TJ 450's 6.9 Pics

[TJ 450]

As promised, here are the pics...

Exterior...

By tim_w116, shot with DMC-FX01 at 2008-11-21

Interior...

By tim_w116, shot with DMC-FX01 at 2008-11-21

Refurbished hoses...

By tim_w116, shot with DMC-FX01 at 2008-11-02

Upper control arm and strut...

By tim_w116, shot with DMC-FX01 at 2008-10-21

Engine, now minus trans...

By tim_w116, shot with DMC-FX01 at 2009-04-05

Brake booster removed...

By tim_w116, shot with DMC-FX01 at 2009-04-05

Subframe removed...

By tim_w116, shot with DMC-FX01 at 2009-04-05

Powder coated...

By tim_w116, shot with DMC-FX01 at 2009-04-05

Close up...

By tim_w116, shot with DMC-FX01 at 2009-04-05

Trans. Stator Shaft, replacement required...

By tim_w116, shot with DMC-FX01 at 2009-04-05

Trans. Intermediate Shaft, eroded running surface...

By tim_w116, shot with DMC-FX01 at 2009-04-05

Regards,

Tim

 

[Styria]

Hi TJ450, I really appreciate you posting those photos. To me, it looks a very, very acceptable car condition wise, and once you have finished all the other work you have completed/undertaken, you should be a very proud owner.

Interior wise, I note with interest the rev counter being redlined at 5000 rpm - for some reason, it would appear that the early models (ca. 1975-76) were offered with that rev limit. Later models are redlined at 5300 rpm. I just wonder what changes may have occurred during the production run ? If any ? So, do you know if you have the high or low compression engine ? I see that you don't have the separate engine oil cooler, so one would assume you have the lower comp. motor. Again, this is 'curious' as I was under the impression that early engines all had the separate oil cooler.

As far as your gearbox is concerned, do you have the additional external pump that is fitted to the front of the engine ? Again, thanks for the pics - I find them very interesting. Regards Styria

 

[John S]

Maybe I’m missing something in the photo of the transmission selector shaft, but it looked like it would clean up OK to me.

 

[TJ 450]

AFAIK, it's the low compression engine. Engine number is 1875. It does have the auxilliary pump for the transmission. I notice a lot of parts on the car have hand engraved numbers and the valve body in the trans has 6.9, USA written on it from the factory.
There is no history on this car until it was sold "new" by MB Australia in 1981.

As far as the tachometer is concerned, why they made the change is a mystery to me. I wonder if it occured with the change from round to square base water pumps? Maybe they were just being ultra conservative initially?

I also installed the 5,300rpm rev limiting distributor rotor.

Hi John S.,
The stator/spigot shaft is a known weak point in these transmissions and this one, while still usable, is starting to chew out.

Tim

 

[WGB]

As usual TJ what you get up to in a carport on a busy road with basic tools is amazing.

Bill

 

[Styria]

As usual TJ what you get up to in a carport on a busy road with basic tools is amazing.

Bill

Hi Bill, I am not familiar with Tim's set up, but he is certainly quite methodical in tackling all the hundred and one issues that should make this a good car.

I had a quiet chuckle to myself when I saw the rear subframe in his bedroom. It reminded me of my own situation many, many moons ago when I would park a newly acquired Montesa 360 Motocrosser in the kitchen of my home. If I can dig up a pic. of this, I shall post it on the discussion board in due course. Regards Styria

Well, I did manage to dig them out - these pics are about thirty years old - the little guy is No. 1 son, and you just couldn't keep him off the bike.

 

[Styria]

Just as a footnote more than anything else, this particular bike was a hybrid special, with a 1973 frame, but it was fitted with a modified 1969 - 360cc engine.

In the hands of the son of the importer, it won the Australian 500cc Short Circuit title, the Laurie Boulter trophy as well as the Grand National. The bike is still in my possession today. Regards Styria

 

[Styria]

Just as a footnote more than anything else, this particular bike was a hybrid special, with a 1973 frame, but it was fitted with a modified 1969 - 360cc engine.

In the hands of the son of the importer, it won the Australian 500cc Short Circuit title, the Laurie Boulter trophy as well as the Grand National. The bike is still in my possession today. Regards Styria

We now have an update on this Montesa 360 Motocross bike. Some five to six years ago a guy in Melbourne spotted this thread on Google - believe it or not. He contacted me on TK and enquired about the bike, questioning details such as ownership, modifications and details of previous owners.

I had acquired the bike from Ryan's Motorcycles that were located at Parramatta, and Barry Ryan, the owner, provided me with details of the original owner and a pretty good run down on its history. The bike had belonged to Lyell O'Brien in Geelong, and he happened to be the importer of Montesa Motorcycles from Spain. This bike of mine saw the light of day in 1973, the year in which Montesa introduced the VR Replica, named after a Finnish guy by the name of Vehkonen, and he was Montesa's factory rider in the World Motocross Championships. It just so happened that 1969 was the last year when the factory produced a 360cc capacity bike, and Lyell did have some spare 360cc engines - maybe two. He decided to utilize the brand new VR replica frame and fitted the 360cc four speeder to be raced by his son Gary in some major Victorian Motocross events, including the 500cc Australian Short circuit title. Lyell, the old boy as crafty as he was, had some special lightweight Conrods (three) manufactured that enabled the bike to increase its maximum revs range from 6000rpm to 8000 rpm. In 1973, those conrods cost him $120.00 each, but they enabled the bike to win three really major races.
Apparently, a number of people had been looking for this bike - I modified it to take the lay-down rear shock absorbers that were all the rage at the time (LTR - long travel suspension) and I fitted it with Enduro type (street legal) modifications and I even registered it for road use - believe it or not. I really need to find some pics that I have. The motor ran a compression ratio of 13:1 with no reed valves - just straight two stroke, and when kickstarting the bike you needed to rear a boot on the right leg because , once the bike was ready to fire, the kick back was like getting hit by a stubborn mule ! Power in those days was awesome - turn the throttle and everything became a blur !

Anyway I sold the bike to this guy in Melbourne, and there was considerable excitement that the bike had been found. He gave me six and a half, and was going to restore it like new - guess what ? I have never seen any update on the Motocross site. Don't know what he finished up doing in the end. I could add a bit more, but won't do so now. Regards Styria