1984 Husky CR 250

Back in the early 80's I was racing local AMCA for the Worcester club, struggling as you do in the Juniors on a clapped out YZ 250H I bought from a bankruptcy sale.

I was at a school friends who owned a very small Husqvarna dealer in Mavern when Rob Andrews, who hated the bike, returned his works (trust me it wasn't that special) 1984 CR 250. It went there before being returned to the importer. I borrowed the bike for a weekend at Tirley in Gloucestershire, went from mid pack to winning and to me the bike was like a magic carpet, the best thing in the world. My dad lent me some money to buy it and I was away. I loved that bike but as always after a couple of years it had to go to make way for the next one (a 1985 Husqvarna CR 500 which is in the workshop next...)

I've been looking to buy it back for years but I'm sure its been scrapped by now. However, I found this gem on eBay. The 1984 Husky CR 250 is a rare beast as they were simply not that common back in the day, very cool to me back then but it proves hard to find parts nowadays. Anyway this one had been stored for 20 years with plain water in the rad, the magnesium case had rotted through so its all gone into the gearbox and it's even rotted itself away through the case by the sprocket. I have never had a task like this one bringing it back to life.

If this was a paying restoration job I would have told the owner to scrap it. However it's mine and I dont really have that option. It's getting there now and I'll post some pics on here when it's finished. It's a classic case of the before and after of what can be done. However, if you got the invoice for the hourly labour charge it wouldn't be a fun day at all.