Dolmar 143 Pawn shop score - and the biggest WTH mod Ive ever seen...

[JustinM]

So this one deserves a little explanation...

I had a bit of time to kill at lunch yesterday so I decided to stop in the local pawn shop. I wasnt expecting much as this place never seems to have any decent saws & anything even close to being interesting is usually too overpriced, but I thought Id look.

As I entered the shop & started towards where the saws are I could see there werent many in stock. I got closer - old Homie XL12 - $100. A Poulan Pro for about the same $. Then I see this big red thing. A dolmar. Now Im excited.

As I get up I approach it from the recoil side & it looks spectacular. Really nice shape & its a big bad 143. I seem to remember that being around 90 cc (find out after I bought it that its actually 95cc). So now Im very interested. Here's what it looked like from that side:

And I get a little closer and start to walk around it...

Have you spotted it yet?

Yup, here is this otherwise beautifully kept Dolmar 143 with what appears to be a homemade clutch cover!

Well obviously, I bought it. It runs beautifully, idles well and blows about 155psi cold. Its really in very nice shape & im overall very pleased. Thankfully Dolmar is not very well known in these parts so I manage to get it for roughly $1 per cc Such a weird stumper though & would love to know the story behind it. I mean based on years of production, this is an 18 - 23 year old saw and yet its been beautifully maintained...except for the god-awful frankenstein-looking hunk of metal holding the chain on! Even the full wrap handle has complete rubber on the handle & then there is this horrible tin-y cover. Crazy.

Of course you know the next thing Im going to ask:

Does anyone have a clutch cover (preferably with a chainbrake) for a 143 they want to sell me? If not, anyone know if another model's clutch cover would fit, so I can broaden my search?

Thanks in advance & thanks for looking!
Justin

 

[jrr344]

Got a heck of a deal if it runs good, you should keep the clutch cover adds character.LOL

 

[sachsmo]

123, 133, 143, 309 cut-off saw, 343 cutoff, and some old Wacker saws like BTS-11.

 

[67L36Driver]

Got a heck of a deal if it runs good, you should keep the clutch cover adds character.LOL

Yup, patina they call it in polite circles.

 

[fearofpavement]

Based on the good condition of the handles it may have been used for milling and the cover was designed for chip clearance? Just guessing.

 

[o8f150]

must be nice,,,all i found today is 1 poulan wildthingy and 1 crapsman,, needless to say they stayed in the pawn shop

 

[struggle]

Nice find and rep sent as I have had no luck at pawn shops

 

[Eccentric]

My guess is that it was a combination of two things....

1)He broke the original clutch cover


2)He was a Redneck who had some fabrication skills (enough to make something that works.......but ain't pretty)...........................and didn't like to spend the big bux the dealer probably wanted for a replacement.



Could also be that he did a lot of ripping/noodling with the saw and needed more noodle clearance so the clutch cover wouldn't plug up so much...

 

[NORMZILLA44]

Nice saw what a deal. Shiat! Good one Aaron a redneck indeed, or the a-team that cover is rediculous to bad you dindn't get the story to go with it. At least that's a easy fix!

 

[Eccentric]

Nothing wrong with being a Redneck...................or utilizing Redneck Engineering Norm. Not in my book anyways...:msp_thumbup:

 

[NORMZILLA44]

Use'd to be a dude out in Duncan's mill's redneck building, and thing's he made a body lift kit out of choppe'd up road signs. He once made a sterring wheel out of a flywheel after wheeling in the hill's he neede'd a few band aid's LMAO! That was th end of the run for that wheel. They said he could fix, or build evrything, but if you wante'd it pretty he wasn't the guy! Done some redneck engineering myself:wink2: It will do in a pinch:msp_biggrin:

 

[JustinM]

Some interesting thoughts. Never considered the milling angle, but you may well be right. It seems odd that the saw would be in such good condition & then have no clutch cover (ie: Id be surprised if it had been broken as the rest of the saw shows no sign of damage).

My initial though was that he took the clutch cover off & then lost it, thus the homemade one - but I couldnt figure out why he would take it off long enough to lose, but milling would make some sense (as would making this custom cover specifically for milling).


If anyone does have a proper 143/133 etc cover they want to sell, please do PM me.

 

[Jason280]

Nice find and rep sent as I have had no luck at pawn shops

I've always had great luck at pawn shops. I fact, just about every saw I have bought over the last 7-8 years has been from one pawn shop or another. I've picked up several Husqvarnas, Echos, and even a Stihl or two at prices most people wouldn't believe.

 

[wendell]

I tried once here but the two we have had beat up pieces of crap for almost new retail prices. Crazy.

 

[Arrowhead]

Based on the good condition of the handles it may have been used for milling and the cover was designed for chip clearance? Just guessing.

Good call, I bet your right. :msp_thumbup:

Great saw for a great price.

 

[Justsaws]

Milling and/or "noodle" saw, I have more than one clutch cover that is modified or replaced for specific purposes.

 

[aquan8tor]

Based on the good condition of the handles it may have been used for milling and the cover was designed for chip clearance? Just guessing.

+1


I have to agree about the condition; it looks pretty darn good for its age. Maybe someone just used it for milling and another smaller saw for bucking/firewood.
I did something similar with my 394XP after it started blowing brake bands while milling. I bought another clutch cover/chainbrake cover and gutted one of them, as well as removing part of the backside to improve chip clearance. Works like a charm.

 

[Mastermind]

PM sent on the cover. Nice saw BTW. I would agree on it being custom made for chip clearance.