THE 1977 RUPP'S: There were approximately 5,000

Rupps produced and manufactured in 1977. Below you

will find pictures and specs on the 1977 models.

The 1977 Rupps were built at Thief River Falls, Minnesota by Arctic Cat

as this was the year that Rupp filed for bankruptcy protection and closed The Manfield, Ohio plant.

Early 1976 press releases by Snow Sport Dealer News

Rupp Files Chapter 11

MANSFIELD, OHIO – Rupp Industries, Inc. has filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy act.  The company continues to operate, but has court protection against creditor lawsuits while it tries to work out a way to pay its debts

Arctic Building 1977 Rupps

Thief River Falls, Minn.

Arctic has signed an agreement with Rupp Industries tobuild Rupp's 1977 model snowmobiles.  According to Rupp president Ed Fochtman, Jr. approximately 3,000 Rupp's will be built in Thief River Falls,  with the bulk of them three fourths) to be 440 Nitro's. A small part of the production will be the Alouette line to be marketed in Canada, Fochtman said.

    “It's fortunate for us,”  Fochtman said, that Arctic chose to give us this vote of confidence.  If we did'nt have them we would have to give up.

    “We think we can be a viable company.  We've had real good response from our distributors and dealers to our hang-in-there attitude.  They're used to rumors and they don't run scared.  We've lost very few dealers thus far.

      He added that Rupp has about 2,000 machines in inventory. (almost all 1976 models), most of them at factory level.

In 1977 Rupp had only two models available, The Rupp Nitro and The Rupp Sport.

SPORT 295,  Was powered by a G298, 298cc Xenoah 2 cylinder fan cooled cooled engine with a Mikuni carb, CDI Ignition and 15 ½ inch track with bogie suspension.

NITRO,  Powered by either a 295cc or 440cc twin cylinder Xenoah liquid cooled engine, with manual start.  Dual Mikuni carbs

16 ½ inch track with Rupp Rails slide suspension.  Very much the same as a 1976 Nitro, except different hood decals and some engine performance modifications.