My Tecate Project - Re Engineered

[sandpuppi101]

I was fortunate to find a good stash of Tecate's last fall and have been sitting on them ever since just thinking and thinking about what I was gonna do with them.I have been asking lot's of question's and taking note's,looking at past thread's ,seeing what worked and what did'nt work on upgrade's and mod's.Around the 1st of the year I started putting my idea's on paper and it was'nt long after that,I pulled out the cut-off wheel,grinder,torche's and welder and started going to town .It's like another 600X build all over again,and I love it..
I started off with a '85 chasis for the build,it was in decent shape ,dirty but solid.First thing I noticed during dis-assembly was the weight of the stock tripple's.I was floored ,and I did'nt like the set-up of the rear suspension either.I've read thread after thread after thread on how to get a 300EX shock to fit the stock chasis,but i decided to rework the whole rear.
So the 1st thing I needed to do was to get this chasis as a roller,it's funny how going from paper to the actual chasis rarely ever work's,but none the less I'm making some headway.I stretched the swinger about 3 inche's ,built in cross bracing on the bottomside and boxed it out.As far as the bottom shock mount,that was wacked off and I went with an adjustable setting bottom mount.The one in the picture is the 1st mock up and has since been changed,but it's along the same line's.With the set-up I have it open's a new door to the shock combination's that I can use.I don't have any new pic's of the swinger ,but that's the general idea.And with that mod ,I will still be able to have the stock airbox,nothing really get's deleted because of room.
The front is totaly getting reworked also,the stock radiator is gone and a narrow front end is now in place.I just got a KX 250 tank and radiators and that's where I'm at rite now.I set it up on the machine and with a little bit of work I ain't seeing any major issue's.I already know about the gas petcock/exhaust issue ,but that's gonna be an easy mod,if all goes good.
That's pretty much where I'm at now,i'll keep everyone posted and get some more pic's when I get a chance ,but it's a roller.So now you guy's got a clue on my Tecate's,LOL..But I am thinking this machine is gonna be a sweet MX'r when it's all said and done.You guy's have question's or suggestion's ,let me know,thus far it's pretty much your idea's that got me this far in the 1st place..

[chavo80]

so its a box in +3 stock swinger?looks like it can take a beating>gl with your build.

[Russell 350X]

What all are you planning on doing to it, mod wise? Or are you just playing it by ear?

[sandpuppi101]

Boy was I wrong ,I think I stated in the 1st post that I did'nt see any major issue's. I must have not had my coffee when I wrote that,cuz everything thus far has been a major issue.But I did get it as a roller now,with the KX 250Tank off an '85 mounted,Radiator's are in place ,suspension is pretty nice in the rear,and a few other thing's.
With using the KX tank,I had issue's on the petcock,stuffing the radiator's in a little area all the while having steering clearance with the fork's,and keeping the coolant hoses inside the chasis and having clearance on them.What a pain in the ARSE !! So it's on to the seat and alinging everything up at this point.I do have to say that sitting on the Tecate give's the illusion of sitting on a dirtbike,and the steering is gonna be awesome for getting the inside.You's like it so far??

[sandpuppi101]

Yeah ,it's gonna be interesting to see how the front end alone perform's with this set-up.I am guessing that thus far I've shaved 20+ pound's off of it,I guess I can loose some more on the machine ,but not much more.I'll have my brother be the guineepig and test ride it 1st,LOL.Thank's for the compliment John..

[T3 LOPES]

Can't wait to see it finished . Looks like you have it under control. Are you doing anything to the motor? What pipe are you running? Looks like it will be another great muddogs resto.

[sandpuppi101]

Are you doing anything to the motor? What pipe are you running?
I ain't too sure yet Lope's,You ,Tecat-Z and Swinehart got me into this ..What would you doo??? LMAO It's up in the air on engine mod's thus far,just focusing on the chasis at this point ..

[sandpuppi101]

I just got the KX tank John,No motor.It's the same as your's,I have 3 motor's and there all out of Tecate's.The Tecate chasis is an '85, as well as the KX part's.It's all Tecate..

[cr480r]

is that shock able to provide full travel? I really dont see any advantage over stock with that shock set-up... the shrouds and tank look pretty good on there, but the center of gravity appears to have been raised higher.

[ATC-Eric]

Mes likes

[sandpuppi101]

is that shock able to provide full travel? I really dont see any advantage over stock with that shock set-up... the shrouds and tank look pretty good on there, but the center of gravity appears to have been raised higher.

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Yeah it has full travel,and I made it where it will be adjustable for trail riding ,MX, Drag's a whole slue of application's,plus I can use a variety of shock's with ease.The advantage is being able to switch to a number of situation's.We'll see how it goes,but if it is'nt what I expect than I'll take it off and mod something different.As far a raising the tank,yeah it had to be done to entail the radiator and exhaust clearance,and again if it don't work I'll tear it off and start over.It's somewhat similar to the chasis re-do for the XR to ATC 600 build ,and I was pretty happy with that.

[cr480r]

good deal.. I wasnt trying to sound negative, I was just curious... Thanks for sharing your creativity... What was your solution for the seat pan?

[sandpuppi101]

Naw', that's cool,I know.To tell ya the truth I ain't gonna know how it act's till I am able to ride it.I should have it down at TF ,that'll be a good place to test her out.The seat pan is off a '87 trx 250X ,chopped up for the custom fit,it will of course have a new seat cover,hopefully the Mosh's will do me up a beaut again..

[BigGreenMachine]

Any pics of the top shock mount?

[scooterroo]

any updates on this sandpuppy?