Let the games begin! (1986 350X project)

[J!m]

Can anyone tell me if this front fender is Maier or OEM? Rears are easy. I can’t tell the fronts apart…

[J!m]

let’s try this way.

[Dirtcrasher]

For ANY plastic, just look underneath (or the back side) and it's easy to tell the difference from Vac Formed to plastic injection molded.

[Dirtcrasher]

I’ve cleaned the polish remnants off the wheels, but I didn’t get them cleared. I guess Monday I’ll do that.

Once dry, I can mask off the polished areas and then glass bead blast the cast centers. Those should look brand new.

Those rims are hard to find without any damage these days, and they aren't cheap. You can probably smooth down the outer lip very carefully with a flap disc. In reality, the outer lip is cosmetic, as long as the bead seling lip isn't all bent up the tires will seal. I use to see gold 250R wheels all the time, I should have known they'd go to insane prices like everything else. These 350X cast center rims are even more rare, very hard to find these unmolested.

Hi SHEP!! Hi RED RIDER!! Hope you guys are well...

[J!m]

The gold would be tricky. That’s a good anodize finish on those isn’t it?

[BOB MARLIN]

Can anyone tell me if this front fender is Maier or OEM? Rears are easy. I can’t tell the fronts apart…

All the Maier front fenders for the 350x that I've seen are crooked when mounted and viewed from looking strait on from the front. Must be the mold.

The original fenders will have marks on the underside, round or sometimes oval, from the ejector pins used to push the part out of the injection mold.

[Red Rider]

Can anyone tell me if this front fender is Maier or OEM? Rears are easy. I can’t tell the fronts apart…

Let me start off with my disclaimer first, which is, I'm more familiar with '85-86 250R stuff. But, since the 350X is a sport trike, I do pay attention to these threads. In your pic, that appears to be an old Maier fender. There is the old Maier plastic (dull finish), and the new Maier plastic (shiny finish). When they went from dull plastic to the shiny stuff, I assume they changed the type of plastic they used, rather than just an "end of production polishing process." I've only owned 2 Maier pieces, an old dull piece, and a new shiny piece. The old dull plastic seemed kind of hard, and brittle, while the new shiny stuff seems to be more flexible.

In the past, it was easy to tell OEM plastics apart from the aftermarket. In ATV's, the only real player in the aftermarket plastics game was Maier, and their stuff always had a dull finish. Nowadays, we have the new shiny Maier, and other brands, like KTX Pro plastics, so it gets a little more difficult to tell them apart. What I've noticed about all of the aftermarket plastics, regardless of the brand is, all of their lines are more rounded, and not nearly as crisp, or as sharp, as the OEM lines are. Also, with front fenders, I don't know why, but all of the aftermarket stuff has a more rounded transition on the front edge of the fender, to the sides of the fender, whereas the OEM stuff is more squared-off, and angular. Once again, just sharper details. Start looking, and you'll see what I mean.

[BOB MARLIN]

Injection molded fenders (OEM) will have marks similar to these on the underside.

[J!m]

Okay. I’m assuming for the moment that it’s old Maier, as it is a dull finish. And the rear fender (also dull and with a melt hole) is for sure Maier.

Not a big deal at the moment- at least I have something, but just trying to figure it all out in case I come across something.

[J!m]

Today we’re we’re doing some wire stretching.

I have (had now) an 85 switch and got a Chinese 86-style switch for some quad. The wiring needed some changes but it will work right and look right. If I get an original switch I’ll just, er, switch them but this is good for now.

I still have to change the headlight connections to the dual bullet female connectors. I have those and the vinyl boots for them to swap over, then wrap with tape and done.

I got new brake and (ouch) clutch levers, new pins and hardware to restore the hand controls. Throttle is nice just needs some paint maybe new hardware…new grips will complete to cockpit.

Fuel cap is quite nice actually but silver. I think that’s 85 and 86 was black, right?

[BOB MARLIN]

You can use a switch from a Honda quad. I cant remember exactly which one I used but it was an early 2000's TRX250 I think. It looks just like the stock 350x except it has a start button.
As far as the gas cap, my 86 is a strange color, almost like a anodized old penny color.

[J!m]

What I ordered was for an 86-87 200X (link below). No start button (I did see a bunch of those variety)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/295421202266

But I will say the length to the chassis connector is too short (about 6-1/4" - not sure if that's a 200/350 difference or an OEM/China difference) and it has an H4 headlight connector. But the shape, ink markings and button colors are correct at least.

As I said, when/if I find a correct one, I'll restore that or transfer the buttons from this into it (if I can). Whatever. I have a reliable switch in the meantime that plus into the trike as an OEM one and looks correct.

Today I'm rebuilding the clutch/parking brake lever extravaganza.

Does the collective think there's any value in replacing the sleeve in these old clutch arms that are NLA? I "scored" (AKA paid a lot for) an NOS one, but it doesn't seem too bad to replace the bushing. Rebuilding the sides and re-machining would be costly, but that is an option as well. Arms are over $100 these days; I have to see what it'll cost to refurbish (parts and labor). I'll bore out the old sleeve and press in a new one, probably sintered bronze so it'll hold lubrication.

Finally, anyone use evap-o-rust on zinc plated bits? I'm concerned it will strip the zinc along with the rust, but I just don't know.

[BOB MARLIN]

I got the one with the start button because I had an electric starter (Goki) on my 86 for a couple of years.

[J!m]

That makes sense!

I just wanted the switch to look right. The quality difference is apparent but the 85 one just looks wrong on the 86 to me.

[J!m]