anyone interested, 250 "Z"

by **Boscat43** » December 22nd, 2003, 3:32 am

I have a 250 "Z" and I was wondering what something like that would be worth. It has sat in a hayloft for years, looks almost like new. Starts second pull every time. It has a 250 Kohler engine in it but I am not sure what year it is. All the origional service manual and some kind of race manual where both printed in 1973 where with the sled under the hood when picked it up. Every thing looks stock on the sled except for the pipes are maybe not. They have stinger like ends on them which makes the sled terrible loud. Maybe they are factory cause they are in the race maual that was with it. Any input would be great.

by **iusedtohaveanhst** » December 22nd, 2003, 5:43 am

The peaky 250 Kohler in the cats was not tuned like the Twister 250s and, as a consequence, the Merc 250 Twisters ate up the cats on race day. The 1976 Z and the 77 Z shared the 250 Z , liquid Kohler. I doubt yours is a 1973. If it is it's not a Z but an EXT or an El Tigre.

Despite its poor pedigree I enjoyed my 76 250 Z when I had it. Plenty quick and fun on the ice. Lots of fun to race, especially now when these sleds aren't "front line" racers any more! Parts are plentiful and pretty cheap. Good luck!

by **Arctic Man F6** » December 22nd, 2003, 12:38 pm

Hey I would be interested, let me know some details...Jake

by **kawicat** » December 22nd, 2003, 2:37 pm

you have a 76 z 250. the 77 used a suzuki motor. as stated before the motor is not equal to the merc engine, neither is the chassis.

if the seat is mint, i would say 1000. sounds like it might have a set of mod pipes.

by **ZR800XC** » December 23rd, 2003, 8:28 am

Is there anyway you can post a picture of this sled, or email me one? The fact that the service and race manual were both printed in 73 and are maybe for this sled kind of interests me. As Kawicat pointed out the 76 Kohler Liquid engine was exclusive to the 76 Z. Stinger pipes are not stock, but many were changed per the mod specs, which was fairly easy to do on the 250. ...My signature is a picture of a 76 440 Z with custom graphics.

by **OldCatRacer** » December 24th, 2003, 12:59 am

Would you believe that back in Nov of 76 when we went to pick up our new 77 Z's Cat had about twelve '76 250Z"s still in crates. They said they would take $800 each or make offer. Wished for the heck of it I'd bought a couple.

by **iusedtohaveanhst** » December 24th, 2003, 2:50 am

I thought the 250 Suzuki was introduced late in the 1977 model year, and also as a replacement to the Kohler. Of course, my memory has faded over the past 25 years. Do you know if my memory is right?! Thanks, Dave

by **OldCatRacer** » December 24th, 2003, 7:05 am

The Kohler was only used in the 76 model Z. Our 77 250 had the suzuki. That class was a blast to race and wish they still built them for racing. It was a piston port. The factory in 78 and 79 ran reed valve 7 and 9 port 250's.

by **iusedtohaveanhst** » December 24th, 2003, 7:57 am

Maybe I recall seeing 1977 "AlleyCats." Cat was known, from time to time, to get rid of old stock by building "special" sleds incorporating old and new stuff. Then again, I may just be getting old. For some reason I recall the Kohler powering 1977 Z's as well as 76 Z's. I recall the 250 Suzuki coming in during the winter of 1977, after a bunch were already outfitted with the kohler. The fiberglass hoods were so different there's no way you could confuse the two years.

Why don't they still make sleds like this? They were great fun in their day and, in the era of no-snow winters, would be fun to race on ice again. Can you see a small cc engine in a modern AWS front suspension with an oval track and suspension? I think it would be a blast!

by **kawicat** » December 24th, 2003, 9:48 am

i have seen a few of the 77z have the screamer sno-pro 250 motor in it. they absolutely haul down the track!

as someone pointed out it is quite possible the sleds were "recycled" as 77 models with some upgrades.

either way they are cool sleds.