Well hello the great world of 6x6'ers! Got room for another???
Anyways, my name is Scott and i am from the north tx area. I am a proud owner (original owner) of a terra tiger. Actually, back in the day, my father and his father (my grand dad) went halves and bought it together for various reasons. I remember as a child, my dad would always take me around in it up cliffs, off cliffs, high speed turns and in the water. As a little guy, i of course was scared to death of it and it was loud! Anyhow, one night, my dad put it away under the carport, and an un-expected rain came through. Well the previous ride, he was in the water and didn't take the plugs out, therefore it filled up with rain.
So i remember dad was mad and tried to fix it up but ran out of time and for several years it sat in the back of the barn as a shelf, piling things on top for storage. As i grew older, i started getting gaining some interest in the beast and took it upon myself to do something with it. My dad would not sell it because it has sentimental values with him and his dad. So he was under the impression that there were no more parts to be found for it and figured it wasn't worth the time and effort to repair. So several years back, i took a huge interest in it and began searching all over the internet looking for parts and what not. If i remember right, our biggest issue was tires, because the one piece tires were not being manufactured anymore. Thats when we found Route6x6.com, our questions were answered when we found the axle adapter for the new style tires. We purchased a couple and mounted them in the center. Fixed the engine, and off we were! And then as usual with all other old machines, things break. We had broken a chain, blew the top end, couple more tires, pull starter broke, and so on. No money to fix, so we parked it again in the garage and let it be.
So that brings me to today! Its still in the garage of course, but im ready to fix it up. Winter is coming and usually here in north tx its not much of one, however i want that sucker to be ready when we get our once a year snow/ice! I would like to get it back into good shape so that some time i could join a 6x6 ride with others!
Here are some things i would like to do to it. I will have to replace the fuel line. It broke off at the floor, so that will be a project i know. The old fuel tank weather cracked and i never could get it sealed correctly. so i ended up using a removable boat tank but never did get it mounted correctly. The Ignition switch is bad. I know for a fact the contacts are wore out so that will need replacement. The exhaust, i for some reason, never did get that figured out. If i remember right, i never could find the right size flexible exhaust line. So i found the best to fit and cut it to clamp it down. So i had to run with fumes! That will be an easy fix. I have tire issues of course! I would really like to get the old style tires back on it. I would need 3 or 4 i presume, not for sure though.
Lets move on to the engine as its a whole different animal! It is the original JLO L295. I had blown the top end, so i put a new one in it. And a new head. To this point, if memory serves me right, it was hard starting and wouldn't run long... like 30 seconds if that. So i rebuilt the carburetor (tillotson HR68A i think... again!) While replacing the welch plugs... (even though i shouldn't have) i drilled a bit too much and went through the casing. So that being said, i think my problem lies there so i will need another... YeAH! The spark plug... well the great big huge one that goes in it originally, was reduced down to a smaller one. The head has a steel insert in it so that it will keep the head from wearing out. So i will need a new plug, id rather start out fresh. The crank seals could use replacement, i never got too deep as intended but i remember that the seals are definitely original and are most likely definitely leaking air which could also result in my running problem. The pull cable is good, but the old rubber T handle is broke. I need one of them. The starter, should be good, i had it overhauled last time i was fooling around with it, but the ignition switch took a dump on me so that will be determined. I would also like to get a fly wheel puller or at least have someone give me some tips for a good way of pulling it. I never did get it off so i had a tough time adjusting the points and cleaning them. A new set of points wouldn't be a bad idea either. And the coil, i need a new one of those also. They seem to always be tricky as that could also cause my running problem. I have all the manuals, and parts diagrams and what not, even the old brochure from when it was bought!
Well i think this covers just about everything! Its a bit long but hey, hopefully someone here has some great info and experience they wouldn't mind handing down. I'm an aircraft mechanic, and i go to school full time trying to get my license. I used to race cross country dirt bikes and broke too many things and had to get out. I love to learn new things and am open to anyones advice! Thanks guys for a great site!!