New barn find Cat?

[motorman45]

Hi, im new here. ive been restoring old arctic cat sleds and some motorcycle projects and this weekend I found this and picked it up along with a Yamaha dt basket im going to restore.

I was wondering what model it is and any help any of you can offer as to its worth, places to find parts ?? not sure yet.

 

[motorman45]

I should say is it worth restoring , not what it s worth. read that... , it is missing the pull starter but every thing else is there

 

[rap2457]

Hi Motorman,I think the model is the Whisker.

 

[motorman45]

thanks rap, I was not sure. has spark and compression but ill have to find a starter cup that takes rope or a pull start..

 

[buckeye]

Welcome and nice little find there, I'll tell ya.

 

[motorman45]

thanks Buckeye, its not a bad little rig, was in a barn for many years wont take much to get it going but I need a wiring diagram.

 

[chipper]

nice score for sure !

 

[Ding Ding]

Bike looks very complete and in decent condition. The frames were never white, so it's obviously been taken completely apart before. The rear fender is not stock nor correct for the drivetrain. The handlebar riser is not stock.

Parts can be found many places:
ebay
BlackWidowMotorsports
OldMiniBikes warehouse
Old school mini bike.com

There is an abundance of parts on ebay right now as there is a guy selling off his fleet of 30+ bikes.

As far as what it is worth, that is a "no-no" on this website. It's worth whatever someone is willing to pay. If you find enough of them for sale you can determine a fair market value, but that's as close as you're going to get.

 

[motorman45]

thanks Ding, that's great info. I can see you know your arctic mini's. I wondered about the frame as its got no scuffs on it. now that ive looked closer at it it says prowler on the front of it. but the wheels would be different , right ? I realize its worth what someone will pay, same issue with any vintage toy, im most familiar with restoring and dealing in vintage motorcycles not mini bikes. but these things are Cool !\
I appreciate the info on where to look, I had seen stuff on ebay but wondered about others, big help... id sell it as it sits for the right offer, im in Vermont... if not ill clean it up and ride it. I have several projects going and not sure when ill dig into this one,.

 

[Ding Ding]

thanks Ding, that's great info. I can see you know your arctic mini's. I wondered about the frame as its got no scuffs on it. now that ive looked closer at it it says prowler on the front of it. but the wheels would be different , right ? I realize its worth what someone will pay, same issue with any vintage toy, im most familiar with restoring and dealing in vintage motorcycles not mini bikes. but these things are Cool !\
I appreciate the info on where to look, I had seen stuff on ebay but wondered about others, big help... id sell it as it sits for the right offer, im in Vermont... if not ill clean it up and ride it. I have several projects going and not sure when ill dig into this one,.

The wheels on the bike are correct for almost all Arctic Cat bikes (except 1972 Prowler & Ramrod) including your 1971 Prowler.

Check it out---->The Boss Cat Legacy

As far a value and prices go, I've seen Arctic Cat bikes listed and sold from $100 to $3500. So there is certainly a market for them regardless of condition as they are desirable machines. But it all comes down to condition, how complete they are, how close to factory original, and whether or not your buyer just has to have it. If you restore vintage sleds then you already know all of this. :smile:

Shop around for parts from the websites I listed. They all have various Arctic Cat parts, some more than others.

 

[ArcticMinibike]

Ding Ding just about covered all the bases. Nice find.

Hard to tell from the pic but it looks like it has the fuel tank conversion kit on it. Are there brackets that look like hose clamps around the frame tube that connect to the tank mounts? It was a recall issue. If so, that makes yours an early '71 model. It should also have a tail light. Prowlers were the deluxe model equivalent of the base model Whisker. There were approximately 4,500 to 5,000 of this model made.

Your front brake looks to be on the wrong side. Easy fix. Can't see the grips or levers but they were Cherry brand. Grips were hard shiny and smooth. Levers on early '71 had blade ends (no safety balls)...another safety change in mid' 71. Definitely worth fixing up. You are 90% original.

I posted instructions here somewhere on starting them without the elusive recoil. If I find them, I'll send you the link. I also posted the factory carb adjustment procedure.

 

[ArcticMinibike]

I'll see if I can dig up a wiring diagram too. Nothing to it. 2 wires out of the engine... One to the lights (yellow with stripe I believe) and the other to the kill switch. "Y" the light wire to the headlight and tail light. They are self grounding. If your brake cables have light switches built in, it gets more complicated.

 

[ArcticMinibike]

Here's a cousin to your bike. It's all I can do to contain my laughter on the suggested value. Let's just say that it will be for sale for a long time, but as they say, it's worth what someone will pay. Who will that someone will be? Not me.

http://pages.ebay.com/motors/link/?nav=item.view&id=151630574622&alt=web

 

[motorman45]

Thanks again so much. this was the right place to ask for info. I think I will keep it for now and get it going. wiring dose sound very simple, just like sleds of the same era. I think ill make a rope starter cup adapter, ive got access to a lathe,
thanks arctic for the link, lol I get it though, its worth what someone will pay, on a vintage sled site I have build threads on we have a whole thread making fun of over priced stuff and lots of talk about what stuff goes for. this prowler will be a rider not a show bike so ill make it clean and functional. ill post pics on a project thread when I get to it.

 

[ArcticMinibike]

Here's the procedure I have used on one of my riders. Thankfully I now have a stash of recoils, but this still works. Just get a pull rope about 4' long and a T-handle. Wrap COUNTERCLOCKWISE. This engine runs counterclockwise. This works great if you have the recoil drum attached to the flywheel. It's smooth so if you bump it with your toe, you won't hurt yourself. The tension of the rope wrapped under itself is enough...no need to cut a notch. Wrap tight with multiple wraps. When cold (or even warm) you'll want to prime it. Hold the primer down for about 4 seconds right before you pull. You may have to prime it a bit more if multiple pulls are needed. Hands off the throttle until it starts to go or it will bog if cold. Double over the cord a few times and tie it to your bars, tucking the handle in the pocket between the clamps. Now you will always have your "keys" with you if you go for a long ride. :thumbsup:

Also included are timing and carb adjustment instructions. You'll probably want to clean the entire fuel system before using it. Go to WalMart and get a gallon can of carb cleaner, disassemble and let everything soak a few days. PM me if you have any trouble.

 

[motorman45]

Thanks again so much Arctic
that is exactly the info I was looking for. ill go thru the carb and ignition today and get it going. I think ill ride it some before I take it apart to paint the frame the right color. cant wait to hear it run now. its like a bug, I found an old rupp frame with wheels and a tank for free, makes me think about getting that going lol

 

[Ding Ding]

Thanks again so much Arctic
that is exactly the info I was looking for. ill go thru the carb and ignition today and get it going. I think ill ride it some before I take it apart to paint the frame the right color. cant wait to hear it run now. its like a bug, I found an old rupp frame with wheels and a tank for free, makes me think about getting that going lol

The madness that is mini bikes is starting to overtake you. Resistance is futile!