1973 1/2 250

[242]

After reading the interesting comments about the 1973 1/2 Harescrambler and it being the bike of the year, I've decided to restore mine.  If there ever was a wore out bike on the verge of being called junk, I'd have to say it's my 250 Harescrambler. First off, the frame has had most of the brackets either tore or cut off, the motor mounts were made from allthread.  The motor is just plain wore out.  I have found most of the bike and found some interesting things.  The airbox was originally blue but looks to have been paintd gold with a paintbrush.  I think the original tank was gold over green.  I did some checking with the original dealer and he took the bike on trade and believed it came from a dealer in Terre Haute, IN.  He also said it had flat preston petty fenders. The front fender was mounted on a alum mount.  The frame is badly rusted on the airbox intake under the seat.  The best I can do on numbers is 54 307576??  At this time, I'm still trying to round up parts and repair the frame.  This poor old Penton as I was told was just rode in the ground.  I had planned on just parting it out but didn't have the heart to, and decided to restore it instead.  This has came as a bad time because I'm already restoring a 1977 GS400 and a 1974 400 Mint Enduro.  This Mint is another bike that was rode in the ground also.  I know of at least 4 guys who rode it, never maintained it, and rode it some more which says alot for the Penton motorcycles.  Anyway, sure have lots of work to do, but won't it be fun?  Bonifide

[Rain Man]

Don't despair Bonafied, when the 250's built it will be all yours !!
 I have 2 brand new 73 Jackpiners, that spent 20 years in a hew barn !! what a mess and a challenge to restore.
   I can attest to the challenges of restoration, and so can many more of us that rejuvinated our pentons, within this group.
  "it don't come easy"
But when your penton's all restored, its all yours !!

Raymond
 Down East Pentons

[tomale]

you may have found out already is not he physical work of restoration but trying to determine what parts and brackets actually were correct for that bike... and you may have realized that the best place to figure that out is right here.... good luck, it will be worth it....

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)
75' GS400 (project bike)
72'sixday (project bike)

[242]

As more work is done on the 731/2, more trouble is found. After checking out the swingarm I found someone has tryed to stick weld the side stand mount and did a very bad job on it, like burning a hole in the under side of swingarm. I can repair this while I'm repairing the egged out and missing motor mount holes. Them all-thread bolts were rough on the mounting holes. The rear wheel has some problem as well, cracked hub and the backing plate is bent or warped. The front wheel is not right as it needs spacers to be centered. Needs about a half inch spacer on the brake side to line the rim up between the forks, must be the wrong wheel??? Well better head down to the barn and check out a better rear wheel and see if I picked the wrong front one. L8er

[G Ellis]

242 If you need a rear wheel and backing plate I have one. If you need anything else make a list and give me a call. Gary