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Now you are trying to tempt us into getting a snowmobile? Years and years ago I rode a lot on an Evinrude sled that had reverse. Got it stuck and you were in deep trouble cause it weighed a ton. Those routes look great for walking in the summer - but a bit long.
Anne
Evinrude. LOL. Never heard of it and I am old. That must have been a tank to drive.Quote:
Originally Posted by TwoMaineiacs
In 1971 there were 52 snowmobile manufacturers in existence . . . quite a change from today with really only four or five manufacturers still going strong.Quote:
Originally Posted by attroll
Tank? I had a 1968 Johnson Wide Track 20, which I'm not sure of it's affiliation with Evinrude, but as I recall, many of the parts were interchangeable. Oh the memories...Quote:
Originally Posted by attroll
We aquired our Johnson when I was probably 6 or so. It was very green, and as it's model would suggest had a 20 inch wide track. Not just any track, but a very thick one - much like the rubber truck bed liners. And, there was no need for those spikes all you young kids buy - the track came stock with pieces of full width channel iron spaced about 6 inches apart - forward traction was not an issue, though this design did made sidewards traction low - but that made it all the funner to drive on ice! The was no tin on the machine, all metal parts, running boards, body, etc., were all at least 16 guage steel. The nose was fiberglass, I guess they decided to make one attempt at lightening up the machine. I do not know what it weighed, I tried once at weighing the rear end, then each ski with mother's bathroom scales, the rear end was about 250 and each ski went over the 300 lb limit of the scales.
The engine didn't have a lot of power, but it had torque and compression from hell. It was like the Harley of snowmobiles, and it sounded like it too, since we replaced the rusted dual exhaust with straight pipes. I think it was 18 HP. You had to be carefull when pull starting it because it could backfire and pull the handle right out of your hand, and often snap the starter rope in half when the handle retracted back into the machine. Fortunately, our had a belt drive electric start that had enough power to turn the engine over as long as it was above freezing out.
The machine sported many other features you don't see on snowsleds today. The entire seat hinged up to reveal a storage compartment not unlike the trunk of a '72 Town Car. It was about 6 inches deep, and we had it filled with a bunch of goodies - tow rope, a length of 1/4 inch chain (for towing stuff the rope couldn't handle), axe, a couple saws, shovel, crowbar, wrenches, spare fuel pump, spark plugs, starting fluid, spare pull start rope, hydraulic jack, and a bag of assorted gears. The gears were factory, and made for changing the drive ratio on the go. They could be changed in less than five minutes, allowing you to gear for speed (I think about 35 MPH on ice), or power, which dropped top speed down to about 15 MPH but it would do that on ice or two feet of snow. There was also an intermediate set which put you somewhere in the middle.
Protecting the front was a stainless steel bumper, and a tough one it was. Many times we could not make a corner and didn't want to risk getting the behemoth stuck, so if there was small trees there we'd just froor it and it'd mow down most anything less than 2 inches diameter. The rear end had an equally tough rear bumper, which also sported an automotive trailer ball - this was a stock item. None of those wimpy little hinges they use on the modern machines. I can remember a few times a friends machine would break down on the lake, and I'd go back and hook up the snowmobile trailer to the Johnson, take it out, load the other machine up, and bring it back to the shore.
The Johnson was great for breaking new trails in deep snow as long as you didn't stop or get hung up on anything. That's why we had rope and chain - the easiest way to get unstuck was to have the high power gear set in, and hook the chain to a tree, or the crowbar driven into the ground, and hook the other end into a hole in the track. That'd get you back up to good footing, and you'd be off again in no time.
I must say I wasn't easy on the Johnson. the bumpers were dented and the cowling was cracked. The track had been spliced with an insustrial splice, like they use on the big drive belts on paper machines. But it made for good memories!
Yes I remember riding a friends John Deere sled in the 70's. Back then just about any company selling products with an engine tried their hand at building snowmobiles. As well as some that didn't. And as we all know most didn't do too well at beating out the biggies. Yamaha was about the only newcomer to have success in that era. See them all here Alot more than 52. Many more than I had ever heard of. Of course the last smow sled I owned was a 1972 Arctic Cat 440 Panther. But that was in the late 80's before moving to Florida for 10 years. Boy did things change while I was away. I will have another one some day.
BRDAD, your story brings back memories of our '69 Alouette. Dad wouldn't let me loose with in on my own until I could start it--unlike your luxourious machine, it did not have electric start. It DID have this little compression release button on the cylinder you were supposed to compress with your left hand while yanking the cord with your right--um, yeah. I finally learned to dispense with the compression gadget, wrap both mitts around the pull starter and throw my 10 y/o self backwards as hard as possible and it started (if I'd remembered the choke)--although I also found out what happens when it kicks back (sort of like your first day with new (old style) Daisy BB gun--hmmm, wonder what happens when you touch it off with the lever open--OUCH!!!). I spent many enjoyable days riding that thing--it was the last sled I've ridden.
LOL! I've got a 1971 SkiDoo in the barn, where it stays because it is SOOO hard to start! :D :D :D
I have a 71 Polaris Mustang 488, 20 inch wide track and all. I like restoring the old sleds then riding them around to show them off then sell 'em off. I do one sled every couple, three four years and I've only done Polaris's as I'm partial to them for no reason except that I am. As a kid we had a Wheel Horse. Don't remember model or size (unimportant details to a 10 y.o.) except that the thing was as close to indestructable as any vehicle I've ever seen. Believe me, we tried to find out its limits too. My sister and I put on about 1 million miles going around in a big circle out in the big field behind the house where Mom and Dad could watch us so we didn't make a game of running each other over (Actual I think we could have out run the sled).
As I get older it seems the winters get colder and colder and more and more expensive. A new sled cost as much as a good used car and almost as much to insure and register.
Let's see a picture of the ol' Mustang . . . I won't bother telling you how old I was when that Mustang was out and about on the trail system though . . . whenever I see someone riding some of the old iron dogs I usually like to stop and check them over . . . not that I would want to ride one myself for very long, but they're pretty neat when you see them out on the trails.Quote:
Originally Posted by Trezurs*-R-*Fun
Here's a look at the old girl 1971 Polaris Mustang 488CC Fuji Fan cooled twin 44mm Mikuni carbs.Quote:
Originally Posted by firefighterjake
Click on the thumbnail picture to see a larger image
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