Uh oh. This is going to be a fun resto....

[Czechsix]

Well, just picked up the latest project. This is located in Southern California, and these things are pretty rare here...as in it's been years since I've seen one. I found this one on the local Craigslist, and picked it up for a couple hundred bucks. I think I'll be fabbing a completely new frame, top deck, engine cover, etc etc. I'll have to get the paint off the body and then assess whether or not it needs to be glassed. This thing has pretty obviously sat in the southwest sun for many a year, and it's badly oxidized and brittle. I'm leaning towards glassing right now...but we'll see.

It seems to be almost all there, except for the seat and engine cover. All six tires/wheels are there, with four in good condition, and two placeholders. Engine turns over easy, and according to the seller, ran as recently as a year ago. 7000 trans turns freely too. No chains, other than a sample, but belts are there.

[jpswift1]

A first generation Attex.....most likely a ST/300/D I'm going to guess. I've seen this one listed a couple times on Craigslist out your way. Glad you can give it a good home. Keep us updated on the tear down and rebuild.

[Czechsix]

Thanks for the info! I'll post up a few pics, unloading it today. Hopefully the guy I bought it from can locate the seat and engine cover, but I'm planning on it not showing up.... This'll be a slow process, I can't afford to dump money into it, so it's going to be labor intensive. Luckily I've got all the tools needed here, from sand blasters to tig welders. I found another guy with an old one that's doing a complete restoration, and posting it up on youtube. We'll have to compare notes as we go along.

[jpswift1]

Here's a Hustler 950 out your way too. These are tough machines and they're great, reliable trail machines. Maybe you could add another one to your collection......

ATV 6 wheel amphibious

[Czechsix]

Here's a Hustler 950 out your way too. These are tough machines and they're great, reliable trail machines. Maybe you could add another one to your collection......

ATV 6 wheel amphibious

You're trying to get me in trouble, aren't you? LOL I'll have to check that one out.

So, I got the little Attex unloaded, and dropped the engine and trans back in for now, so it's all in one place. Engine is a KEC-400, trans is a 7000.

[Duck89]

Congrats on the purchase! I have seen that one a couple of times too, like JP said so I am glad someone finally picked it up!

It does look like it could be a ST/300/D although someone trimmed off a little of the upper body behind the rear steel bar that the engine cover hinged to. If that is the engine you are planning on using, I wouldn't worry too much about not having the engine cover because you would probably have to trim it to fit that engine under it anyways. I know on my 300/D the little single cylinder engine fits nice and snug underneath it and that is a small engine.

The only thing that has me unsure on it's identification is the picture in the link below. It has the steel gas tank and a racing frame in it. Is it possible that these could have been swapped in by previous owners or is this not a ST/300/D? Were the stronger frames and steel gas tanks an option for these models at the time?

front control mounts - Amphibious ATV Pictures

[Czechsix]

Thanks!

Yeah, I'm a sucker for old projects...especially unusual vehicles.

That engine came with it, and it locked into the engine mounts so I'm sure that it's been used in there. All the cables and lines seem to match up too. I'm still digging through this site, lots to sift, and I'm having a time figuring out exactly what this thing is. As has been mentioned, it looks like a ST300, but it's got the 400cc twin in it. Steel gas tank, yep. But what makes it a racing frame? You guys know this much better than I do, love to hear further ideas. As I dig into it more I might be able to get some dates on it...never know. It'll sit a bit while the kroil works its way into the fasteners, but I'm pretty happy with the condition...it's actually better than I thought it would be. I'll have to practice plastic welding, for sure. I also noticed that some folks have been looking for those steel rear corner reinforcements. I might pull them off to clean, but I'm thinking they wouldn't be that hard to reproduce...it's thin sheet, even a home press could handle it.

[jpswift1]

Looks like you have an ST/400/R. That 400cc is the original engine actually. This was the fastest production first generation Attex AATV made......around 1970-71. This one is certainly worthy of a restoration back to original condition.

[jpswift1]

I'll add some more information to this thread....

The racing frame is essentially a beefed up frame with more cross-members for rigidity that Attex made on the "R" models. Some of the early first generation frames were very flimsy and needed reinforcement because they would bend easily, especially when subjected to the abuse of racing. I know because I had a first generation Attex that I built into a racer. Also, the "R", meaning, "racing" models were available with Baker Hill transmissions that had 15 tooth sprockets on the end of them instead of the typical 13 tooth ones. This gave them a higher top speed.......I believe it was rated for 40-45MPH in the 400/R. And as I previously mentioned, the 400cc CCW (Canadian Curtis Wright) is the original engine for this machine. The rear section of the body was in fact cut like that from the factory to make room for the larger engines in the "R" models. Also, I'm pretty sure the engine cover on the "R" models was made of that metal mesh and it was attached to the plastic seat back, like on an Attex 208TT. This machine, besides the paint of course, looks very original and you got a great deal on it.

I'd say powerwash and sand all the paint off, get some clean white towels/rags and get some acetone and clean that body up...........it'll look like new again. Take the rag, pour a some acetone on the rag and then rub a small section of the body. It'll bring the bright yellow right back. It'll take some work, but it'll really be worth it. Take a look at Martin's restoration on the body of his ST/300......he did a GREAT job on his, and I bet you can get yours looking great too with a little bit of work. Pull the frame out, sandblast it, and put a fresh coat of gloss black paint, add some new bearings and chain and you're ready to go.

http://www.6x6world.com/forums/attex-atvs/20242-my-first-restoration-st-300-d-5.html

[Duck89]

......he did a GREAT job on his...

Thanks for the kind words JP! I hope to do the rest of the body tomorrow and will post more pictures. Czechsix, JP hit the nail right on the head- It's a lot of work for sure, but it is well worth it and it will give you a nice feeling seeing your hard work paid off. I only did a little bit of body work on mine and I can't believe how good it looks so far!

[Czechsix]

Thanks for the kind words JP! I hope to do the rest of the body tomorrow and will post more pictures. Czechsix, JP hit the nail right on the head- It's a lot of work for sure, but it is well worth it and it will give you a nice feeling seeing your hard work paid off. I only did a little bit of body work on mine and I can't believe how good it looks so far!

Very good info folks. Looks like I'll be keeping her fairly original - but I'd still like to be able to use more modern wheels and rubber eventually...you guys think there will be any issues with that? Wheel adaptors should be no issue, and I think I'll probably toss the springer idea out in favor of keeping it more original. But with only 60% or so of the tires functional without foam filling (and even then two of them are bad enough I'm not sure that'd work), it's going to be tire replacement time anyway. I'd rather just pull these originals off and store them, maybe eventually find a couple of other decent ones for a full set, but for regular use go to ATV tires or something. I'll have to buy three or four bags of walnut shell to blast, but that's not an issue.

One thing I do see though, is quite a bit of crazing in the plastic, right around the corners. If I blast, clean, and then use 'tone on it - is that going to penetrate enough into the plastic to reglue those crazed areas? Anyone dealt with this particular issue before?

[6X6]

Very nice machine. I've now read through this twice, as I have no 1st gen experience, and not much knowledge on them either. I sure hope you get that CCW running good as keeping it an original engine machine would be great.

[jpswift1]

Modern wheels and tires with adapters are a great idea and they're 100% bolt on, with no permanent modifications necessary. There are even templates here on the site so you can make your own.

http://www.6x6world.com/forums/content/section/301-three-four-lug-adapter.html

http://www.6x6world.com/forums/content/section/302-three-lug-five-adapter.html

[thebuggyman1]

Modern wheels and tires with adapters are a great idea and they're 100% bolt on, with no permanent modifications necessary. There are even templates here on the site so you can make your own.

http://www.6x6world.com/forums/content/section/301-three-four-lug-adapter.html

http://www.6x6world.com/forums/conte...e-adapter.html

If you buy the lug studs and lug nuts at the local auto parts store, you will have about $15 into them alone (per adapter). Probably $1.99 per stud and $.99 per nut.
OR you can buy them already made for $16 3 BOLT TO 5 BOLT ADAPTERS

[JoeMeg]

If you buy the lug studs and lug nuts at the local auto parts store, you will have about $15 into them alone (per adapter). Probably $1.99 per stud and $.99 per nut.
OR you can buy them already made for $16 3 BOLT TO 5 BOLT ADAPTERS

Right on,Jim.

Yes. I was going to chime and say, call Tim at Adair Argo,he has the best prices by far on this type of hardware,super nice guy to deal with too.

Joe.