Husky 61 question??

[PWB]

How long have these things been around? How many part changes? Just went through 2 saws to make one. Nieghbour got a saw in pieces given to him a while ago. Needed a piston and rings (at least), could have been straight gassed or an air leak,not sure. Found another running 61 last weekend at a town wide yard sale, paid 125 for a saw with a busted chain brake handle, busted on/off switch, and a top (orange) that had seen better days.
Spent about 3 hours cleaning up all the crud on the running saw. Used the muffler off the parts saw (broken brackets, no gasket on original), as well as the off switch and the side cover with an older style chain brake handle. Tried to put the other top cover on (gray), but the bolts don't line up, so the rough looking orange cover is on the saw. I think the parts saw is a mixed up pile of parts, (maybe). Is the orange top older or newer? Orange top saw serial number starts with 6, gray top saw starts with 2........

Best running complete saw I ever got for 125$$! Waiting to see how his 61 compares to my 034 super. Book says they're the same size.........

 

[Ma Barker]

The 61 started out in the late '70s (1978 according to Mike Acre's site) as the 61 Rancher. It had the white top.

I believe the saw evolved to the "61" (dropping "Rancher") in the mid- to late-'80s. That's when the grey top cover came along.

Next iteration had the orange top cover, but I'm not sure when.

(Hopefully SawTroll will come along soon & grade my work . . . then you'll have the real answer!)

I've got a 1980 61 Rancher that's got all kinds of zip. Thinking about converting it to a 272 top end one of these days. That'll have to wait a while, though . . .

Ma

 

[Zackman1801]

Mines got a black cover on top. I got mine for a ms290 and $50. Best trade ive ever made, saw runs like a champ and will cut anything.