Tom,
I am submitting this post for those who are still looking for a rare TACO such as Tom has found. This is a project I really wanted to complete but for recent health reasons I cannot do this.
I realize this is an old post of Tom's but I have one of the first pre-production models of the TACO WITH HOT SAUCE models with the WEST BEND 820 engine. The engine has been professionally rebuilt and tuned. New seat with correct tuck and roll spacing made to exact specs of the original seat which I still have. New clutch, sprockets, tires, tubes, brake shoes, original rubber front fork spring boots, original twist grip and brake lever, original gas tank, original rear shocks with new rubber bearing grommets, original magnesium wheels and Timken tapered wheel bearings, new tires/tubes and I have the original Carlisle double Indian tires/tubes as well, and the list goes on and on.
Just needs someone to put it back together and all original parts are there and it will just need painting and reassembly.
It will be an absolute show piece when completed and all the hard work is done.
Mine is one of three known (per Taco Bill's knowledge) with the serial number stamped on the front edge of the upper front fork steering plate instead of on the upper frame tube near the steering head tube. It was built after the first gold frame model but before the TACO WITH HOT SAUCE production models making mine a late 1964 or one of the first 1965 models since it has the fixed welded to the frame collars for the jackshaft bearings like the first gold frame model and does not have the adjustable bolt on jackshaft bearing plates found on the production TACO WITH HOT SAUCE models later produced. The West Bend 820 has the larger Tillotson 232 1" venturi carburetor which has been rebuilt and is coupled with the larger 1" ID intake manifold and original West Bend air cleaner making this model TACO the highest HP and most powerful model Steen's produced at 11HP+ with this carb and intake manifold set up that came as original equipment.
This is a VERY RARE MINIBIKE and is a very hard model to find being 100% complete and original.
For Sale now as of 06-15-17 and I can go into more detail of all that has been rebuilt, etc.
Someone is going to score a great minibike.
I can box and ship to buyer's location.
Call or email me rather than replying here as I am not on this site often. I DO NOT TEXT OR SEND PHOTOS ON MY OLD CELL PHONE SO ACTUAL PHONE CALLS OR EMAILS TO MY COMPUTER ARE BEST
Mike (760) 473-6201 Carlsbad, CA.
cates0321@hotmail.com
:devil2:
