A Survival Story.......Fox Doodlbug

[Mark G]

I got this little guy over the summer. Fox Doodlebug with original paint and engine (mostly). Here it is right after I bought it:

The good- original paint, seat, controls (throttle/grips/brake lever), sprockets have minimal wear, original front decal, clutch cover and disc brake, light coil motor (works:thumbsup and best of all it RUNS:smile:. Out of all the bikes I own only three of them were runners when purchased.:laugh:

The bad-the motor has been short blocked...the block is dark silver and the tins are white. This is only bad purely for aesthetic reasons, it actually runs very strong with plenty of power and no smoke. The air filter backing plate has been changed. The recoil has been spray bombed (poorly) and has a Briggs handle. It has an ugly red plastic gas cap on the cool steel tank:no:. Dig the white brake cable. They really had the red/white thing going:laugh:. The front fender is missing. It has the high speed fork option:doah: The previous owner replaced the carb with a brand new one, but it's the wrong carb:doah:, it's for a big block and the damn thing runs way too rich.

So the plan is to "just clean it up"..........:blink:

 

[Clayon]

Nice find Mark. :thumbsup: That's exactly what I would do with it, just clean it up. Is the back of the headlight dented up a bit or is that just reflection? I can't tell.

 

[buckeye]

I was wondering if you really worked on these things:laugh:
You know I love this one!! Someday for my Fox collection.

 

[Mark G]

I was wondering if you really worked on these things:laugh:

That's why I never do any project threads, nothing of mine ever gets "finished":laugh:

I've actually made a lot of progress on this one since those first shots were taken:thumbsup:

 

[Mark G]

Nice find Mark. :thumbsup: That's exactly what I would do with it, just clean it up. Is the back of the headlight dented up a bit or is that just reflection? I can't tell.

Thanks. Yeah, that's a dent, or as I like to call it... Character:laugh:

 

[KustomKartKid]

 

[Scottessey]

Nice score, Mark! That's a nice survivor! :thumbsup:

 

[cheezy1]

Nice lil bike you grabbed there Mark:thumbsup:

 

[Mark G]

Thanks guys:thumbsup:

I rode it around all weekend and even with the messed up forks it rode well. I had to take them off to fit in the camper, so when I got home straight to the bench the bike went. Now, a lot of times I'll take apart a bike, just to get distracted with another project and there it will sit untouched.....Not this time. I want to keep it a rider, but I want to keep it as factory fresh as I can- no Chinese hardware and no new paint.

Check out the horrible paint on the recoil, and the jacked up wire harness...

Ah, the famous "package"...

 

[buckeye]

Can't wait to see this one done. No quit in you.:wink:

 

[bayareaburrito]

Mark
Sweet looking ride!!

 

[Mark G]

This bike is supposed to have Good Year tires on it- looks like someone changed the back one at some time. Although there is plenty of tread, the cracks will not do:hammer:. There is no evidence of the rear chain adjusters, either....

The front has the right tire.....

However, upon close inspection it is cracked as well:doah:

 

[buckeye]

That's what I need. Rear chain adjusters.
The Sprite frame is simular in the rear. And they seem to have the same rims and hubs.

 

[Mark G]

I've got what you need Tom:thumbsup:

 

[buckeye]

Imagine that.
Hook me up. And let me know the damage.

 

[Mark G]

Disc brake is there, and it works. Unfortunately the original switch for the light is gone, but I have a solution:thumbsup:

 

[Mark G]

Imagine that.
Hook me up. And let me know the damage.

:deal:

 

[xspike77x]

Mark, any chance you have a pic of the rear brake switch that originally went on that? I might have one.

 

[Mark G]

Mark, any chance you have a pic of the rear brake switch that originally went on that? I might have one.

This is the switch on my buddy's Trail Bug, it's the only picture I have though. The switch is under the plastic cover.

 

[Mark G]

Found some more before teardown pics....

Someone wrapped the pegs in friction tape, and the engine plate was a bit banged up as well:

Whats left of the brake light switch wiring:

Anyone know how to decode this? I know that SBH stands for Short Block Horizontal, but that's about it....

Check out the muffler. looks like a stock snowblower type, but with a short piece of slash cut pipe welded to it. Still has remnants of the white paint on it:thumbsup: