As most of you know, I am a lifelong Diablo Rouge Guy. Dad had one when I was a young feller and I’ve always had a number of them as an adult. But it was in 2007 that for the first time, I decided to tear one down to the frame and do a full restoration to it. That was truly a learning experience. I remember breaking the clutch trying to get it off the motor. I struggled to get the nut off the flywheel until I realized I had to unscrew the aluminum starter hub to expose the nut. Then I broke the starter hub because I did not have a proper flywheel puller. I used the best parts of 3 Diablos to put one together. I did the best I could with no new parts being available and no such thing as information on the internet.
I was very proud of this 1st Diablo. I had no idea then that this experience would later lead to my hobby in the Diablo Shop and supplying parts, technical support and knowledge to fellow enthusiasts throughout the US, Canada and Europe.
Fast forward 20 years and the question I get asked the most is – “What is a Diablo worth?”. It’s a question where I wince every time it’s asked because it can mean so many different things to different people. People are mainly interested in a financial answer, but their value can be emotionally triggered as well as having a historical value. These characteristics are impossible to put a value on. Many people, as I, drove them as kids and being able to do that again with our own kids and grandchildren is very special. Then I hear all kinds of stories about a certain Diablo that was used to deliver mail, saved herds of cattle on the farm, was in the window of a hardware store and such. Some have special meaning and how do you put a value on something like that? In the summer of 2024, I was lucky to acquire a Pre-Production Diablo Prototype. How does one describe the value in something like that?
With all this rambling, what I am trying to convey in this post is what “I” think a Diablo is worth in 2025. And with that, I will apologize right out of the gate if anyone is offended, or the contents of the post are misconstrued or mis-used to evaluate a price. I am just trying to give people my thoughts.
Currency:
To start with, we have the internet and that means people from Maine to Montana, Newfoundland to British Columbia and Europe to Alaska all have access to information and posts about selling Diablos and parts. We also have Facebook which is the latest and most popular platform to talk about and sell Hus Skis and Diablos today. All of this means two things; know where the parts or sleds are that are being discussed, and what currency is being given. If you are from the USA and someone in Canada is selling a Diablo, in today’s dollars, a $4,000 price tag in Canada is about $2,800 in USD. Visa versa, a $4,000 price tag in the USA is about $5,600 in CAD. It’s not often a sled is bought and then transferred through Customs anymore with all the hassle that comes with that, but it can be done. Most often, an International Purchase and trip through Customs is not easy for an expensive Diablo.
Models:
Then there are different models of Diablos and they each have their pros and cons:
– The earliest Diablos were the model 500’s with serial numbers starting at 10000 and up to around 12000. These were made early in 66′ for the 1967 production year. They were the first Diablos through the production line with little “on the trail” testing. They were made with a number of design flaws and most self-destructed early in their life. If someone were to have one of these today, it would be fairly rare and in its original form, fairly fragile. However, with the right parts and effort, their design flaws can be addressed.
– In that same production year, I can only imagine Bolens figured out the issues with this early 500. They made a number of design changes to the model and started a new batch of serial numbers starting at 15000. Although still a light duty overall design, these later 500’s were much more reliable than their early design kin.
– In 68′ & 69′, Bolens produced the manual start 502. I call this one the “work horse” of the Diablo fleet. Thousands were made and they were well built, so many of them survived.
– In 68′ & 69′, Bolens also produced the electric start 503. Not as many 503’s built as the 502’s and because people today really appreciate the electric start, there are far fewer of these available. Because of this, the 503 model is certainly the most valuable of all the models.
Condition:
Originality of components play a role in the value of a Diablo. Does it have the original motor, clutches and such? Does it have a good pair of skis and a good seat? How’s the hood, handlebars, chassis and ski seater tub? If you have to find these original components to put a Diablo back together, that can be very expensive.
Motor condition can be important. The best way to see if the piston is clean is to remove the exhaust pipe from the motor and look at the piston from the exhaust port side. If the piston is going to run hot, it will be on the exhaust side. A motor that is running lean or has been run lean has a scored piston. The Hirth 54R motors in the model 500’s and 502’s have pistons that were installed backwards at the factory. The pistons are backwards because the arrow indicator on the top of the piston was stamped wrong. Original pistons were put in with the ring pins towards the exhaust port and they should be toward the intake port. If a ring is missing off a piston, it probably got caught in the exhaust port and got clipped off. The Hirth 190R in the 503 models did not have these issues.
For the 500 & 502 motors, the crank seal behind the clutch was installed backwards from the factory. If someone says the motor has been rebuilt, remove the primary clutch bolt and see if the inside of the clutch bore has been tapped for the use of a puller. If it has no threads, then you can presume the seals has not been replaced or the clutch was removed by backing off the clutch bolt a few threads and then whacking it with a hammer. That will get the clutch off but almost certainly damages the crankshaft bearings and bends the crankshaft. If the motor still has the original crank seals, especially the ones that are in backwards, chances are good that the motor will have leaky seals, be running lean and eventually will burn up the piston. The Hirth 190R in the 503 models did not have the backwards seal issue, but if seals are original, they are over 50 years old. And the clutch thread concept is the same. If the clutch bore has no threads, then it has either never been off the motor or it’s been taken off with a hammer.
Condition of the gearbox is good to know. On the 500 models, there is no way to see the chain. You can drill a 1/2″ hole in the top and put a plug in it later like the 502’s and 503’s have. This gives you a visual of the chain. Another good thing to do is drill a hole in the bottom for a 1/8″ pipe plug and see what comes out if anything. If the gearbox has no oil, it certainly must be leaking and the chain and other components may need repair. If oil does come out, the condition of that oil might tell you something useful. Rebuilding a gearbox means a total disassembly of the Diablo is required.
Drive and Idler Sprockets can tell you a lot about value. If a Diablo has the original rubber sprockets, they are like little time bombs waiting the ruin your day. The rubber is 60 years old on those sprockets. The rubber loses it’s elasticity and bond to the steel hub causing sprocket cogs to break off and rubber to delaminate from the steel. So often someone buys a Diablo after it has been sitting for many years, they put a lot of work into it, but the old sprockets don’t last long when it’s time to get out on the snow. If you are looking at a restoration and it has the original sprockets on it, it is a good bet after you start driving it, the sprockets will fail. Replacing old sprockets with the new reproduction sprockets we are making is the only good answer for a reliable Diablo. It is an expensive upgrade, but an absolute necessity if you expect to drive this Diablo any distance out on the trails or in the woods.
Condition of the tracks is notable. Weather checking is common on these tracks and often not a huge concern. What you do not know about the tracks when they are on a Diablo is if they are straight and how long they are. If tracks are too warped, they will rub in the tunnel. If tracks shrink and are too short, you will have a difficult time getting them laced together if you ever take them off. If any single lacer loop is broken, the others are not far behind to fail. Cleats can be fixed if a few are bad, but if a bunch are bad or a whole bunch of cleat rivets are missing, you may be looking for replacement tracks. If a sprocket has ever failed and the Diablo was run with a bad sprocket, the center area of the cleats is likely worn from contact with the steel sprocket hub. If that happens, again, you may be looking for replacement tracks.
I mention ski seater skis and seats because those can be expensive items to replace. Barrie Graham is the only person I know that makes skis with a “steaming” process and kerf design. Skis might look great if someone just bent some laminations together or other process, but often the bends in these skis will fade over time leaving a ski tip that gets caught in the snow, on a rock or in a branch under the snow and that is never good. For the seats, they are expensive items as well if using cabinet quality plywood and reproduction seat covers that match the originals.
Things like the quality of the dash, hood scoop and nose cone might be important. The 500 dash, all the nose cones and hood scoops are reproduction parts that Go Go Diablo has the molds for. Once we stop making them in the next few years though, they will no longer be available. The dash on the 502 and 503 models are hard to find and they are not available in a reproduction part. So if a dash is bad on those models, that could be an expensive issue to resolve.
So what’s left? Bogie stations, the electrical wiring and parts, headlights, bumpers, carb, gas tank and other misc pieces. You can be the judge of those.
Knowledge and Parts:
If you are considering a Diablo purchase from someone, especially if it is a Diablo that has been refurbished or restored, what I would want to know is: What or who was your technical resource for your knowledge? I say that while trying not to be mean or talk down about someone. When I restored my first Diablo, I learned so much. And although I’ve refurbished and restored over 100 Diablos since, each time I do another one, I learn a little more. And with that knowledge comes a better product each time. Even a Diablo that I refurbished or restored over 10 years ago needs maintenance. If this Diablo is a one and only Diablo from the previous owner, you might take that into account.
With that said above, there are a number of people who have refurbished or restored Diablos for the first time and have asked me a ton of questions. I have always encouraged that conversation. It is a main reason I have this website, but although the website has a tremendous amount of information, it cannot replace those conversations specific to a person’s Diablo and what it needs.
Lastly are the parts that were bought to maintain or refurbish the Diablo. I have done my best over the years to supply the right parts for a Diablo. It is with these parts that a quality Diablo refurbishment or restoration is possible. I go back to my first Diablo as an example. I did the best job I could at the time, but that was before I had the resources and parts that are offered via Go Go Diablo today. That Diablo although it looks great, has original sprockets and the best used parts I had available at the time.
This I often think – When I see someone who I do not know selling a Diablo for a fairly high value with claims of a restoration, how is that even possible? Where did they acquire the parts from if nothing else? It is these Diablos that often “sting” a buyer once they get it home and realize although “restored”, it now has to come apart again for expensive repairs.
To refurbish or restore any Diablo, one can expect to spend between $2,000 and $3,000 USD in parts alone
What you came here looking for – What is a Diablo worth?
I am hopeful that with the information above, you learned what it is that determines a value. But, what is that value? I am going to give some examples in US Dollars of what comes out of my shop. These are trail ready units that have gone through a process be it a refurbishment or full restoration, by someone who has the highest overall knowledge of these units plus a readily available inventory required to put together a Diablo.
– Refurbished Diablo models 500’s & 502’s are often between $2,500 & $3,200.
– Refurbished Diablo model 503’s are often between $3,000 & $4,000.
– Restored Diablo models 500’s & 502’s are between $5,000 & $5,500.
– Restored Diablo model 503’s are over $6,000.
What is an everyday Diablo in all its patina worth that has not come through the Diablo Shop or been owned/repaired by someone who tried to “do it by themselves” without help from Go Go Diablo? What is a Diablo that “ran when it was put away”, or “runs on spray”, or “a barn find” worth? What is a refurbished or restored Diablo worth by someone who has not asked questions or bought parts through Go Go Diablo? Even if a Diablo has come through the Diablo Shop and it has been over 10 years ago, it may well need maintenance to bearings, bogies, tracks and other things. Has any of that happened? Those are good questions. Hopefully some of the observations made above will help you when the time comes to buy a Diablo.
Bruce @ Go Go Diablo!