Husqvarna 61/66

[gman98]

Been coming across a few of these saws for sale and I'm interested in them.  Are they good saws?  How would they compare to the husqvarna 359's?

Thanks 

[sawguy21]

They are not in thee same class as a 359 which was designed for the professional cutter but still very good saws for the farmer, rancher, and semi professional user. Good ones are fetching top dollar here.

[HolmenTree]

Both the 61 and 66 which date back to 1980 era were used professionally have more h.p. 4.1-4.2 versus the much newer 359 with 3.9
359 is lighter then both the older models but not much lighter then the 61 about 1/2 lb.
The 359 was never a professional XP saw. More in the same class as the other farm saws.
The older 61 Rancher intro in 1978 was only 3.6 h.p

[mike_belben]

They are the small block chevy of orange saws.  The 61 will take on any of the top ends up to 72cc, so 61/68/72/262/268/272.  

The 2xx series is a revision of the 0xx series, then the 3xx is a revision of that etc.  You cant figure out why did husky make the 372 this way without looking at the 272.. And then the 72.. And then the 61.  Its like the tap root that it all stemmed from.  


I love them.  Welding and grinding and epoxying them into hot rods.  Biggest gripe other than wanting 5 more.. might be the chain tensioning screw is forward facing like a 395.  Buuuuuttt... The mufflers never fall off and melt a plastic oil tank, nor does a chinsy rubber intake boot leak and score the bore [like all the LOWES 4xx series. Skip the 350s/450s IMO.]  The 61 has a dependable hard plastic intake manifold with screws that skewer the air elbow, carb, intake and gaskets all in one. No carb limiters.  Its got to be the easiest saw to pull jug from ever.  A scrench and an allen wrench, 10 mins.

A decompressor should be added to the top of the jug if you are gonna hot rod one.  Just drill and tap the flat spot.  Chinese 72cc rebuild kits with bearings and seals are like $50. They balance well with 20" bar but will run a 24 ok. Large pattern bar mount.  

[HolmenTree]

Yeah there was some indecision making on Husqvarna's part developing a 70cc saw during the period 1988 to about 1996 with the transistion from the 268XP to the 371XP.
To counter the Stihl 044 introduced mid 1988 it took until 1993 to put a 72cc cylinder on a upgraded 268. Meanwhile late 1989 they introduce a whole new 60cc 262XP with spring mount and air injection. The 371 or what ever they could have called it could have been put into production alot earlier. 
But they did do well with the bigger saws in the late 1980's with the 288XP 3120XP and  into the 1990's with the 394XP

[HolmenTree]

The little Husqvarna 242XP with a top end 16,000 rpm  powerband from 30 years ago is also a well worth mention.

[gman98]

I just picked a 61 the other day.  It starts but doesn't want to idle.  I'll have to tear into it when I get the time.  It's the straight 61, not a rancher.  It has the gray top cover with a metal chain break.   Only paid 80 dollars.  How did I do?

[mike_belben]

Complete and running $80 is a decent value.  Broken i pay $40 or less.  

[dougand3]

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[sablatnic]

Looks like a 162, it's an absolutely decent saw too. 162, 266, 268, 272, 61, 66 are basically the same saw with different cylinders, as is (are) Jonsereds 630 and 670.