aquired a attex li'l truck and need help

[sshirk]

just got my li'l truck home it has a tecumsen xl engine which is now running after cleaning the gas tank and putting new fuel lines, but running a little rough. I will probably clean the carb. When i got this they siad it would go forward, back and to the right. I dont think this is a t20 transmission looking at pictures, it has hydrolic pumps at the bottom of the sticks for steering, and reading online maybe a CT-2 but cannot find any information on what to check or how to rebuild or find parts. one of the pumps on the bottom for the left side looks like it was replaced with some aftermarket and i dont think it feels right. Can you replace with a t-20? This Li'l truck has been kept inside for a long time and is in very good shape. What should i do or what to look for. Looking for any information on this thing. Thank you

[jpswift1]

Well, there's good news and bad news. You most likely have one of the last Attexes made with the worst transmission Attex ever used. The GT series. There was the GT-1 and GT-2......meaning one and two speed. Many people, including myself believe this was what ruined Attex Inc. Attex went to Ontario Gear and Drive (the company that makes the Argo 6x6 and 8x8) to have them make a transmission since Attex has gotten away from the T-20. Here's a letter from Attex about the GT series transmissions. Basically, it's a lot of BS and marketing hype talking these transmissions up, when in reality they were just junk.

http://www.6x6world.com/images/attex...ansmission.jpg

http://www.6x6world.com/images/attex...ansmission.jpg

Your best bet is to yank that transmission out ASAP and replace it with a T-20. 6X6World member Jerseybigfoot did this conversion in his Attex.

Next up, the Tecumseh engine. These OH series engines were used in quite a lot of AATVs and they were very good engines that lasted a very long time. The downfall to them was the very unreliable and temperamental Walboro carburetor. Take the carburetor and fuel pump apart and soak it in solvent and clean it very well with carb cleaner. My Attex Lil Truck is a great machine with very low hours, but the only thing that gave me problems is the Walboro carburetor. If they made a replacement, I would, and I'm every other Tecumseh OH series engine owner would buy one, but no such thing exists. Just clean it out and rebuild it and hope for the best. Congrats on the purchase, and if you have a chance, post some pictures, we'd love to see it!

Here's my 'Lil Truck. I was just out on it today and it's such a fun little machine.

[fencepostjed]

Really good info. I wonder how many of these appx. were made with these trans?
Really nice truck Jeff. Looks like more clearence on your truck with the
Rawhide 3's than I had on my attex.
And welcome sshirk.

[jpswift1]

Really good info. I wonder how many of these appx. were made with these trans?
Really nice truck Jeff. Looks like more clearence on your truck with the
Rawhide 3's than I had on my attex.
And welcome sshirk.

I don't think there were very many, especially compared to the number of poly body machines with T-20's. Thanks for the kind words. My 'Lil Truck has pretty low hours on it and plus there's a steel body band that goes around 3/4th of the machine and then anchors down to the frame, so it acts as a support to keep the body and fenderwells how they were pretty much the same as the day it was new. If you have any issues with 22" tires coming close to the body/fenderwells put a board between the tires and body, park it in the sun on a warm day and leave it for a little while, then inflate the tires up so the board pushes up on the body. Leave it for a little while and then after the body is back up you can add a 1"x1" piece of square tube steel across where the seat goes and then run two of those same pieces, one on each side, down to the frame rails on either side so your seat isn't pushing down on the tub, thus less sagging body.

[sshirk]

Thanks for the info, the price was right (I just had to get it out of the shed) so i dont have a problem putting a little into it. With the reading on the internet i figured thats what i would have to do with the transmission. I will get some pics on here soon.

[jpswift1]

You just had to get it out of the shed?! Wow, I LOVE those kinds of deals. Buy a T-20 and the steering and shifter linkage, rebuild the carburetor and you're good to go!

[sshirk]

pic

2012-11-18 11.54.49.jpg2012-11-18 11.49.14.jpg2012-11-18 11.47.15.jpg

[thebuggyman1]

Ooooohhhh, A green one, I want it.
Green= poly body right?
Dibs if it goes for sale.

[Don]

Nice machine! Green poly for sure, Jim. That's a good find, sshirk. You may want to change over to a T20, but otherwise she should be great. Good luck!

[sshirk]

Ok, now after a carb kit and all new fuel lines the engin is running good. Kinda getting excited, my 4 year old already loves this thing. Now for a t20 transmission. I really need to know what this is worth as it sits, and how much it will be worth after i put a transmission in. I dont want to have more in this than what it is worth. Things i know i am going to need are transmission, several tires are weather checked so new tires all the way around, and i have not figured what i am going to need for the conversion from ct-2 tran over to t20. Thanks for the replies

[amphibious drew]

Value and worth is all relative. Your machine's value currently is basically the body and engine if the tires are shot(just my opinion). If you were to part it out or sell it outright I would think you would only get $1000 in a good day. A t-20 can be had for very little if you keep an eye out. There are several ways to get one too. I traded $200 in tires for one from a member and I think a gave $175 to another member for the one before that. Both were good deals, and I would expect to pay more like $250-$300 for a tested but not refurbished used t-20. Member MaxIVMark got his last t-20 by buying a parts max II that was lacking a body or engine. I bought the frame off of him for a custom build, so I think he has about $150 in the tranny. Buying a busted up machine for a few hundred can get you some extra parts to sell or barter with to cheapen the build. All that being said, once you have a t-20 in it and good swimming tires you should be able to sell it for $1500-$2500. If you sell during tax season, you could even get as much as $3500-$3900. I do believe a member got somewhere around that last year for a really nice superchief. The real value of the conversion is in having a reliable rig. I use my Attex 450 on trail rides, and although its more than 30 years old, I don't seem to have any more trouble with it than any one else. Also, my machine isn't depreciating like a quad or side by side. I feel I purchased my machine after the market bottomed on AATV's. People tell me you used to be able to get good running machines for a few hundred bucks years before I got into the hobby. Now if you see a complete but beat machine for less than $1000 they seem to sell quickly. All things considered it is well worth upgrading your rig and using it for the next 5-30 years. If you build it to use, the value is there.

[kghills]

I really need to know what this is worth as it sits, and how much it will be worth after i put a transmission in. I dont want to have more in this than what it is worth.

Please don't take this the wrong way but you may want to sell it ASAP to minimize your loss. If you add up what you have spent on a carb kit, lines and probably a few clamps, add to that some new tires. Not generic tires but nice riding tires that swim. Some chains and maybe a few bearings, a drive belt and transmission, you will be at 2k if not more if you consider your time is worth nothing. The reality is the antique machines don't really sell for a bunch of money and it is very common for them to need more work than they are worth. Like most hobbies the experience is what people are after and the financial aspect is secondary if a consideration at all. The hand full of collectors that are actually willing to pay good money for the vintage machines seems to be quite small from what I have seen.

Have fun, Keith.

[jpswift1]

Ok, now after a carb kit and all new fuel lines the engin is running good. Kinda getting excited, my 4 year old already loves this thing. Now for a t20 transmission. I really need to know what this is worth as it sits, and how much it will be worth after i put a transmission in. I dont want to have more in this than what it is worth. Things i know i am going to need are transmission, several tires are weather checked so new tires all the way around, and i have not figured what i am going to need for the conversion from ct-2 tran over to t20. Thanks for the replies

Drew gave you some very good advice. He stated, "Value and worth is all relative. Your machine's value currently is basically the body and engine if the tires are shot(just my opinion)."

If you want to learn about AATVs, have a good solid machine as a starting point, and have something reliable to have fun with on the trails and that will last a long time without much maintenance, I'd start getting this machine going. This machine, even though it's old, doesn't need that much work, especially compared to some of the other vintage machines that have been neglected over the years........those are the ones that could be a big money pit. Drew stated that you can get a T-20 at a good price if you keep an eye out, and he's absolutely right. You can actually put a VERY nice AATV together by shopping around, learning, and doing some research. All of my AATVs have been put together on a shoestring budget, yet they all have top notch parts, no corners cut, and even though they're old, they're just as reliable and some are even more capable at traversing tough terrain than a brand new stock machine. Like I mentioned, if you're doing this because you want a nice AATV for yourself, great, but if you're doing this to make a profit, then I'd have to steer you in the direction that Keith did, and say sell it now.

Here's the breakdown I can give you from my point of view. I've rebuilt many AATVs and this is the breakdown I can give you as far as cost.

-New Carlisile AT101 tires (good tires that swim fast) $400 http://www.stopandgotires.com/model....0101%20Chevron
-T-20 (let's say you find one for $400)
-Drive belt and misc steel and hardware $100

Now that's $900 for the parts, assuming your bearings and drive chain are good. Throw in another $100 for any surprise expenses that come up and you'll have about $1000 into your machine if you do it on a budget and shop around. You didn't pay anything for the machine, so you have no cost into it off the bat, which is great! Now, Attex used high quality USA made Fafnir bearings and Diamond chain so if you grease and oil everything very well you might be able to use what is on your machine still. My 'Lil Truck is still using all factory bearings and chain and it's holding up very well. I personally would do what I just mentioned and drive, rebuild, learn, and enjoy this machine. With all the folks on here helping you along, I'd say you could easily put this machine together and not have to worry about having more than what it's worth into it. And you'll learn about how the machine works, have a unique and reliable vehicle. That's my opinion on your situation. Let us know what direction you go and we'll try our best to help you out.

[kghills]

Jeff does a much better job at expressing the costs than me. His prices are a bit on the optimistic side in my opinion and are based on his ability to secure the screaming deals (part of the fun) and a lot depends on what you can do yourself and how long you are willing to wait to find some stuff. Your machine looks very clean but I always figure things are parked or put aside for a reason.

Keith

[jpswift1]

I forgot to mention that part......putting it together for the price I mentioned is with finding the best deals and doing some research to find them. Plus doing the work yourself saves you a lot of money like Keith mentioned. He also raised a very good point that you should keep in mind, when you rebuild something you're assuming your time is free. If you're putting it together for a fun project, great. But if you're putting it together for a profit, you'll have to take into consideration the expression, "time is money". If you decide that you don't want to rebuild it, I'd send a message to kghills because he doesn't have an Attex 'Lil Truck and he'll give it a great home and it'll help put the number of machines in his fleet closer toward the double digits.