New Aluminum belly pans???

Gorkon

New member
Joined
Aug 15, 2007
Messages
442
Location
Edmonton, Alberta
Okay, don't laugh too loud at this query. I am wondering if either Yamaha, or someone else is offering new aluminum belly pans for early SRX's? I see some of these vintage SRX's with these perfect, brilliantly polished pans and thought maybe, just maybe, somebody was making these. There's an obvious need as mine is DONE, and just about all the others I have found are pretty much had the biscuit as well. I know about the fiberglass ones that are available, but then you'll never have that nice polished look. I also know the GPX pans will fit as will the exciter pans, but all of these that I've found are pretty much hammered too! Anybody heard anything? G.
 

NOT YET. It would cost a ton for the die. I checked it out years ago. Not in my life time. Dean-o
 
Thanks for the responses, and I admit that I suspected as much. However, without intending any denigration, I like to think in a little more positive vein. For instance, the dies already obviously exist, Yamaha has them, or whoever stamped thoses pans for them has them. Maybe some inquiries and the right connections could see those dies change hands to say, someone like Dynacorn who is making the new steel car bodies for 67 Mustangs and Camaro's. Not saying that they would be interested per se, but someone might? That someone would of course have to know, or have a pretty good idea to start with what kind of market is actually there for it. Ask and Ye shall receive I always say, even this discussion is good as you just never know who's listening and thinking about an opportunity???

How about it, anybody got a business, or know someone with a business that has presses that could perform such a task if they had the dies? Anybody know who has the dies now? Who had them originally? Anybody feel like making some queries? Don't ever forget guys, it is we that move the market. Peace. G.
 
THING IS WHO YA GONNA ASK ? !!!!! YOU THINK THERE IS ANYBODY AT YAMAHA NOW THAT EVEN REMEMBERS THE SRX 440. THATS WHY THEY HIRED JON BERTOLINO TO DO THEIR 40 YEAR HISTORY BOOK. 3:16 (yammie tony)
 
Or simply the cost involved to get the dies shipped from japan to here?? that stuff is most likely stored somewhere in a storage warehouse under lock and key, same place the unsold 82 srx's are stored.....LOL!! Youd have to find someone inside yamaha I am sure to get in, a buddy inside. Couldnt even imagine the kind of feat this would take.
 
DON THEY SAY THOSE 82 SRX,s ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. (folk lore). I BELIEVE THEY WERE TURNED INTO 83 VMAX 540 MORE LIKE IT. GORKON, I KNOW WHAT YOUR SAYING, THERE IS NO DOUBT THE FIRST THING THAT TOOK DAMAGE ON THOSE SLEDS WAS THE PAN. MOST GUYS CUT THEM UP WERE CLUTCH NOTCH IS OR JUST PLAIN BASHED THEM UP. I REALLY AM LUCKEY, MY 1980 SRX PAN IS FLAWLESS, (try finding one of those) AND MY 1979 SRX PAN WHICH WAS MOSTLY ICE DRAG RACED IN ITS LIFE IS GOOD, NOT GREAT!! BUT NICE FOR A SRX. 3:16 (yammie tony)
 
Does anyone know if the pan was ever sold seperate from the chassie? All the parts blowups I have seen show it being sold with the bulhead and tunnel as a "complete frame"

I had a complete chassie with belly pan that I sold a year ago that had a small Yamaha parts# sticker still on the belly pan with an 8F2-???? # (I don't remember the last digets). The pan had factory cut outs for both 77 and 78-80 exhausts, steel bulkhead that was factory painted black, 78-79 style aluminum tunnel setup for 78-79 style rear skid and NO serial #. I took it to my dealer who has been selling Yammies since 1973 and he ran the # on the sticker. It WAS the correct part # for a 77 SRX frame but it obviously wasn't the same. The only SRX with a black bulkhead has a 1980 but it had anodized gold pan and tunnel these were aluminum. The tunnel was either 78 or 79 not 77 and the pan had holes for both exhaust styles. I've had a few of these sleds apart and know that the paint and all the rivets in the bulkhead, tunnel and belly pan were original and factory installed. My dealer said it must have been what you would have gotten from Yamaha when you ordered a complete frame towards the end before they were discontinued and it was supposed to be a "one fits all" frame. I should have kept it just for conversation but it was kind of beat up. I thought it was very interesting to see though.

opsled
 
PHIL. I AM SHURE YOU COULD OF GOT JUST PANS FROM YAMAHA. THIS WAS THE WAY I UNDERSTOOD IT. THAT MIGHT INTERCHANGE, BUT STILL DEFFERENT. 74-75 GPX WAS CLOSE TOO 76 SRX. BUT NO WINDOWS. 77 SRX WAS BEAST ALL OF ITS OWN BECAUSE OF EXHAUST HOLE. 78-79 SRX SAME. 340/440 EXCITERS REAL CLOSE BUT NO WINDOWS. 1980 SRX OF CORSE IS GOLD, AND NO WINDOWS ALTHOUGH EARLY PROMO SHOTS PICTURED OF THE 80 SRX SHOWS WITH WINDOWS. MY 80 DOSE NOT HAVE THEM. GUESS IF YA HAD KNOW, YOU GOT OF BOUGHT THESE PANS AND STORED THEM AWAY, YOU HAVE ALOT OF $$$$ SITTING THERE. 3:16 (yammie tony)
 
Last edited:
Thanks Tony, Thats what I thought. If we would have known we would have been hoarding alot more than just belly pans!!


opsled
 
Well I have been talking to an interested small business, he's curious about the potential market. I don't know the in's and out's of making these dies, but I have read that the technology to accomplish this sort thing has grown in leaps and bounds making it easier and cheaper, possibly in the reach of a small business. Look at what is happening with cars where you can buy a brand new steel 32 Ford, 57 Chevy convertible, early Camaro or Mustang and even old pickup cabs!!!

Maybe Yamaha has them, or doesn't, or doesn't even know where they are or wouldn't sell them for a mill. But we won't know any answers to that unless we do something like inquire. Call me a dreamer, but I've had more fun and success in life by asking than not! I don't know who to ask at Yamaha, whether to write to Japan, or USA, maybe one of you does? Maybe even a plea explaining to them the resurgence in the vintage snowmobile market would prompt them to reintroduce them? Ya, I can hear ya'll laughing at that, but again, what can it hurt to ask? They are a company after all, interested in making money. The question is, would a lot of you like to have a brand new shiny pan for your early SRX? Can we get a hell yeah? Then it's worth asking, nothing ventured, nothing gained!

You find me the guy to write to, and I'll write it and post it for your input, deal? Blessings. G.
 
I found a new 78/79 pan for my 78 and have a new 77 pan on my 77. I know Jeff W sold his 77 new pan. I know where there's one more brand new 77 pan. He won't sell it. If someone knew how a die could be made cheap enought that would be the way to go. I'm sure he would let someone barrow it, with about a $20,000 insurance note. Dean-o
 
Lee Frederickson of classic muscle sleds in Marine MN sells reproduction fiberglass pans, hoods, dash covers and spindle boot covers for the srx's
 
I just listed an NOS Exciter, GPX or 76 SRX belly pan on ebay (item # 190149076832) Could also be modified for 77 - 79 SRX's. Buy it and have your die made. ;)! ;)!

opsled
 

Attachments

  • exciter belly pan 001.jpg
    exciter belly pan 001.jpg
    70.7 KB · Views: 14
  • exciter belly pan 002.jpg
    exciter belly pan 002.jpg
    65 KB · Views: 13
  • exciter belly pan 003.jpg
    exciter belly pan 003.jpg
    70.5 KB · Views: 11
  • exciter belly pan 008.jpg
    exciter belly pan 008.jpg
    74.3 KB · Views: 14
  • exciter belly pan 007.jpg
    exciter belly pan 007.jpg
    71.6 KB · Views: 13


Back
Top