Bighead Scores Yet Another Odyssey

[bighead]

Could not pass this up. I got it for $225. It is a ex national racer fl250 class 2. I have the quick change front end already at home. I also have a the wide axle it needs. With all the spare parts I have it made the deal a really good deal. I have been collecting Challenger parts for about a year now. It has nice chrome bumpers and nerf bars but they are bent up. This is a well made cage. The price for just the cage was worth it to me. It is welded and bended nicer than I could do at this point.

If you notice the front end is missing. See the huge hole in front? I already have the Challenger front end. These race Ody's they just slide the pipe in the front holes. Slide a steel coller on and plug weld it in. If you crash and bend the front end. They just drill the plug welds out and slide the coller off. Then just slide the whole front bar out and replace it with a new one. This will give the ody a stance thats pretty close or even wider than the small truck you see in the pics.

Anyway here is the pics from the add. I do not have it home yet. I have to make road trip from Portland to Seattle area. If I did not have a hoard of fl250 parts this would not have been such a great deal. That being said I am stoaked that I got my hands on a original Challenger Chassis.

Here is some info from Challenger if anyone cares to check it out. The raced these Challengrs hard back in the day. This will go perfect with my yellow racer.

http://www.pilotodyssey.com/challengercat1.htm

Here is the holy grail of Challenger Odyssey. This is taking a stock machine and moded to the max. Remember in early 80's mini buggy were not to big yet. This buggy would have been a very very bad arse machine in the 80's (click more at the bottom of the page if you interested in suspension pics)

http://www.pilotodyssey.com/challenger.htm

 

[bighead]

The difference between my yellow racer and the original Challenger is. The builder that made my yellow buggy was making the same thing and the Challenger racers. With the Challengers you can buy everything you need to make a racer back in the 80's. The builder of my yellow buggy was a DIY guy and made his own. But he also made a lot of them. I do not know how many but he made over 50 I was told. Mine has Camex Racing motor which was winning national races in the 80's in racing buggies.

The builder in the magazine pics is the same builder that built my yellow racer. Just thought I would post some about it. I am bored right now as you can see.

Some pics of an original kit bought Challenger. And my yellow racer. I like my set up much much better. My reduction unit is in the center. The challenger is off to the left. No wonder my yellow buggy and the DIY'er was kicking but.

The last two pics are class 2 racers. The use the original Ody frame. This is the class that the ody I just bought would have raced in.

The pics

 

[anderkart]

Nice man, that things cool !!!

 

[bighead]

Just scored the engine for the Ody. It is an Yamaha Enticer 250cc fan cooled single. 23Hp, I got it for $100. Dump gas in the plug hole and she fires right up. Been sitting for ever outside with gas in the carbs. Love it when people do that.

This engine will be perfect for it is so small. I will be able to fit it inside the ody frame rails so I can mount it really low like the original Ody's are. Was going to do a Killdozer style sled swap. But being how this motor is about the same size as fl250 engine. I am thinking about mounting it to the original ody engine craddle that you see on the blue Ody I just bought. I can just fab up some slotted mounts to fit the sled engine the the ody's engine craddle. This will let me be able to use the original Ody's rubber motor mounts. While keeping it kind of original Ody looking in a way.

This build is a few months out. Just rounding and hoarding parts right now. I posted a pic of the sled I got. And a random web pic of an enticer 250 sled engine. Also the blue ody that you can see the engine craddle on. Nice and low. I really like the fan cooled sled engines for like on most karts the engine is right behind the seat. Also you can buy the short block enticer 250 engine on ebay for around $200 all week long. Cheap if I ever need a new engine.

$100 running sled? Gotta love it.

 

[karl]

$100 running sled? Gotta love it.

I sold my 1979 yamaha enticer 300 twin cylinder sled for 75$. Motor ran like a top but the rest was worn or beat beyond repair. Never should have sold it, it would have been such a beastly go kart motor.

 

[bighead]

Need some help. Not sure if I should put the sled engine in my light blue ody. Or put the sled engine in the new dark blue one I just bought. I have a new fl250 60 over stock motor going into the light blue one.

So what do you think? Keep the dark blue challenger ody all challenger original with ody engine? Or put a sled in it?

The only thing that keeps me leaning towards putting the sled engine in the dark blue one is. The light blue one is already set up. No fabing needed. Just paint and it ready to go.

 

[landuse]

It would be nice to have the Challenger all original, but you are going to have to see how hard it is going to be to get the sled engine into the light blue frame. If its going to be too much of a mission, stick with the original plan.

I remember you said a while ago that you wanted to get the Ody's up and running by a certain date, cos you wanted to use them somewhere you were going. If swapping engines messes with that, then just do it the easy way

 

[bighead]

It would be nice to have the Challenger all original, but you are going to have to see how hard it is going to be to get the sled engine into the light blue frame. If its going to be too much of a mission, stick with the original plan.

I remember you said a while ago that you wanted to get the Ody's up and running by a certain date, cos you wanted to use them somewhere you were going. If swapping engines messes with that, then just do it the easy way

Ya I have a been family and friends vintage bike camping trip in late August. I shoud have 4 of them done. But not this new one.

 

[bighead]

Well I got the Challenger home yesterday. 445 miles round trip. All worth it after I got some sleep. I did a fast mock-up to get an idea of the stance it will have. Can't wait to get started on this one. I am in love with the look. This one is going to be a flat tracker style racer. So really low and wide.

Here she is. It has the same body and panels as the yellow one above in the magazine artical. She will get a full restore using all challenger parts from the era.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EBrEt2N4dU

 

[landuse]

Nice!!

 

[redsox985]

WOW! That front end is really wide! What kind of rear suspension will it have? IRS I'm assuming.

 

[bighead]

WOW! That front end is really wide! What kind of rear suspension will it have? IRS I'm assuming.

I will shorten the front end some. No rear suspension at this point.

 

[bighead]

I tracked down the original builder of this new Ody. This car was a 2 time national champion. 1984 and 1985. Driven by Rusty Carlock out of Texas.

I am having videos and pics sent to me next week. Reakky cool that I can save some more Odyssey racing history. This car fits right with my other yellow racer. If it was not for the decals on the body I would have never found out this info.

Rusty and his son Charles still race today. Charles is an KTM quad Pro rider. Rusty races in the over 45 class for quads.

The only downfall is I want to go 100% original. Thats going to be hard to find part and alot more money for the engine. The shocks I need are really going to kill me as well. This bike had a hand made pipe that ran out the right side under the nerf bar. Just like the yellow racer in the pics below. My Ody actually raced this yellow buggy in the national's.

I want these two Ody's to be original condition and parts. I feel when I do sale them that I will get good money to a collector. I have hounded the net and youtube. I cannot find another class 2 or class 3 racer. I have already been offered over 2 grand for my yellow racer from some members at another Ody site. I feel I am on to something if I can restore a 2 time national champion. This is kind of like finding Ricky Carmicheal's race bike 26 years from now.

Sorry for the rambling. But just pumped up over the news I got today. I will scan and post the pics for sure.

Double click and then click it 2 more times to read the artical in blow up pics

 

[bighead]

Since this is going to be a build thread. Could a Mod move this thread the correct location? Thanks




Okay now I am really pumped up. The Carlock family has sent me some pics. This is my racer in it's hay day. How cool is this friends? Who would figure I could track this stuff down. It even has the same nerf bar dent in the left nerf bar. The guy I got this chassis from has the original motor on ebay right now for $700. Man $700 for an engine though???

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380181133260

Anyway here is the cool pics of the glory days. As well as the engine pics from ebay.

Edit. This car was driven by his wife I found out. The Carlocks had two cars. My car was a national champion driven by a woman racing men. The Drivers name was Janice. You can see the her name on the car. It is now gone from the car though. But all the other decals are there. The precision Boring decals were the first year raced. Then Darcy built the engine. Phil Darcy is the engine builder. (notice the same precision boring decals on the yellow class 2 racer in the magazine pics)

I have located the original engine, radiator, Under nerfbar/frame pipe and wheels.

Notice the pipe under the car and nerf bar? they said it cuts down on noise and heat from around the engine. In my yellow racer the pipe is right at my head. Talk about loud!!! Class two was just flat track so you can stick the pipe under the car. My yellow racer was full corse racing.

If I buy the under frame pipe it will limit my riding. They do not race these anymore. Hmmmm

 

[bighead]

Found this old vid from France racing Odys' Now you know why they just flate track them. LOL All these guys have way to much air in the tires.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7swkcmEgjQk&feature=related

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

I envy you sir, i would kill for a nice ody. I have a perfect 500cc l/c sled engine for one too, or a 400 twin motorcycle engine...or even a 303 rotary engine...or actually come to think of it a 125 two stroke race bike motor haha

 

[redsox985]

I would try to restore it to its full original glory. Try to even get the same decals made up for it and send photos to the family showing how nicely you restored it.

 

[gokart14]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b0RQIb0gZk&feature=relk

just thought this video was cool

 

[bighead]

just thought this video was cool

Ya good ol Ody's. You will not win any races but you can ride them all day long and go anywhere for the most part.

 

[B man]

i thought you said they go around 50?