What is probably good on that DT? - frame + swinger, maybe, if no water has entered, cases, gearbox, clutch, barrel/head? Look at the oxidizing on the barrel - this bike has been in the weather for some time.
Of course it's a big ask to give a value judgement based on a grainy photo of a bike stuck away in outback W.A. from the comfort of my luxurious mancave but I'll have a go.
Let's assume that the bike changes hands for $50, which is probably its net worth in current shape, I’m pretty sure I could turn that old hulk into a race bike for $750, give or take. Based on similar basket cases I've seen, the frame is probably still in good, usable condition so it’ll cost zero money and a couple of hours to grind off the unused street brackets and 10 bucks worth of Two Dollar shop rattle can gloss black to paint it. The forks and wheels are obviously shagged so scratch them and buy a nice conical front wheel and YZ back wheel off any YZ up to G off ebay for $100 tops. If youre canny, you might just get a set with usable knobbies as well. Forks will take a bit of time as most forks of the era are usually pretty rusty. You’ll find a set eventually.
As oxidized as the engine appears, I reckon it’d still be serviceable, even if its siezed. You can buy a big end bearing and pin for around $60, a piston kit for $50-$70 and a gasket kit for $20. Allow $100 for boring and crank building and another $100 for odds and sods and I reckon you’ve got a nice usable low budget engine that’s plenty fast for starters for under $400. I know this because I’ve just bought all of the parts for the RT1 engine I’m currently building (they use the same reed piston and big end as the DT360).
If the heavy old steel tank is rooted, you can usually find one on eBay for pocket money, and if lucky you may find an MX version. Hunting around eBay or the Trading Post will eventually find you a stock MX pipe but the stocker will do until that turns up. eBay is your friend on projects like this.
Finally give the old girl a nice coat of Two Dollar shop spray can paint and a few bob spent on the little stuff, add some lateral thinking and elbow grease and Voila!.... you’ve got a cheap, low, low budget entry level racer. There’s nothing like the buzz you get when the rusty old hulk you found in a paddock emerges from the shed as a going thing. I’ve built three bikes from hulks like this or worse and I can’t describe the satisfaction I got from each build. It’s not the fact that you can probably find a better bike to start with, it’s the challenge of turning someone else’s cast off piece of shit into something you can be proud of that makes the whole exercise worthwhile
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