooter and just try to make it as powerful and as fast as possible on the stock cylinder without nitrous or forced induction. Like properly matching carb size to the cfm limit of the engine, designing a purpose built air box that flows the correct amount of air at the best velocity for said carb, at home dirt cheap head work, port matching, all that. Just grab a chinese 50cc gy6 and make it as powerful as possible for as cheap as possible

[@paralyse78]

Says a lot about the quality of Kevin's content that a Texas fella who's never sat on, much less rode on a snowmobile will sit and watch a 45 minute vidya on some other fellas wrenchin' on their sleds. Just remember rotaries need to have the piss revved out of them to make usable power, kinda like Detroit diesels, and run enough oil in the mix to keep the tip seals lubricated (if it ain't choochin' smoke, it's not enough oil.) Sure did sound like it was running out of fuel on the top end, so I think you're bang on about rejetting that little Honda carb - although you might never get enough fuel through there - or just seeing if the other Cat has a rebuildable Tillotson, put it together with yours and make a decent carb from the two. Sure does sound wicked at idle, though, poppin' and snarlin' and wanting you to send it.

[@leebritt5641]

I absolutely love the revivals of the old machines giving them another chance to live. Love the channel!!

[@lucasstiles8012]

uh oh, someone told Kevin about rust removal products once you go down that rabbit hole, there's nothing you won't de-rustify! big things coming, I can feel it!

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Awesome to see this snowmobile back ON the channel Kevin @Junkyard Digs

[@GrantSimons2]

Can only imagine the smell with the sound. One of the best smells in the world on a cold winter day.

[@stoichiometry147]

Broooo, I’m happy as hell this came back and it’s running pretty damn great!

[@themagicboy6548]

So excited to see this vid pop up, the end of the first video had me thinking that it was going to be parted out/scrapped! So glad to see it getting loved

[@tw6085]

Mook always kills it with the one liners. Welcome to my crib.

[@mike.4277]

Awesome video!!! I have the same sled, just needs a engine.😎👍 Yes you can have it if you want it

[@delmontindustriesltd7501]

Love the sled! Would love to see more on the Johnson. My collection is mostly johnson snowmobiles so if you ever need parts, I know a guy, lol. Also have fun at your shows! I help to put one on up in Christmas Mi in March if you were free. Theres vintage rides, and displays and stuff.

[@Skarfar90]

Panther and Enticer. That's two snowmobile names that I grew up with. My father used to own a 1983 Aktiv Panther (A Nordic version of Arctic Cat), which had a two-cylinder Polaris 380 engine in it. It was a terrible engine to be honest. It ate bearings and did not run well when it was warm. But when it did work, it was an amazing snowmobile. I had a lot of fun driving it when I was a kid, and throughout my teens. - I do know that many of the Aktiv snowmobiles used Suzuki engines, or Rotax as well, which was a heck of a lot more durable. I used to own an early 1980's Yamaha Enticer (ET) 340. That thing was really good, and it always started easily. You can say a lot about Yamaha, but they knew how to make good engines back in the day. A nice lightweight snowmobile that took you where you needed to go, quite easily. That thing was pretty fuel-efficient too, where you could go a long way on 10 liters of gasoline

[@coonlakebackwoods]

Those Tillys are great carbs. The pump diaphragm and inlet needle are the weak links. Also not meant to idle. Gotta be on the gas for them to work. Glad to see this sled getting some love. I hoped it would appear again!

[@joeycobb9826]

Wow Kevin. The sled looks awesome. What a way to enjoy the snow. Can't wait for the next vid.

[@blueandredgaming2614]

Man I love your videos, they educate me so much on vehicles. I was wondering if you have made a tutorial on how to go around starting your old sitting vehicles. And I know you basically do that in every single one of your “first start” videos. But I just can’t follow that because I am too interested in the car you are trying to start. My grandpa has a second property with around 10 old vehicles which were all parked able to start. But he is getting up in age and doesn’t have the motivation nor the information to make them run again. He really needs one of his trucks running again so he can hall stuff. Unfortunately the closest running thing we have to a truck is a Elcomino (I spelled that wrong, oh well). And I heavily doubt you have the time, money, or motivation to come all the way to Sandpoint, Idaho. Anyways, I am dragging this on way too long, a tutorial would be great. And thanks for your amazing content ❤

[@rogerricalde2567]

OMG you guys have all the fun in the snow. Keep me updated please I'm looking forward to seeing this.

[@kennethsonier1766]

Congratulations on getting her running 👍 you didn't excellent job on bringing that snowmobile back around. Keep up the great work and the excellent videos 👍✌️🇺🇲

[@WthaHatchet]

@JunkyardDigs you gotta do yourself a favor and check out more Metal Rescue stuff. Ps Save that liquid and you can use it over and over till it evaps or stops working. No need to pour it down the drain yet. Save you a lot of time and money too. They make a liquid and gel Rust Remover and they both work stellar. Used them both on everything under the sun and it's so good it'll take rust off and not harm wood on the same item. Just try to keep the evaporation to a minimum when using it for best results. Some items I use saran wrap and others saran wrap and Vaseline like when trying to get rust out of piston to seal cylinder with head off. I always have their 5 gal bucket with the soaking basket around. Hope that helps sometime. You and Mook keep on keepin on man! 🤘

[@rebernard82]

glad to see you breathe new life into another classic. you guys rock!

[@BuffsGarage]

Can’t wait to see the shenanigans!! I hope to see @polebarngarage digging his sled out after burying it! Makes me want to get a snow machine and come play!

[@dwitcraft]

Nice sled! Reminds me of the old days! Lots of field stalls! What are your plot this year? More corn? Soybeans? Can't wait for the farming!

[@jeffreyevens2033]

It's been a long time since I rode a sled. Thanks for taking me snowmobiling!

[@IntenseBlue318]

For rusty tanks, evaporust or whatever in there with some small screws. Seal it up and strap it to your tractor wheel and drive around a while. That mad emy old gravely tank come out nice and clean. Some POR tank sealant in there afterwards to protect it for the future is a nice finishing touch.

[@stutterpunk9573]

that Johnson euphemism was GENIUS HOLY SHIT that was beautiful

[@dustingoff1388]

Had the exact sled growing up in Algona, IA. My dad picked it up for hardly nothing bc the fuel tank was in the exact same shape. Got it running and many good years of riding it. Awesome to see and thanks for the trip down memory lane

[@lawrenceengel3330]

Pretty cool old sled, awesome to see it running 👌

[@Rileygee0224]

For future use. You can buy Epoxy repair kits for gas tanks. You put masking tape or whatever over any holes, pour the epoxy in swirl it around until there's no loose epoxy and let it cure. Caswell makes a nice tank sealer that's usually around $50.

[@tailsdblack463]

Loving the snowmobile btw 29:03 and your kitchen too!

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Love that cheetah print on that seat Kevin @Junkyard Digs