Ultimate argo.... Give me your two cents....

[spookum]

Time to start your engines gentlemen, i think i want to build something special. The short and sweet of it is that i have an old 80s 8x8 with a 16 hp teschumse. I have a bead on a chevey sprint engine from a geo metro. I know the old splined axels are not the best so i think i will be aiming towards HDI axels. The question is should i look at buying a newer tras? Did ODG ever change the desighn on the transmissions to the point that getting away from an 80 trans to say a late 90s would put up with the 50 HP or so out of a newer machine's transmisson better? Or for all the hydralic breaks and cooling fans, the guts are about the same? Tell me what you know oh wise friends

[smog]

the only thing about your 80s trans is that all the parts inside are discontinued

then again, it look like the geo engine will not fit under the hood of your low profile body. The Conquest/Magnum had a higher upper body that will allow that kind of engine swap.

My idea about it : go the centaur way like I've done, put the firefly engine behind the transmission and sit in the front like a centaur or max iv

http://www.6x6world.com/forums/argo-atvs/14079-pictures-conquest-centaur-built-not-56kbps-modems.html

it will be like a brand new machine and will be unique and you can make it almost any variant you like including the army style centaur. Bonus : your lightweight built will float and swim while the centaur IS NOT supposed to go in deep water

https://www.google.com/search?q=argo+centaur&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi

[spookum]

wow, that is something cool! How do you like those dunlop tires? so in your opinion, the 80s argo trans will hold up with the fire fly? Or is there a particular argo trans that is your favoirate to use and abuse?

[Rory_mcw]

Amazing looking machine!!!

Do you have any photos under the hood and of the build?

Cheers rory

[smog]

wow, that is something cool! How do you like those dunlop tires? so in your opinion, the 80s argo trans will hold up with the fire fly? Or is there a particular argo trans that is your favoirate to use and abuse?

what I can tell you is that the trans you have is now discontinued and the parts are no longer available...

[North Country Tough]

Smog you are a talented man you are sure to succeed at anything you put your mind too.N.C.T

[smog]

Smog you are a talented man you are sure to succeed at anything you put your mind too.N.C.T

shhhhhh, I just got a 1.0L 3 cyl geo metro engine for free, special thanks to Martwell

[North Country Tough]

Iam still looking for a engine out of a Arctic Cat T660 Turbo snowmobile at the right price,thats the motor in my two up touring sled 110 ish H.P the primary clutch is stout and the secondary will adapt to a Argo trans with little effort and tuning components for the clutch's are easy to find.I hope to find a wreck and get everything that will be the day that I tear down my Avenger and re-power it.It to me would be the perfect engine for my purpose.N.C.T

[eightwheeler]

Spook, first gen trans were made all the way up till the intro of the Magnum in 1988 thats when they listened to the customer demands and made a much stronger and faster trans, your trans will hold up to the 3 cyl as long as you dont drive like its stolen, the weak point in them were the output shafts and the shifter selecter pin/shaft, your other problem is your upper does not have the room unless you cut it or spacer the upper from the lower.

Smog your thee man!!

[Beeman]

as long as you dont drive like its stolen

But where's the fun in that?? :P

[spookum]

special thanks to all! now as your just deserts go check my new post..... :^) I think i will shop around for a newer trans that has hydralic breaks and do the dirty with the fire fly engine...... what is the worst that could happen? be stuck in the middle of no where? Ill carry a chainsaw and build a cabin!

[spookum]

I have one more thought. Didnt argos of the 80s vintage come with 440 and 500 CC snow machine engines? Dont they have similar torque, hp and RPM specs compared to the chevey sprint engine?

[North Country Tough]

Absolutely they had them I had a couple,as for hp they had lots and would really go,torque for the time not close to the chevy motor,that said there are plenty of sled engines out there 2 and 4 stroke that make huge hp/torque numbers,the Arctic Cat 1000 cc triple out of the box 172 hp and torque in the 90 ish ft pounds.

[spookum]

But what is your opinoin NCT? Will that 83 or 84 or so trans mission hold up to the chevey sprint? Or should i say screw it and run what i got, save up my money and try to find a newer argo in need of an engine.... if i do put the trans in there i will be looking for a newer trans, that is for sure!

[North Country Tough]

But what is your opinoin NCT? Will that 83 or 84 or so trans mission hold up to the chevey sprint? Or should i say screw it and run what i got, save up my money and try to find a newer argo in need of an engine.... if i do put the trans in there i will be looking for a newer trans, that is for sure!

If your looking for a opinion,it probably would stand up it was the earlier trans back in the seventy,s that gave me the most trouble their input shaft gears were thinner because they put more teeth on it argo then changed to less teeth and they were all thicker,at that time I was running two strokes,in the early eighty,s I had built a modified 6 wheeler with a powerful two stroke in it I was young and beat this machine to death,I broke axles,rims,tires,holed the body numerous times,exploded a primary clutch,melted pistons you name it and never broke the tranny.But I made sure that I changed oil in the trans and never ground gears or shifted it roughly,come to think about it the trans was the only thing I took care with on that machine.N.C.T