Conquest 8x8 re-build

[mitchamus]

Ok - so I bought a 'project' Argo Conquest.
It has the Kawasaki 20hp water cooled motor.

looks like it has had a hard life, although the hour meter only says 102hrs.
It will need a few new rims and new tyres.

As I understand it, the machine had a bent frame which has been professionally straightened.

I'm not sure If I will keep it or fix it up a bit and re-sell it at this stage.
There are lots of missing parts (which I didn't know about)

anyways - here it is coming home on the trailer.

argo_car_sm.jpg

[sparkola]

How much did you get it for?

[mitchamus]

$1700... I think it will need that much again spent just on parts

[plott hound]

$1700... I think it will need that much again spent just on parts

if your lucky.lol

[rentalrider]

what year is that? hard to imagine someone abusing it so badly in so few hrs.

[mitchamus]

Not sure what year model it is, as I'm yet to locate the plate for it!
It wasn't where I thought it would be.

I managed to get some work done on it on the weekend, Got the tub cleaned out and fully de-greased, and I got the fame bolted back in.
I also cleaned up one bearing housing and axle, and did a bit of a stock take....which was quite demoralising.

Next job is to order all the gaskets for the bearing housings, plus a few new bearings & and get the thing sitting on it's wheels again.

Right now I need to find out what size & thread bolts secure the front & rear bearing houses to the frame, as these are AWOL, and I can't find them listed in the parts manual.

I have a feeling I'm going to get know the guys at my local fasteners place pretty well.

anyway, here are a couple of pics...
Picture 002.jpgPicture 001.jpgPicture 004.jpg

[Rock Doctor]

Wow, just Wow

While it is all fixable, I'm sory to say you paid a bit much for that unit. On the other hand, by the time you have it restored, you will know every part of that machine, and should be trouble free for a long time.

You have your hands full, but in the end it's all worth it

Tight Groups
RD

[mitchamus]

well probably a bit much.... but here in Oz - Argo's are thin on the ground, and s/h prices are ridiculous.
for example - I saw an 80's 8x8 sell for over $5,000 on eBay a while back.

If I had the money, I would import containers of s/h Argo's from the US and re-sell them here...

but anyway... I bought this to use on my farm, and I'll need to know how to troubleshoot it if something goes wrong... so it's all good...

plus... fixing stuff is fun

[Slimpickin]

You're a bear for punishment.

Slim

[mitchamus]

I prefer 'enthusiast' :P

[Rock Doctor]

well probably a bit much.... but here in Oz - Argo's are thin on the ground, and s/h prices are ridiculous.
for example - I saw an 80's 8x8 sell for over $5,000 on eBay a while back.

If I had the money, I would import containers of s/h Argo's from the US and re-sell them here...

but anyway... I bought this to use on my farm, and I'll need to know how to troubleshoot it if something goes wrong... so it's all good...

plus... fixing stuff is fun

LOL, It's not an impossible project by any means. Mostly it's cleanup and reassemble, from what I can see ( not that I've seen all that much of it). Chains, bearings and seals if your lucky.
I never picked up on the OZ thing, haha, but if you ever need a hand, and if I can help from over here in Western Canada, just fire me a pm.
Does it have single 60 chains on the back 2 axles?

RD

[Beeman]

"plus... fixing stuff is fun " I like yer thinking. I'm sure it will be fun going through it all and learning how to build it from "scratch" - there's no better feeling than riding in a machine you assembled from the ground up, all the sounds and feedback you get from the machine will become a joyful harmony knowing that you had a part in it all.

[reichstall]

i just finshed my 99 conquest rebuild frame removal and and cut and replace bad parts of frame i too said fun in the start but 7 months later and about 6 grand in parts i was over it but it is fun now. looks like a good project the worse part of mine was taking it all apart.

[mitchamus]

Does it have single 60 chains on the back 2 axles?

Hmm not sure about that one - I'll need to measure the sprockets as the original drive chains are AWOL too.

thanks for the offer of help - i'm sure I will have a lot of questions once i get to the hard stuff..

[mitchamus]

i just finshed my 99 conquest rebuild frame removal and and cut and replace bad parts of frame i too said fun in the start but 7 months later and about 6 grand in parts i was over it but it is fun now. looks like a good project the worse part of mine was taking it all apart.

wow 6k?

I hope I don't spend that much. I'm not going to be restoring it to off the shelf showroom condition, just good running condition - she's not going to win any beauty pageants!
and then it's off to the farm to spray weeds collect firewood, harrow a few fields... and generally haul my butt around the place!

I have plans to build a self powered rough cut slasher to tow behind it, but that's another project.... for another thread...