CHUCK CONNERS PROMOTING 1975 SCORPION SNOWMOBILES

ARCHIE SIMONSON BACK ON THE WINNING TRACK

Center City, Minnesota - Archie Simonson puts to rest some of the winning doubts about his "will to win" on February 13, 1982, with a convincing victory in the Chisago Lakes Classic lake enduro race.

1982 KAWASAKI 440 FAN COOLED INTRUDER

1974 SCORPION SUPER STINGER 400

The Super Stinger 400 is powered by a Rockwell 399 cc engine and has the unique Pararail suspension system. It came in red, gold or blue metal-flecked. The engine is slanted to provide a lower center of gravity.

FOUR TIMES THE SIZE OF A 9500 BLIZZRD

February 1982 - The Ski-Doo "Organizer" is four times the size of a normal 9500 Ski-Doo Blizzard.Underneath the hood is a Hammond Organ, complete with amplifier sound a public address system. The giant sled showed up at selected snowmobile events to entertain the crowds with music.

1976 YAMAHA EXCITER

The people at Yamaha claimed "that their new 1976 Exciters reflect Yamaha's racing experience". The EX340 and Ex440 snowmobiles were high performance trail machines developed from Yamaha's racing heritage.

SNOWMOBILING WITH A KAWASAKI AT FINLAND

CHOPPER CITY SPECIAL BREAKS SPEED RECORD

January 31, 1982 - Rice Lake, Wisconsin - Marv Jorgenson streaked to a new world's snowmobile speed record of 142.6 MPH at Rice Lake on his Chopper City Special at The Third Annual Budweiser World Championship Radar Run, out-gunning The Budweiser-Polaris previous record.

FORD MODEL T SNOWMOBILE

This is a Ford Model T snowmobile. It features tank-like track attachments for the rear wheels, ski attachments for the front, and although it predates the rugged ‘Bigfoot’ by a few years, this aged brute ought to keep you fairly unstuck this winter.
The story begins in 1913 when Ford dealer and apparent winter enthusiast Virgil D. White decided that the Model T just wasn’t capable enough to tackle the snowy winters of his hometown, Ossipee, New Hampshire. His solution? Make it capable. White removed the car’s standard rear axle and suspension, replaced it with heavy duty truck running gear, fashioned together the skis and metal tracks, and voila – the world’s first “snowmobile.”
By 1922, with patent in hand, White began selling the attachments at Ford dealerships. Three years later, White sold the manufacturing rights to the Farm Specialty Manufacturing Company, which kept production going until 1929. It’s unclear whether this 1924 Model T was an original conversion or a later adaptation using White’s snowmobile kit, though it is seriously cool nonetheless.Underneath the hood lies the ubiquitous Ford side-valve four-cylinder engine, which is driving a two-speed Ruckstell rear end. Out back there’s plenty of room for all of your friends to be cold, oh joy. While it certainly won’t be fast, it’ll definitely get you there.

1982 SKI-DOO TWIN TRACKED RACER

December, 1981 - Ski-Doo's Twin Tracked sled ready to race.
The redisgned twin tracked Ski-Doo ovalracer was no was no longer in the planning stage. Construction was completed and the sleds were being put through their paces in Northern Canada.
They were expected to debut the machines in Aberdeen, South Dakota on December 12 and 13, 1981. The twin trackers were expected to appear at nine or ten races during the 1981/82 season.

VINTAGE SKI-DOO SNOWMOBILE

One of Bombardiers first snowmobiles. Probably a 1958 model.

BARR'-SERRA RACING SLEDS

These are sleds that were specifically built for racing by Phil Barr and Todd Serra from S.E. Michigan.
They have Ski-Doo SnoPros for oval racing, but they also built and raced snowmobiles on grass, ice and asphalt.

REDESIGNING A SNOWMOBILE

Some days were better than others.
This is where a ravine redesigned A sleds cosmetics in Alaska !!

1975 JOHN DEERE 340S

The John Deere 340S was a limited edition high performance snowmobile built for racing.It has a 32 inch ski stance with a low front mounted engine with tuned expansion-chamber exhaust, dual 34MM Mikuni slide valve carbs and a torque-sensitive clutch for instant power. The suspension is a slide rail with a 3 piece 15 1/2 inch track with grouser bars and lugs.

LOOKING FOR A SMITH-ROLES SNOWMOBILE

Maybe some one out there can help this person. His email address is:  [phpitz@hotmail.com]
Here is what he wrote me about a month ago.

Larry,

I was browsing through your blog this morning and thought that perhaps you may be able to help me.  I am an avid, but amateur, snowmobile historian for western made sleds.  I was the one who posted the info on the Smith-Roles prototype that I found.  I am trying to eventually restore all three sleds originally built in the province of Sask.  I have been searching for a yellow Smith Roles snowmobile for quite some time and cannot find one around here (yet).  Since they were also sold in SD and ND i was wondering if you have ever seen one in your neck of the woods?

Paul

BERNIE BLAIN'S SNO-JETS

These are pictures of Bernie Blain's Sno-Jet sleds and he claims they all run.  
The picture above is Bernie's wife and their Thunder Jets.

JASON RAMSAY'S JOHN DEERE SPITFIRE

This is a 1978 John Deere Spitfire that  Jason Ramsay from  O’Leary, Prince Edward Island, Canada restored about 8 years ago. It was one of those restorations that you go down to every single nut and bolt.  Jason had one of these when he was 12 years old and always wanted to have another but could never find a presentable one so he built one.  An interesting story on how he got the main donor sleds.  A customer of his (Potato Grower) had one on these on the farm years ago and had sold it.  The sled had miles and miles on it and was well worn out.  He relocated the sled and bought it.  Then he come to find out that the original owner "his customer", still had the original tunnel and hood that was warrentied by John Deere after one year of use.  They were mint with 1 minor crack in the belly.  So Jason had a great base to a project and ended up with a back to numbers matching sled. 

1982 SKI-DOO EVEREST 500

JAYSON CHALE SCORPION STINGER

Jason Chale from Winnipeg, Canada restored this 1970 Scorpion Stinger. His dad bought this sled for him when it was only 6 months old.
It has a Sachs 340SS engine. He may still need several parts to make it perfect.  I have his contact information if someone knows of parts for this sled.

DARREN ERICKSON'S RUPP MINI-RAT

CLASSIC & VINTAGE SLED POSTS

Effective immediately, I will show and post Classic and Vintage snowmobiles from my readers on this site.
All that is required is to send an email with a photo as an attachment to the email, of your sled along with a description of the snowmobile and a brief comment to <Larry@rap.midco.net >
This site will show your vintage/classic sled to hundreds of visitors.

PETE & TOM'S VINTAGES SKI-DOO'S

Here is a picture of a 1970 292 Black Dot Ski-Doo and a 1971 Ski-Doo 292 TNT which was sent to me from Tom Espinos.,
Nice vintage sleds !

1974/75 FUN MACHINES FROM RUPP

Shown here are some of Rupp Industries line-up of FUN MACHINES that they produced and sold:  The MX80 Motorcycle, Centuar, Roadster Minibike, Nitro Snowmobile, Go-Joe, Ruppster and The GoCart

A WINTER OF TRAIL RIDING

In case you're like most snowmobilers, and you think summer is annoying, THEN YOU ARE AT THE RIGHT PLACE.
Winter is a special time of the year for trailing riding, racing or just having fun in the snow.

RUPP DEALERS MAKE YELLOWSTONE TRIP

Mansfield, Ohio - Rupp industries sent 75 of its dealers in Michigan on an all expense paid trip to West Yellowstone, Montana in February, 1974.
The dealers and their guests spent four days sightseeing and snowmobiling in The West Yellowstone area, according to Lloyd Larsen, Rupp national sales manager at that time.

1988 INDY 650 REDEFINES THE CONCEPT OF SPEED

FALL 1987 - For years it's been assumed that the Polaris Indy 600 was the fastest production snowmobile on the market, However, that was no longer the case when the Indy 650 was introduced.
The king of the Indys; and possibly the fastest production snowmobile in the world, is The Polaris Indy 650.