Bought my "Eleanor" ATV: 1986 Honda TRX350

[inv3ctiv3]

Just picked this up, I've been looking for one of these for about 10 years....We had one of these on my families ranch in Texas and I spent every summer and all summer out there for almost my entire life and the first thing I did when I got there was hop on that old TRX350 and go hunting/fishing. Fast forward a few years the thing was just beat to trailprotrailprotrailprotrailpro and left out in the junkyard to rot, I wanted to restore it but it was way beyond that point :(

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4013/4309097863_0d9b0b5164_o.jpg

So I've been keeping my eyes out for one for a long time but whenever they popped up they were either insanely expensive due to them only making it two years (this model has a straight front axle) or they were just completely beat to trailprotrailprotrailprotrailpro and parts are almost impossible to find these days (especially the plastics). So I noticed this one popped up on CL for a pretty good deal and it said it was just used by an old man on a ranch to turn on the water systems.....Well I called immediately and found out they still had it even though it was posted 28 days ago and went to check it out that day, I was surprised when I got there because it literally didn't have a single crack or repair in the plastics which is unreal. It is used and is 27 years old so it has wear and needs to be washed (I'll update with clean photos soon) but it starts right up and runs great, the tank is completely rust free as well. The old guy was in a wheel chair actually and has a hand shifter on it lol but I'm going to just unbolt it from the shift lever when I get home, so it seems to be in great condition, my plan is to go through it a bit this weekend and maybe give her a test ride on some local trails and then clean it up. I want to restore the wheels, racks and plastics (just buff them to make them shine) and the racks and wheels have slight surface rust and the seat should probably be redone but this isn't a beauty queen it will be used on our ranch out in Texas as I'll be driving it out there this summer.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7415/14194696135_2d1851d6c0_b.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5535/14008052920_80f0f19581_b.jpg

Another cool thing is it came with all the original paperwork, manuals, etc in a big binder:

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7335/14192155822_01ae81864e_b.jpg

[atc007]

Cool story. They are a rough ride. But I completely understand the heart felt love for it. Try finding a 88 or 89 Foreman lol,,,,in blue :)

[MojaveRider]

Awesome story! Can't beat a classic Honda. I've heard those models are tanks and quite tough.

[inv3ctiv3]

Speaking of blue fenders:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLUE-HONDA-TRX350-TRX350D-TRX-350D-350-D-4X4-FOREMAN-FRONT-REAR-BODY-FENDERS-/380761074649?pt=Motors_ATV_Parts_Accessories&hash=item58a720ebd9&vxp=mtr

[ATC-Eric]

Very cool. Only ridden one of those in my life, and it gave me a bit of a bug. One of these days I'm picking up a 4x4!

[inv3ctiv3]

Has anyone done this? I plan on taking all the racks and plastics off to give it a really good cleaning and I am going to paint the racks:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KevwAZutZwI

[dman10]

Nice score! Wheres the ranch at Texas?

[inv3ctiv3]

Nice score! Wheres the ranch at Texas?

About an hour and a half north of Austin.

[jakep53]

I have done the plastic polish thing and all it does is leave a dirty layer that attracts dust

[inv3ctiv3]

Hmmm I could see polish attracting dust but what about the boiled linseed and paint thinner mixture?

[jakep53]

Hmmm I could see polish attracting dust but what about the boiled linseed and paint thinner mixture?

Yes this is what I did but once you leave it for a day it becomes dirty and it scratches easy making it look worse!!

[petesatc]

i have NOS fenders, seat and other parts for the 350D if your interested PM me....

[Dave Little]

Looks like one of these may be hitting Ebay shortly.....
https://www.facebook.com/MacworthRv

[6speedthumper]

Sweet find man!! I've always wanted one. I know where there is one on the way to the Hatfield-McCoy trails. I'd have gotten the first one you picked up to keep as parts.

[swampthang]

I've had a couple trx 350's. Still have a nice 87 model that I'm hanging onto. Only paid $500 for it and it even had a title. There beasts. Articulation sucks and so does turning radius, not to mention the stupid electric fuel pump that will leave you stranded just a matter of time on that. I like to take mine to atv pulls. They usually put me in a class based on cc's and the old trx will put a hurtin on a 300 fourtrax or a rancher anyday.

[Gearheadtom]

A buddy of mine just bought his back that he sold a year ago. I think his is a '90 or '91, they made the 350D's a few more years up here, north of the border.
You can take those fuel pumps apart and clean the contacts in them, I've done it more than once.
We were thinking about building a custom 4 link set up to give it some articulation, but don't think it would ever work. We also wondered if the bottom end could be combined with a 350x to make it manual clutch then build the top end for way more power, just so that he could have something different then everyone else.