Old Snow Vehicle adaptions & otherwise

[Larry Schramm]

I will start this out with this contribution.  I do not think you would like to slip back too far in the seat.

 

 

[TerryB]

You got that right!

[28 Chrysler]

You are needed for the dead weight.

[Larry Schramm]

7 minutes ago, 28 Chrysler said:

You are needed for the dead weight.

 

Would you define "dead" weight?

[auburnseeker]

This one will literally bite you in the ass if you aren't careful. 

[arcticbuicks]

Oh no …..I could add some thing here ,there were hundreds of snow items for cars and fair number factory or dealer sold ,just one quick car memory ……my dad had a 1960 Cadillac and it had sanders in front of the back wheels with sand hopper in trunk , plastic frost shields were stuck on every window and early cars were glass, whatever glue they had stained the glass permanent , and every car had electric battery blanket, fancy electric GM interior car warmers that wired in with block heater and mounted under dash I remember……and burnt a number of cars too…..20s cars had fancy velvet covered hot ash boxes to fill with from the wood stove and kept your feet warm  ,I have a 28 truck with flat metal snow discs to cover wood spokes to help steer in deep snow , I’m sure they have Chevrolet logo on them ,studded snow tires were on every rear wheel drive and my dads caddy and every other car we had had chains but had to have fender skirts off………and of course snow flaps were common too( like mud flaps ),we would blast down from the Arctic every Xmas to California with chains usually all the way into Montana ,every old car had winter fronts over the grille to keep snow and cold out……the higher end 20s cars had louvers  ,companies sold replacement grilles 20s30s suited for snow and of course huge grille mount extension cord bracket to plug in , some dealers offered snow plows to mount on the front………and of course winter fluids at the dealer were big , thin oil etc……I can’t remember what years and models but seemed to remember 50s Buick with extra heater you could order…....I will have to dig for pics of buses and trucks and few cars with tracks ……I know have many

Edited January 6, 2023 by arcticbuicks (see edit history)

[Matt Harwood]

Is that Jeremy Renner's snowmobile?

[dl456]

What makes you ask?

You are probably right 

[zepher]

53 minutes ago, Matt Harwood said:

Is that Jeremy Renner's snowmobile?

Ben Block had a snowmobile incident, Jeremy Renner had a snow plow incident.

I heard about Ken Block first, then saw a story about Jeremy Renner and at first thought they must have been together.

Then I reread the article and it said snow plow, not snow mobile.

[rocketraider]

1 hour ago, Matt Harwood said:

Is that Jeremy Renner's snowmobile?

I knew somebody was gonna say it! 😄

 

Makes me glad we don't have snowmobiles and few privately owned snowplows here. 

 

Several years back Sears had a snowblower on the sales floor. It sat. And sat. And sat. I think someone must have made a lowball offer on it late that winter because it had disappeared by March.

[Matt Harwood]

46 minutes ago, zepher said:

Ben Block had a snowmobile incident, Jeremy Renner had a snow plow incident.

I heard about Ken Block first, then saw a story about Jeremy Renner and at first thought they must have been together.

Then I reread the article and it said snow plow, not snow mobile.

 

Yes, you're right, but having a chuckle at the expense of a beloved dead guy usually doesn't go over very well. Renner is at least making light of his own circumstance.

[arcticbuicks]

[arcticbuicks]

red and white unit......could do a 100 MPH !  and were common used for school bus in larger types too........and the crazy part.......ZERO brakes......get the kids to school on time.........last pic bombardier early round window style ,most were chrysler powered like flat head six and many had wood stove heat,tracks and front skis switched to wheels on the front

Edited January 7, 2023 by arcticbuicks (see edit history)

[Larry Schramm]

That is a cool collection.  I remember a couple of those when I was younger.  First & third pictures for sure.  My how times, styles, and speeds have changed.

[Swear57]

That is a neat collection. Do you show it to the public?

[bullrun]

I'm pretty sure that is an ice saw-used to cut blocks of ice. The rear wheel is in an adjustable track where one can raise or lower it. I know they used to cut and store ice till warm weather keeping it in buildings heavily insulated with sawdust in the walls before refrigeration

[arcticbuicks]

its actually not my place,a old guy out in the boonies collected the stuff way up north too far for most ppl to visit....but he enjoyed showing everything to those who did ,he had 30 times more than the pics i took of snow vehicles,i liked going there and rides in some,i dont know if he died or what,but its all gone now in just a couple years

Edited January 7, 2023 by arcticbuicks (see edit history)

[arcticbuicks]

i think you are right bullrun......as there is a handcrank on the left for cable winch to lower blade

[arcticbuicks]

i would seriously like to buy a snow tracked model T or A......or other brand,if a ford im not too concerned about the car condition,or one that is  a basket case but has everything in place ,i know of a couple in northern canada but too big of a vehicle

[Dandy Dave]

Agree. That motorcycle was modified as an Ice saw. There was a company here in Hudson, NY that made Ice Harvesting equipment as the ice business was big here before refrigeration was common. A lot of it was stored in big Ice houses along the Hudson River and shipped to New York City back in the day. Gifford-Wood Co. made 1000's of tools. We had some ourselves in the collection when my dad had draft horses on the farm. 

Here's a place they still did it a few years back. http://travelwp.com/2010-0116-tobyhanna-ice-harvest-page.htm   

[dship]

I also agree .... that motorcycle was modified into an Ice saw.  I spent my mid youth in Holbrook, MA (1959-1969).  About a half mile from our home, there was a huge lake where two big ice houses were located on its shore.  A rusted out motorized ice saw was left abandoned on the premises.

[Akstraw]

As I recall, there were several examples of such ice cutting machines on display at Dale Walksler’s Wheels Through Time museum in Maggie Valley, NC.  The museum features a very large collection of motorcycles of all types plus a number of antique autos.  Worth a stop if you are in the area.

[kar3516]

18 hours ago, arcticbuicks said:

What is the last vehicle?  Self propelled auto or towed?  On roads or snow or…?

[arcticbuicks]

the last small pic with door open ? is a Bombardier like a van ,with tracks on the rear and wheel or skis on the front,and able to drive on roads or snow with skis powered by flathead engine in that model,they were mostly used in north areas and on lakes and rivers in winter good on ice......basically if you lived in northern canada or arctic .......you could back out of you driveway drive through town .......then out on the road and turn off the road and blast through the ditch onto a snow covered field ,lake etc.......they were super rugged and worked excellent and produced and used for decades,many fishermen used them and would go out on the lakes for days,and wood stove heat.......i know of a few still used today ,and nice one fetch around $40,000 to be used .......not just collected

Edited January 7, 2023 by arcticbuicks (see edit history)

[arcticbuicks]

these little snow cars were quite common on the prairies both USA and Canada....these were "Lorch" and later had wheel versions,North Dakota used them for mail delivery and mostly the wheel version.......quite a few were manufactured in Spy Hill Saskatchewan..........the red and white one in previous picture im sure is a "Fudge"........and this second last picture i, not certain but could be Fudge also ..........there is a meet once a year in Saskatchewan and a lot show up of many brands .......and if your lucky .....get a ride

Edited January 7, 2023 by arcticbuicks (see edit history)

[RAH]

A friend in Canada sent me this one. Talk about serious optimism. Enjoy!

[Larry Schramm]

14 hours ago, RAH said:

A friend in Canada sent me this one. Talk about serious optimism. Enjoy!

Could it be for sidewalks?

[auburnseeker]

For anyone that wants to buy one,  Just saw this listed on Craigslist. Looks like a fresh build,  but would get the job done.  If my trails were wider I would consider getting one. 

https://maine.craigslist.org/snw/d/milton-mills-model-snowmoble/7582035815.html

$16,500

On the ME/NH line

• (603) 986-9503

•  

[auburnseeker]

A little work and I could make that one into this pretty easy.  

[arcticbuicks]

I like it and have been looking ,but I need a cab for temperatures here ( going down to -29 tonite)  and vintage snow machine runs are starting this weekend that go into end of March before spring comes

[arcticbuicks]

[arcticbuicks]

[arcticbuicks]

1969 Chev offered polymer sticky sprayer maybe Canada only

[arcticbuicks]

trunk unit

[arcticbuicks]

[auburnseeker]

I was out with mine again yesterday packing new trails for the wife.  Carbs acting up.  I was told it would once in a while,  so Looks like time to take it off and give it a cleaning at minimum.  Of course where did it finally stall out completely ( I was nursing it along until then) the absolute furthest place from the garage.  Fortunately I got it fired up and nursed it a little further then it cleared up.  I'm sure with all the steep hills up and down,  something is floating around in there and getting sucked into something at random. 

[arcticbuicks]

if you are not familiar with 2 stroke snowmobile engines ……dirty carbs and fuel problem  will blow a piston very fast sometimes within a one mile drive , the engine will lean out with fuel problem and piston will get so hot that it’s melts 

[auburnseeker]

Fortunately the revs are pretty low on it, nothing like the 99 Arctic Cat I was running, so that should have helped prevent any damage.  I'm also running it probably alot richer on oil than required. It's on the short list of fixing before i ride it.  My total loop is under a mile as well all done at a crawl or slightly above. I doubt I've had it much faster than 5 or 6 miles an hour and that was on the open power line. LOL

[arcticbuicks]

im just doing carbs today on my triple trouble ,indy 800 .......going to check out some field cars i heard about in several places,one place is supposed  to be a pile of complete 1920s cars untouched since they were parked out there ,im going to be on my own and quite far out so i have to have sled reliable and were into -30 range coming tonite,if i cook the engine i will be done too

[Kingdomtraveler]

On 1/6/2023 at 8:10 PM, arcticbuicks said:

The soviets used something similar (to the red and white one) during the winter war in Finland and also against the Germans once they arrived on scene. The Germans built several versions as well. Several models even mounted machine guns for defense. Only makes sense that there was a civilian version.