Visit us online at www.snowtraxtv.com The guys show off their vintage snowmobile collection and then do an overview of what they like and don’t like about their sleds.
My father was Engineering Services and Administration Manager at Scorpion. I grew up on these machines, I remember at the Scorpion R&D shop, they had all the other popular brands for comparison. That truly was the Golden age of snowmobiling, before clubs and groomers, we'd hook up an old steel box spring, and used that to groom trails. A local bar in Trommald, MN, had a "Scorpion room" We would pull up outside there in the early 1970's, and there were literally 85 makes of machines, guys would talk up their brand, and races would ensue. I remember each year riding prototypes, which was especially fun, when a whole new model was coming out. I rode a prototype of that Whip in 1974, the year before the brand new 75 Whip was released. I remember Saturdays at the R&D shop, taking machines out for endurance testing. Getting to see the mock ups of the R&D machines, seeing the Odd Job race sled for the 75/76 racing season, being built on the bench. I've always said, "Scorpion was the most fun job, my dad ever had" For me anyway. My father passed away last year, we still have all the technical manuals from 1969 through 1980, for every model made, and suits, boots, helmets, from almost every year, plus buttons, stickers, ashtrays, etc, and I'll be out at Waconia vintage ride next Sat 1-26-18, on my 1980 Scorpion Sting, my fathers last major project, before Scorpion sold out to Cat.
What an incredible story, thanks for sharing! I have always said I was born thirty years or so too late. Luckily the old school stuff is still around for us younger generations to enjoy.
The old Hanna Mine Building then Scorpion R&D where Rick Ferrari opened Range Manufacturing next to Danan Engineering, The old circle test track was on the side of Danan and the old Hanna Mine Building had a may pole they would tape the throttle w/o on and pull the rope till it ran out of gas or blew up then find what broke and improve it, One of the old early 70 Stimgers is in Portsmouth down about 35 ft, It got lose from the may pole and went balls out to Portsmouth mine pit and sunk. Definently the golden age of Snowmobiles. Then Yeah, The Silver Dollar and Gold Nugget Bars in Tromald. I think that was the name of the bar that burnt down diagonally from the Silver dollar, That's been along time ago, Fun times for sure!!!
Grew up driving an early 70's 440 scorpion. Felt like a rocket ship to a 14 year old. Brings back a lot of memories watching you guys driving those old sleds around.
Boy do I miss them days...Back in the 70's I worked for Scorpion snowmobiles. I still believe if it wasn't for the Teamsters Union, they would still be around today.
Might sound crazy talk to you but I Did say no more newer sleds and strictly vintage. I started on uncle's 69 ski-doo nordic and up thru the 70's sleds during my teens. When 1999 got here I bought a used 96 formula III 600 and although my friends and I could do bigger miles and better trips, something was missing. The scenery was going by so fast and the trips got so pricey that I had to go back and experience what you guys describe toward the end of this clip. Having fun without worries and having it be more about the machine and less about how big the trip was and how fast you went. I'm glad it's still cool to be vintage
I agree with you 100%. I am only 23 so I didn't exactly grow up riding the oldest stuff, but my first sled, aside from the Kitty Cat I had when I was three, was an 88 Yamaha Bravo. In highschool I didn't have a sled but went on rides with friends borrowing their newer sleds. While the new stuff is fast and fun, as you say there is just something missing. They are expensive to buy and ride and you often miss out on the best experiences on the trail. As much as I would love a brand spanking new Ski-Doo Summit 850, there is no way I could ever defend spending that kind of money on something I would use three months out of the year, four months tops. If I want to go on a long touring trip I will either borrow or rent a sled. As far as ownership I'll stick to the old stuff as long as I can get parts to keep them running. I currently have a 72 Noric and a 73 Olympique that I am in the process of restoring, can't wait to ride them next winter!
@@woodyWoodTimber the Nordic is still a work in progress and the olympique ended up being a parts sled. Since then I’ve bought an 86 Safari 377 and an 80 Everest 500E that are riders.
The Ski-Doo TNT 340 was my snowmobile when I was little. That snowmobile rocked. The weight on it was incredible. unlike some snowmobiles, I went through the snowdrifts instead of over. I miss that snowmobile, til I saw the exact one in the video. Thanks guys. It's good to see there are still people out there who appreciate great classic snowmobiles
This video brings back wonderful memories of days gone by. I grew up riding what is now considered obsolete vintage sleds and can honestly say that riding those old sleds back then was more enjoyable to me than anything modern i've owned since. The simplicity of how those old sleds were built were a joy in of itself. You could literally repair an old sled right on the trail most of the time if you had just a few basic tools with you, that certainly does not happen with the complicated modern machines we have today. I had a 73 moto ski F-440 that i literally thrashed every single season for 10 solid years and that thing just refused to give up. The only thing i ever replaced on that sled in all of that time was drive belts, skegs and spark plugs, and when i finally sold it the thing was still in good riding condition. I was then and still am amazed at how reliable and fun that old moto-ski was to own and ride, would love to have another one just like it!
I got a 81 John deere liquifire 440. I got it a 2 years ago as my first sled. I cleaned the carburetors and rebuilt the rewind and now it runs like a top. I love that thing.
I stopped buying new sleds in 09. Now own 15 vintage Yamahas and my newest sled is a 97 cat EXT triple 600. I’ll get another newer sled again someday but getting into vintage has renewed my love and the heritage of snowmobiling.
My first sled was a 1973 Scorpion, age 5. Once I was strong enough to start it from dead cold I was gone......Hundreds of miles every season with my friends and my dad (72) scorpion. Miss those days and would love to get a couple of old Scorpions again. I want a couple newer whips!
My dad bought our first sled in 1978. It was a used 1973 Suzuki 292 Nomad like the one shown around 3:13. It would do about 45 mph max and was loud as hell but I thought it was the coolest thing ever. We quickly realized that riding two-up was for the birds, and purchased a 1979 Arctic Cat Lynx 2000T. The leap in technology in 6 years was amazing. The machines are long since gone as we all grew older and moved through life, but I never forgot the feeling of being on those sleds. A few years ago, I took the opportunity to rescue a 1981 Yamaha Excel 3. Rebuilt the suspension, updated the fuel lines, and replaced the track. Runs like a champ and I feel like I’m 15 years old again every time I ride it. Thanks for posting your video. It brings back great memories.
Great story! I always wanted a snowmobile but never had the money (and my parents aren't the sort who buy their kids expensibe stuff for no practicle reason, for which I am thankful) but one day when visiting the grandparents farm where my dad grew up, I found a 1971 ski whiz and 1969 ski daddler in the barn! My dad let me have them (this was in 2016 when I was just 16 years old) and I learned how engines work fixing them! Did my first complete engine rebuild on that ski whiz. If they were good enough back then, they're still good enough now! People are just spoiled by modern snowmobile suspension and power and technology, they can't appreciate just how much fun the old one's can truly be. And now of course I upload videos of my sleds to my channel so they won't be lost and forgotten down the memory hole of the world.
My sleds as a kid were Scorpion stingers. We had a 1969 340 cc and 1970 440cc (so i was told). Spent hours and hours riding. Miss those days...miss riding period.
My first sled was a 76 Polaris tx250 chassis with a built 340 in it (bored, ported, shaved heads), dual carbs, tuned pipe . It was 1995 I was 7. My dad took me out on it a few times to teach me and then i was on my own. We owned a golf course at the time so i was used to driving golf carts, and large turf equipment and there was lots of open space to get comfortable. I was doing 70mph down fairways and jumping tee boxes at 3/4 throttle after a week. Then i had a bone stock 78 Kawasaki invader 440. Had it for about a month. Ran it without air filters while waiting on new ones and it sucked in a small nut that came loose from the speedo. Trashed a piston, cylinder, and head along with a couple baffles from the exhaust. I now have an 88 arctic cat jag 340, 85 ski-doo safari 377e, and a 87 377.
Its a disease. I love these old machines, can't get enough of them.. I have between 4 to 6 of them working on, tinkering, playing. I love the old iron.
In my whole life I have never wanted anything so much as a Ski-doo. In 1971 I got a 335 Olympic. 735.00 brand new! A ton of money! The 399 was 100 bucks more but it was too much. Anyway the 335 was shake rattle and roll but I was in love!
Man I love these old sleds. I bought my first snowmobile at age 11 for $18.00 at auction. It was a 1972 SKI-DOO ELAN SS 250cc TWIN. With new gas and carb cleaning it fired up. I miss those days of grease on my hands and 2 stroke fumes on my shirt out ripin around!
Im the guy who got into this sport with a vintage sled. I was a poor kid and never had any powersports toys as a kid but have always loved winter and especially snow. Im now 45 and retired from the army, so i got into vintage garden tractors when i bought my first house and ive had multiple motorcycles. I love my antique Bolens garden tractors and blowing snow so i thought, "why not combine my weirdo love of snow and cold, the outdoors, and wrenching and look at snowmobe section of classifieds?". Since the spring I have had a mint 1990 Jag 440 Deluxe with 1,500 miles on my back patio. I did the head gaskets, rebuilt the carb, and cleaned the clutch then it fired up yesterday on 3 pulls. I am probably going to sell my house and move further up the mountain to start a charity to take disabled vets out riding and i haven't even ridden in the snow yet hahaha. I think it's going to be beautiful.
EX Boa Ski owner....Had a 438cc 24 hp Hirth ......Most of these vintage machines used Hirth, Sachs, JLO (Rockwell) engines . Many parts were interchangable from tracks to ski's. Not today's rides. Great video btw
My first actual working snowmobile was a '71 Boa Ski. Picked it up with no engine, so we tossed a 297cc Sachs one lunger on it. The hood was pretty well pooched. We used a pair of old VW reverse lights for a headlight. Actually worked quite well. Gawd the fun we had with that old sled! And you are right, parts were pretty much interchangeable. How many times we were out in the shed or in the basement taking parts of different sleds to combine them into something that would run. The stories I could tell, but I will spare you all of that, LOL. Just say we had some great times back then the with all those machines and stuff. Just a bunch of friends out there having fun in the snow. (Yes, there WAS a time when it actually snowed in Wisconsin.) Man, how I miss those times.
Great program, and really enjoy hearing the mix of comments from younger guys on older sleds, and a seasoned veteran sharing first hand experience from his 70’s days. Our first family sled was a Sno-Prince my Dad bought in 1971, then it was a Herters, and finally got into Artic Cat. My grandfather got on the bandwagon too! Brand new 340 Panther in ‘72... My first sled was a ‘76 Mercury 340 Trail Twister, then a ‘75 440Z Cat; raced them both. Lots of great memories growing up, and right into getting married and having our daughter learn to ride. I restored a ‘75 440 Sno-Twister, what a blast that was to own! - Thanks Guys for your passion in such a great sport.
I’m the guy referenced in the conversation. I just bought a ‘79 Jag 340 as my first sled. As mentioned in the video I’ve never known anything else, but the $500 bucks I spent on mine has already paid for itself. I’m sure the new ones are great, but I hope this old banger runs forever. Love the video! Thanks.
I grew up riding my parents 1973 & 74 SL 292 Yamaha's, we didn't know how to fix them (crank seals/base gaskets) back then and it wasn't that important to my parents if they ran or not mainly to pay a service dealer to fix them. But, when they did run, it to this day, was the best memories a preteen boy could have. Fast forward 40 years, I bought a 1980 John Deere trail fire 440 and did a top end rebuild with crank seals, and primary clutch rebuild and rode it last winter. It Ran like new and all those great memories I had as a kid came back. Nothing like my new SKI Doo MXZ 600. I'm 52 and wish I would of done it sooner. Chippewa Falls, wi we got our first real snow over Thanksgiving and I'm excited to get the John Deere out vs. my new sled. My snowmobile buddies refuse to get into vintage sleds because of the old suspension and having a sore back for days on end after one ride. I road trails last season and never had a sore back. Perhaps my 1980 isn't old enough. But I love it.
I agree the old snowmobiles could be easily worked on, thrown out of a snowbank by hand and best of all could get parts off the shelf at Canadian Tire.Thanks for posting.
I had a 1973 340 cheetah throughout the late 80’s! I now have 1993 Polaris Indy 580 triple. Thanks for bringing back some fun memories! On the old sleds, lean into your turns, with one knee on the seat, transitioning quickly from side to side. Those old things were tippy!
It takes me back to my first snowmobiles!! #1 '79 John Deere trailfire 340!! #2 '72 Rupp 340 Nitro and #3 '76 Yamaha Prestige 440!! My first three snowmobiles!! And I was born in '85!! LMAO
Just picked up a mint condition 1981 John Deere sportfire 440, A wicked barn find with only 1700 miles, electric start, original cover and owners manual. Love the vintage sleds, it really is a blast to drive and the machine puts a smile on every ones faces.
I like the new sleds but I love the vintage stuff!! I’ve owned over 100 vintage sleds sometimes 20 at a time! He’s right it is a disease! Vintage iron forever! Keep running and try to keep the rubber side down!!
My first sled was a 73 skiroule 340 rt.the 340 kohler gave it up and the sled sat for years till i got a hold of a 300 rt with the sachs 290 one lunger.i overhauled the engine and beat the hell out of it for a season until a vacuum line popped off and leaned her out in December of 2002.i was frustrated with the old stuff and bought an 03 firecat f5.i love my firecat but i picked up a 71 lynx 292 and restored it with my 12 year old daughter and she loves it!all of our friends take turns on it and we all gighle our asses off.my 16 year old daughter is now starting to restore my old skiroule with the sachs 440.my wife also has an 02 polaris 600 xcsp.we really enjoy both the modern and vintage sleds for totally different reasons.
Cool sleds you guys have. I think that the old ones do have a lot of nostalgia to them and it's great that they are coming back. Technology has come a long way which is good and bad.
What great conversation, I'm vintage guy. Vintage sleds and todays sleds are like night and day. Riding a vintage sled is a different experience, but so, so much fun!
Had my first ride this year in Cape Breton N.S on my 91 yamaha exciter2 not that vintage as a 70s model but i grew up ridng 70s yammas and yes I got her cheap and have been rebuilding her ever since. 20 thousand plus kms with still 115 compression on both cylinders and no rebuild that I`m aware of. She runs like a champ as every yamma does. I`m a big guy so its like riding a beach ball sometimes but man the fun busting through a tight woods trail is amazing. cheers guys keep up the great work, I`ve been a fan of the show for decades.
Grew up on Polaris sleds.... this era. We had a '71 Charger 335, '73 Colt 250, '73 Colt SS 340, '73 TX 400, '75 TC 175, and '79 Apollo 340. The TC was a little temperamental and more of a prototype, but the rest never died on a trail once! Everybody we knew.... couldn't ride this week or that because their machine was broke down, yet they wouldn't buy a Polaris. Never could figure that out. Funny though, with an endorsement like that, I currently "bang" on an '81Arctic Cat Pantera 500. It doesn't perform like it should, but it will someday!
Back in the day my buddy had an 70 something Skidoo 340 TNT. Primary clutch came apart and bent the crank. We swapped in a 640 out of a different sled. That thing was a beast. Would pull the skis a few feet off the ground. One day the old dry rotten track broke and got wadded up between the drive sprocket and the tunnel. Sent my friend over the handle bars. Good times.
I had the fortune of growing up on old arctic cat/snowjet/skidoo sleds from the early 70's up to early 80's. It taught us how to lean properly otherwise you were on your side quickly. Most people today don't understand what boggy wheel suspension was but it wasn't very comfortable. Many others don't understand what it was like to ride with the carburetor directly in front of you where the fuel tank is on todays sleds. Maybe i missed it but I didn't see any free airs in your collection, those were completely different beasts. Growing up on those gives you a real perspective on todays evolution and much to the point of senior Lester that you had to know how to fix and tinker a bit just to get home. Please feel free to make a few more videos like this, it was great fun to watch. Cheers
well done.....In 1971 my father and his partners bought a Moto Ski distributorship.....ND and SD. There were so many manufacturers back then that I only got a glimpse of what was out there. I believe that at one time there were 104 makers. Nuts when you think about it....how many now? 4? Back then a 440 was a pretty standard size and the horsepower and handling kept the speed down. The moto ski deal only lasted until 1975 even though they were selling up to 1000 sleds a year as Ski Doo bought them out that year. My knowledge of snowmobiles sort of stopped in 75. I went of to college there after and lost interest. When I cam back in about 1983 and rode my brothers Yamaha it was actually scary how far they had come in a short time. And I am talking about a fan cooled unit. Anyway cool stuff. I posted a photo of a 1971 capri and an ad on my Facebook for the 1971 sled from you tube (tougher 7 ways) and it was amazing how much passion and memory was released by people making comments. Powerful stuff . Have fun with it gentlemen. Rodney Bjornstad, Fargo ND
You're right....Its addicting this vintage collecting. I have over 70 machines. But My bro in law and I have to respectfully disagree that people would be crazy to replace the newer w/ the vintage as we have replaced the newer w/ these old things. They just have so much character and yes it is way cool to get peoples attention. I race my 77 yamaha exciter ( that is an exact twin to the first snowmobile I had as a teenager), but love the performance and ride of my ploaris tx's and txl the most!
@@zerofriends5592 lol im 18 and i have a 250 enticer and love it, one of the best machines on the snow and if not they no doubt have the best motor of all time :)
I'm 12 and last year my neibor gave me an 1980 actor cat pantera we blew it up twice because we did not replace the seals my dad and I fixed it together. really vintage is so fun
I had a 1970 Arctic Cat Panther 399 kolher motor and 1974 Arctic Cat lynx 292 and 1982 ski-doo 5500mx blizzard and 1982 ski-doo 9500 blizzard . missed them old days snowmobile riding.
My First sled was a mint 1972 bolens 440 I purchased in 1992. That’s how I entered this sport riding leaf in the 90s Don’t miss the reliability of the old sleds but I did have a lot of fun. Riding the old stuff forced you to be resourceful as you had to plan for breakdowns and bring a lot of parts. Wouldn’t give up the modern sled but it would be fun to have the leafer for the lake and yard. Thanks for the great videos.
i grew up on old sleds,they are amazing machines the thrill they gave us was great,somewhere in 1974 -75 the first electronic ignition set the new performance standard,by 1980 the blizzard 9500 plus was a beast ,good times back then simple times back then.
For guys like me, who like to get their hands dirty and figure things out, but they don't have a shop, maybe they're not experienced mechanics, classic sleds are another excellent option. My '97 MXZ starts and runs great, gets up and moves, it's easy to work on and it didn't cost me an arm and a leg. It's been a great machine to get into the sport with. I'm looking around at newer machines now that I know how much I love it out on the snow, but I'll probably keep this one. Great channel guys, love your content.
I've got a 91 indy 340 and an 87 tundra, the indy is just so great out on the trails I never wanna get rid of it (I'm hoping to find a 500 sometime soon though)
couldn't agree more we live in idaho where theres lots of snow same kind of conversation happened on the way home from a trip ended up with which sled changed our world of riding for us in the mountains now we are doing a vintage day all 4- '98 rmk 700 some mod sled some stockers of course we will be riding the new stuff also
old story from my childhood; my dad worked from Ski doo back in the 70's and bought our first ski doo in 1970 i was 6. We lived in the country and deal was that for me to use the skidoo on my own i had to be able to start it by myself. I worked hard at it and eventually i got it. I was 7 riding an old 69 Olympic i cylinder taken off for hours at the time, no helmets.
My very first sled was an 83 yamaha 250 enticer, that sled was so reliable, even after rolling it a half dozen times while racing my friends down an ice covered back road, it finally landed back on it skis and was still idling!! I drove it home and fixed the hood with fence wire and duct taped the headlight into a piece of plywood. I drove it for 6 more yrs after that and I've still never had a sled more reliable then that old timer.
I had and also rode with many brands of sleds back then. John Deere was the most reliable back then but probably the heaviest. Our Liquifires were as fast as rockets....
Joe Shmoe You’re right. The cyclone was crazy heavy. I got that thing stuck way too many times. We tried getting the Liquifier but dad knew we would be racing it with all the neighbors, so he opted for the cyclone. Still pissed about that. Lol.
Colin Dewitt just like the spitfire . Our neighbors had the colt, I could always beat it. Same neighbour jumped the colt off a snow ridge in the yard and stuffed it under his dads F250 rear bumper, wasn’t a pretty scene.
Having grown up in the 70s and fighting with I mean riding on some of those old sleds LOL it's great to watch people taking interest in them restoring them driving them around and literally punishing themselves lol like we used too long ago but the truth is fellows if those old sleds could talk they could tell you of so many fun times that we had and in my case with a friend of mine that I just lost to a bad farming accident so take them out and enjoy them make new memories that's why they were built in the first place there's a lot of things you could be doing but these old machines bring families together friends together and it stays with you for life
I had an El Tigre 5000 in my teens. It had pretty decent power, lots of fun... Until it got hot. Then didn't want to run. Then I got a ride on a friend's SRV. Smooth, fast, what a beauty!
Man this video takes me back to when i got my first sled It was a 1981 arctic cat JAG 4000 It had around 7000 miles and had never blown up My first year with it i put on 500 miles and I still got the jag every time I ride it it puts a smile on my face and makes want to get another one
Just wanted to share this video with you guys. Filmed in 1977 near Roberts, WI on Super 8 movie film. My dad was told that no snowmobile could climb up this snow-drifted gully. On a 1973 Polaris TX400, he took the challenge. Original footage from the era of Leaf Spring Banging! Vintage 1973 Polaris TX400, Filmed 1977 (Best Clips at the End) - RUclips
This is awesome. A few years ago I aquired a 1979 Arctic cat panther 5000 for a hundred bucks. A New regulator, cleaned the tank out an whala.... Life breathed into it. And barring the obvious lack of suspension, it's a lot of fun.
Interesting video! Appreciate it! I have a ‘78 and it’s just a different animal to my 2010. Even the late 80’s snowmobiles I grew up with are different to these older ones. IFS was the biggest leap in my opinion. If anyone is getting in to these old sleds I recommend buying Mikuni carburettors, these old carburettors are in my experience what brings the most hassle and breakdowns. Pulled my ‘78 out of a field, replaced the electronics and carb and it runs just like new. 40km/h top speed , you can’t be in a hurry when riding these 😂
I had a 74 TX340..never heard of a charger. Intersting. I bet it was very similar. Edit: ah, i looked it up. Yours has the old , see the engine open hood with the porshe style headlights. Nice
I had a 250 enticer! Quick as hell. Light as the wind. A good dream, sir. I sold a 340 exciter and went down to the 250. No regrets. It was a evolutionary sled. 250!
I started off with a 81 ski doo Everest when I was 18. Back then I didn’t like going out sledding or knew how to sled. When I found the 81 ski doo in a farmers yard for 50 bucks when I was out doing trenching I decided to get it and get it running. Now I’m 22 and I love sledding and have a ton of vintage sleds. Love working on them and riding them, don’t know why I like vintage sleds. I guess it gives me something to do and the feeling of getting one running is the best. Never owned a sled newer than 81 and probably never will.
Grew up on these beautiful oldies! One thing I truly loved about these machines back in their hay day was the different and unique looks they had from manufacturers! Today the technology ALONG With the looks and shape have become clones to one another... aside from paint color and graphics... it’s hard for me to tell them apart, the unique individual look is gone and I don’t need to ride 100 miles an hour anyways... these older machines will always be top pick for me :)
Memories. Dad had A Sno-Jet 230. 23 hp single cylinder Hirth engine. Had the blue 3 child side by side Caboose we called it. Mom had the Skidoo Olympic with 18hp single(if memory serves)and cool pop-up headlight. . Also equiped with 3 child inline Caboose. Away we'd go, 6 kids in Cabooses and parents at the controls for 4-6 hr Saturday outings.
Great video guys. Bought a 85 enticer for my 10 year old as a Christmas present and I just love watching him ride. Sold my 02 Polaris a few years ago for lots of reasons, but I have been bitten by the bug since I was 13 so I found a skiroule 447 for myself. Working on getting a Chaparral now. Live on leaf springs, live on
I never had the opportunity to ride a sled till just a couple years ago. My first ride was on a 77 john deer 340 liquifire and I was hooked! Then 1980 motoski 400 light and fun to burn around on I spent one winter riding these sleds. My first sled I got for myself is a 94 Yamaha v maxx 600 she runs and looks mint! I just bought an 02 ski doo mxz 800 and going from vintage to newer sleds has been a cool journey through time. Each sled slightly better than the next but I really liked the motoski and still ride it when I can. From motoski to my 800 sleds have come a real long way no matter what you ride you are going to have fun no doubt!
Great video, this takes me back to my first snowmobile. My dad & uncle both purchased a new 1976 skiroule 440 fan cooled. My cousin & I , just kids at the time would patiently wait for the snow to fall, so we could go riding. We were too young to even start the snowmobile, our fathers would have to pull start them (no electric start back then, or reverse) lol. Well fell in love with sledding, eventually fast forward a few years, well more than a few years, and bought a 1996 Polaris XLT triple. Then life happened & took a break from sledding, well happy to say I'm getting back into it & snowchecked a new Polaris VR1, with a patriot 850. Cant wait for the snow to return. 🤓 Keep up the great work guy's love the show.
Had a pair of old yamaha sleds back in the 80's. Both were 1971 440 models, they were so light that an average sized man could pick one up nose first and stand it straight up and down on its rear flap. It was scary fast and so unstable because of its weight that it was terrifying to ride. You could easily hit uneven snow and lay it over on its side in a split second at 60 m.p.h. Those were the good ol' days. Miss them!
I've had some old sleds..first sled was an 81 citation 4500, traded for an enticer deluxe 340. Had a 80 indy txl 340 liquid also, that one was fast for a 340. The enticer was a fun sled
I got a 1960s-1970 ski doo olympique and it always feels and looks good seeing a wake behind me from the bottom of the sled and the skiis under the snow. Me and my grandfather had to make a new gas tank and a new seat because the body didnt have a seat and my back kept hurting, and the old gas tank was leaking
My first sled was a 68 moti ski . My grandfather gave to me .It never ran very well. Next was a 78 340 Rupp it ran great. Then a new 86 Polaris Indy trail, then a new 88 Polaris Indy 650. I had that 9 years until it was stolen. I just got a 91 Ski doo mx. I can't wait to get back on the trail.The 17 year gap was way to long. Snowmobiling is addictive !!!
This is my favorite episode of the year so far. I had an old cheetah 5000 that eventually got scrapped from a bad motor and a shot everything else. But i bought a 1978 JAG this year so i could go back to old school. I have newer sleds but it a whole different experience on old iron.
great video, I have a 1983 John Deere 440 Trailfire LX, been in the family since new just need to do the brakes and its done. What a blast to ride. I bought 2-up's in the late 90's cause I was used to someone breaking down every time when we were kids and had to ride back double on a single seat sled. nothing compares with having to be able to get it running just to get home.
Don't know what the big come on is with you guys, Me and my boys still have old machines,and we ride them All the time We have an 79 El Tigree ,an 80 polaris colt ,an 73 artic cat cheeta 440,a yamaha 300 enticer and we have newer polaris but we ride the old ones more then the new ones ,I have rode these older sleds all my life and I am 60 now, when I was a kid I road a 433 yamaha a Rupp 340 a artic cat my dad had ,but I am still into the old stuff !!!!!!!!
im 14 but i got a 81 cat 440 jag and for being as old as it is its still a blast it can fly around tight sections in woods but when i get out in open lanes and ditches its gets up to around 60
Awesome!! I enjoy riding my vintage 1980 Scorpion Sting 440 more then I do my newer machine. Back on the old machines you used body english to fly around the corners, as old as I am, I still find that more fun.
![Tee Grizzley - Robbery 8 [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/34_vkNV6wrU/mqdefault.jpg)
The old sleds are where the fun is at imo
My father was Engineering Services and Administration Manager at Scorpion. I grew up on these machines, I remember at the Scorpion R&D shop, they had all the other popular brands for comparison. That truly was the Golden age of snowmobiling, before clubs and groomers, we'd hook up an old steel box spring, and used that to groom trails. A local bar in Trommald, MN, had a "Scorpion room" We would pull up outside there in the early 1970's, and there were literally 85 makes of machines, guys would talk up their brand, and races would ensue. I remember each year riding prototypes, which was especially fun, when a whole new model was coming out. I rode a prototype of that Whip in 1974, the year before the brand new 75 Whip was released. I remember Saturdays at the R&D shop, taking machines out for endurance testing. Getting to see the mock ups of the R&D machines, seeing the Odd Job race sled for the 75/76 racing season, being built on the bench. I've always said, "Scorpion was the most fun job, my dad ever had" For me anyway. My father passed away last year, we still have all the technical manuals from 1969 through 1980, for every model made, and suits, boots, helmets, from almost every year, plus buttons, stickers, ashtrays, etc, and I'll be out at Waconia vintage ride next Sat 1-26-18, on my 1980 Scorpion Sting, my fathers last major project, before Scorpion sold out to Cat.
wow ! good times ! my father had a Scorpion dealership 1969-1982 i thought i had it good :)
What an incredible story, thanks for sharing! I have always said I was born thirty years or so too late. Luckily the old school stuff is still around for us younger generations to enjoy.
The old Hanna Mine Building then Scorpion R&D where Rick Ferrari opened Range Manufacturing next to Danan Engineering, The old circle test track was on the side of Danan and the old Hanna Mine Building had a may pole they would tape the throttle w/o on and pull the rope till it ran out of gas or blew up then find what broke and improve it, One of the old early 70 Stimgers is in Portsmouth down about 35 ft, It got lose from the may pole and went balls out to Portsmouth mine pit and sunk.
Definently the golden age of Snowmobiles.
Then Yeah, The Silver Dollar and Gold Nugget Bars in Tromald.
I think that was the name of the bar that burnt down diagonally from the Silver dollar, That's been along time ago, Fun times for sure!!!
Grew up driving an early 70's 440 scorpion. Felt like a rocket ship to a 14 year old. Brings back a lot of memories watching you guys driving those old sleds around.
Boy do I miss them days...Back in the 70's I worked for Scorpion snowmobiles. I still believe if it wasn't for the Teamsters Union, they would still be around today.
My dad still got a stinger 2 runs and is in great shape
I enjoyed the video, now I want a vintage sled of my own.
I am that Guy that gave up on newer sleds . I live and ride 1980 and older . Thanks for the video.
Had a scorpion 400 range whip with a hitch. Took many loads of straw and beer to bush parties. Did tip up town USA in Michigan many times.
Might sound crazy talk to you but I Did say no more newer sleds and strictly vintage. I started on uncle's 69 ski-doo nordic and up thru the 70's sleds during my teens. When 1999 got here I bought a used 96 formula III 600 and although my friends and I could do bigger miles and better trips, something was missing. The scenery was going by so fast and the trips got so pricey that I had to go back and experience what you guys describe toward the end of this clip. Having fun without worries and having it be more about the machine and less about how big the trip was and how fast you went. I'm glad it's still cool to be vintage
he probably has no childhood and never grew up learning to ride on a vintage sled , i bet he started on those crappy new 120's lol
I agree with you 100%. I am only 23 so I didn't exactly grow up riding the oldest stuff, but my first sled, aside from the Kitty Cat I had when I was three, was an 88 Yamaha Bravo. In highschool I didn't have a sled but went on rides with friends borrowing their newer sleds. While the new stuff is fast and fun, as you say there is just something missing. They are expensive to buy and ride and you often miss out on the best experiences on the trail. As much as I would love a brand spanking new Ski-Doo Summit 850, there is no way I could ever defend spending that kind of money on something I would use three months out of the year, four months tops. If I want to go on a long touring trip I will either borrow or rent a sled. As far as ownership I'll stick to the old stuff as long as I can get parts to keep them running. I currently have a 72 Noric and a 73 Olympique that I am in the process of restoring, can't wait to ride them next winter!
@@adventure2073 did you restore them
@@woodyWoodTimber the Nordic is still a work in progress and the olympique ended up being a parts sled. Since then I’ve bought an 86 Safari 377 and an 80 Everest 500E that are riders.
Why did you guys quit doing this segment?? You need to bring it back!
The Ski-Doo TNT 340 was my snowmobile when I was little. That snowmobile rocked. The weight on it was incredible. unlike some snowmobiles, I went through the snowdrifts instead of over. I miss that snowmobile, til I saw the exact one in the video. Thanks guys. It's good to see there are still people out there who appreciate great classic snowmobiles
This video brings back wonderful memories of days gone by. I grew up riding what is now considered obsolete vintage sleds and can honestly say that riding those old sleds back then was more enjoyable to me than anything modern i've owned since. The simplicity of how those old sleds were built were a joy in of itself. You could literally repair an old sled right on the trail most of the time if you had just a few basic tools with you, that certainly does not happen with the complicated modern machines we have today. I had a 73 moto ski F-440 that i literally thrashed every single season for 10 solid years and that thing just refused to give up. The only thing i ever replaced on that sled in all of that time was drive belts, skegs and spark plugs, and when i finally sold it the thing was still in good riding condition. I was then and still am amazed at how reliable and fun that old moto-ski was to own and ride, would love to have another one just like it!
I got a 81 John deere liquifire 440. I got it a 2 years ago as my first sled. I cleaned the carburetors and rebuilt the rewind and now it runs like a top. I love that thing.
I have a 1980 Trailfire 340. The thing has only broken down on me once and it’s a real fun one. Starts in one pull as well.
I stopped buying new sleds in 09. Now own 15 vintage Yamahas and my newest sled is a 97 cat EXT triple 600. I’ll get another newer sled again someday but getting into vintage has renewed my love and the heritage of snowmobiling.
My first sled was a 1973 Scorpion, age 5. Once I was strong enough to start it from dead cold I was gone......Hundreds of miles every season with my friends and my dad (72) scorpion. Miss those days and would love to get a couple of old Scorpions again. I want a couple newer whips!
My dad bought our first sled in 1978. It was a used 1973 Suzuki 292 Nomad like the one shown around 3:13. It would do about 45 mph max and was loud as hell but I thought it was the coolest thing ever. We quickly realized that riding two-up was for the birds, and purchased a 1979 Arctic Cat Lynx 2000T. The leap in technology in 6 years was amazing. The machines are long since gone as we all grew older and moved through life, but I never forgot the feeling of being on those sleds. A few years ago, I took the opportunity to rescue a 1981 Yamaha Excel 3. Rebuilt the suspension, updated the fuel lines, and replaced the track. Runs like a champ and I feel like I’m 15 years old again every time I ride it. Thanks for posting your video. It brings back great memories.
Great story! I always wanted a snowmobile but never had the money (and my parents aren't the sort who buy their kids expensibe stuff for no practicle reason, for which I am thankful) but one day when visiting the grandparents farm where my dad grew up, I found a 1971 ski whiz and 1969 ski daddler in the barn! My dad let me have them (this was in 2016 when I was just 16 years old) and I learned how engines work fixing them! Did my first complete engine rebuild on that ski whiz. If they were good enough back then, they're still good enough now! People are just spoiled by modern snowmobile suspension and power and technology, they can't appreciate just how much fun the old one's can truly be. And now of course I upload videos of my sleds to my channel so they won't be lost and forgotten down the memory hole of the world.
My sleds as a kid were Scorpion stingers. We had a 1969 340 cc and 1970 440cc (so i was told). Spent hours and hours riding. Miss those days...miss riding period.
My first sled was a 76 Polaris tx250 chassis with a built 340 in it (bored, ported, shaved heads), dual carbs, tuned pipe . It was 1995 I was 7. My dad took me out on it a few times to teach me and then i was on my own. We owned a golf course at the time so i was used to driving golf carts, and large turf equipment and there was lots of open space to get comfortable. I was doing 70mph down fairways and jumping tee boxes at 3/4 throttle after a week. Then i had a bone stock 78 Kawasaki invader 440. Had it for about a month. Ran it without air filters while waiting on new ones and it sucked in a small nut that came loose from the speedo. Trashed a piston, cylinder, and head along with a couple baffles from the exhaust. I now have an 88 arctic cat jag 340, 85 ski-doo safari 377e, and a 87 377.
Its a disease. I love these old machines, can't get enough of them.. I have between 4 to 6 of them working on, tinkering, playing. I love the old iron.
In my whole life I have never wanted anything so much as a Ski-doo. In 1971 I got a 335 Olympic. 735.00 brand new! A ton of money! The 399 was 100 bucks more but it was too much. Anyway the 335 was shake rattle and roll but I was in love!
Man I love these old sleds. I bought my first snowmobile at age 11 for $18.00 at auction. It was a 1972 SKI-DOO ELAN SS 250cc TWIN. With new gas and carb cleaning it fired up. I miss those days of grease on my hands and 2 stroke fumes on my shirt out ripin around!
Miss my 1981 Pantera. Bought it in 1982, second year in high school... Time flies. :-/
Best regards from Sweden
Im the guy who got into this sport with a vintage sled. I was a poor kid and never had any powersports toys as a kid but have always loved winter and especially snow. Im now 45 and retired from the army, so i got into vintage garden tractors when i bought my first house and ive had multiple motorcycles. I love my antique Bolens garden tractors and blowing snow so i thought, "why not combine my weirdo love of snow and cold, the outdoors, and wrenching and look at snowmobe section of classifieds?". Since the spring I have had a mint 1990 Jag 440 Deluxe with 1,500 miles on my back patio. I did the head gaskets, rebuilt the carb, and cleaned the clutch then it fired up yesterday on 3 pulls. I am probably going to sell my house and move further up the mountain to start a charity to take disabled vets out riding and i haven't even ridden in the snow yet hahaha. I think it's going to be beautiful.
That’s a nice whip! I had the same one growing up
I drove a 1981 Arctic Cat Panther 440 for 15 years ! It just wouldn't die.Still runs to this day, greetings from Sweden :D
We had one of those 1974 Lynx II 340 with the Suzuki motor. So many jumps and so many hours repairing the suspension and motor.
Love my 1980 Kawasaki Drifter. Working on it with my dad inspired me to become the certified Polaris Technion that I am today.
Hey guys the colder it is the better they run !
Food for thought.
EX Boa Ski owner....Had a 438cc 24 hp Hirth ......Most of these vintage machines used Hirth, Sachs, JLO (Rockwell) engines . Many parts were interchangable from tracks to ski's. Not today's rides. Great video btw
My first actual working snowmobile was a '71 Boa Ski. Picked it up with no engine, so we tossed a 297cc Sachs one lunger on it. The hood was pretty well pooched. We used a pair of old VW reverse lights for a headlight. Actually worked quite well. Gawd the fun we had with that old sled!
And you are right, parts were pretty much interchangeable. How many times we were out in the shed or in the basement taking parts of different sleds to combine them into something that would run. The stories I could tell, but I will spare you all of that, LOL. Just say we had some great times back then the with all those machines and stuff. Just a bunch of friends out there having fun in the snow. (Yes, there WAS a time when it actually snowed in Wisconsin.) Man, how I miss those times.
Love the old sled ,specifically the snow-jet,thumbs up
Great program, and really enjoy hearing the mix of comments from younger guys on older sleds, and a seasoned veteran sharing first hand experience from his 70’s days. Our first family sled was a Sno-Prince my Dad bought in 1971, then it was a Herters, and finally got into Artic Cat. My grandfather got on the bandwagon too! Brand new 340 Panther in ‘72... My first sled was a ‘76 Mercury 340 Trail Twister, then a ‘75 440Z Cat; raced them both. Lots of great memories growing up, and right into getting married and having our daughter learn to ride. I restored a ‘75 440 Sno-Twister, what a blast that was to own! - Thanks Guys for your passion in such a great sport.
you guys nailed it!! I'm so glad to see this type of appreciation for vintage. thank you
I’m the guy referenced in the conversation. I just bought a ‘79 Jag 340 as my first sled. As mentioned in the video I’ve never known anything else, but the $500 bucks I spent on mine has already paid for itself. I’m sure the new ones are great, but I hope this old banger runs forever. Love the video! Thanks.
I grew up riding my parents 1973 & 74 SL 292 Yamaha's, we didn't know how to fix them (crank seals/base gaskets) back then and it wasn't that important to my parents if they ran or not mainly to pay a service dealer to fix them. But, when they did run, it to this day, was the best memories a preteen boy could have. Fast forward 40 years, I bought a 1980 John Deere trail fire 440 and did a top end rebuild with crank seals, and primary clutch rebuild and rode it last winter. It Ran like new and all those great memories I had as a kid came back. Nothing like my new SKI Doo MXZ 600. I'm 52 and wish I would of done it sooner. Chippewa Falls, wi we got our first real snow over Thanksgiving and I'm excited to get the John Deere out vs. my new sled. My snowmobile buddies refuse to get into vintage sleds because of the old suspension and having a sore back for days on end after one ride. I road trails last season and never had a sore back. Perhaps my 1980 isn't old enough. But I love it.
I agree the old snowmobiles could be easily worked on, thrown out of a snowbank by hand and best of all could get parts off the shelf at Canadian Tire.Thanks for posting.
I had a 1973 340 cheetah throughout the late 80’s! I now have 1993 Polaris Indy 580 triple.
Thanks for bringing back some fun memories!
On the old sleds, lean into your turns, with one knee on the seat, transitioning quickly from side to side. Those old things were tippy!
It takes me back to my first snowmobiles!! #1 '79 John Deere trailfire 340!! #2 '72 Rupp 340 Nitro and #3 '76 Yamaha Prestige 440!! My first three snowmobiles!! And I was born in '85!! LMAO
Classic sleds, trucks, cars, and motorcycles are what I prefer. If I can work on something myself I save a boat load of money on labor costs.
Just picked up a mint condition 1981 John Deere sportfire 440, A wicked barn find with only 1700 miles, electric start, original cover and owners manual. Love the vintage sleds, it really is a blast to drive and the machine puts a smile on every ones faces.
I like the new sleds but I love the vintage stuff!! I’ve owned over 100 vintage sleds sometimes 20 at a time! He’s right it is a disease! Vintage iron forever! Keep running and try to keep the rubber side down!!
My first sled was a 73 skiroule 340 rt.the 340 kohler gave it up and the sled sat for years till i got a hold of a 300 rt with the sachs 290 one lunger.i overhauled the engine and beat the hell out of it for a season until a vacuum line popped off and leaned her out in December of 2002.i was frustrated with the old stuff and bought an 03 firecat f5.i love my firecat but i picked up a 71 lynx 292 and restored it with my 12 year old daughter and she loves it!all of our friends take turns on it and we all gighle our asses off.my 16 year old daughter is now starting to restore my old skiroule with the sachs 440.my wife also has an 02 polaris 600 xcsp.we really enjoy both the modern and vintage sleds for totally different reasons.
Cool sleds you guys have. I think that the old ones do have a lot of nostalgia to them and it's great that they are coming back. Technology has come a long way which is good and bad.
Used to own a 400 cc Whip back in 75 and it was such a great machine to ride on.
Im 16 and I’m restoring a range whip right now and it’s been putty fun so far. It’s close to running
What great conversation, I'm vintage guy. Vintage sleds and todays sleds are like night and day. Riding a vintage sled is a different experience, but so, so much fun!
We have been sweating to the oldies for years! Its definitely different but alot of fun!
Had my first ride this year in Cape Breton N.S on my 91 yamaha exciter2 not that vintage as a 70s model but i grew up ridng 70s yammas and yes I got her cheap and have been rebuilding her ever since. 20 thousand plus kms with still 115 compression on both cylinders and no rebuild that I`m aware of. She runs like a champ as every yamma does. I`m a big guy so its like riding a beach ball sometimes but man the fun busting through a tight woods trail is amazing. cheers guys keep up the great work, I`ve been a fan of the show for decades.
It makes me wanna go get a vintage sled again.
Grew up on Polaris sleds.... this era. We had a '71 Charger 335, '73 Colt 250, '73 Colt SS 340, '73 TX 400, '75 TC 175, and '79 Apollo 340. The TC was a little temperamental and more of a prototype, but the rest never died on a trail once! Everybody we knew.... couldn't ride this week or that because their machine was broke down, yet they wouldn't buy a Polaris. Never could figure that out. Funny though, with an endorsement like that, I currently "bang" on an '81Arctic Cat Pantera 500. It doesn't perform like it should, but it will someday!
The old iron is where it all began though. My 1972 335 Olympic reminded me of that.
That was my second sled. I traded my cousin a paint job on his car for it in 1979 or 80
Great discussion on vintage sleds. Back in the day I had a bunch. Now I'm down to a 78 Pantera 5000 and a 1976 Jag 340.
My best snowmobile was a 1977 Polaris Electra 340.
Had a lot of vintage machines including a mid 60 bombardier but my Electra was my baby.
This video is on point! Fun to have a couple of vintage sleds in the fleet as well as a couple of Polaris Indy series...
Back in the day my buddy had an 70 something Skidoo 340 TNT. Primary clutch came apart and bent the crank. We swapped in a 640 out of a different sled. That thing was a beast. Would pull the skis a few feet off the ground. One day the old dry rotten track broke and got wadded up between the drive sprocket and the tunnel. Sent my friend over the handle bars. Good times.
I had the fortune of growing up on old arctic cat/snowjet/skidoo sleds from the early 70's up to early 80's. It taught us how to lean properly otherwise you were on your side quickly. Most people today don't understand what boggy wheel suspension was but it wasn't very comfortable. Many others don't understand what it was like to ride with the carburetor directly in front of you where the fuel tank is on todays sleds.
Maybe i missed it but I didn't see any free airs in your collection, those were completely different beasts. Growing up on those gives you a real perspective on todays evolution and much to the point of senior Lester that you had to know how to fix and tinker a bit just to get home.
Please feel free to make a few more videos like this, it was great fun to watch.
Cheers
My dad bought us a new 73 elan 250cc....frickin awesome at 10 yrs old.
The Élans were cool. The track was so long compared to the skis the only time you were on the trail is when you crossed it!
well done.....In 1971 my father and his partners bought a Moto Ski distributorship.....ND and SD. There were so many manufacturers back then that I only got a glimpse of what was out there. I believe that at one time there were 104 makers. Nuts when you think about it....how many now? 4? Back then a 440 was a pretty standard size and the horsepower and handling kept the speed down. The moto ski deal only lasted until 1975 even though they were selling up to 1000 sleds a year as Ski Doo bought them out that year. My knowledge of snowmobiles sort of stopped in 75. I went of to college there after and lost interest. When I cam back in about 1983 and rode my brothers Yamaha it was actually scary how far they had come in a short time. And I am talking about a fan cooled unit. Anyway cool stuff. I posted a photo of a 1971 capri and an ad on my Facebook for the 1971 sled from you tube (tougher 7 ways) and it was amazing how much passion and memory was released by people making comments. Powerful stuff . Have fun with it gentlemen. Rodney Bjornstad, Fargo ND
Excellent video guys! I grew up in the 70's with my dads cheeta 440's...i wish i could find one today!
You're right....Its addicting this vintage collecting. I have over 70 machines. But My bro in law and I have to respectfully disagree that people would be crazy to replace the newer w/ the vintage as we have replaced the newer w/ these old things. They just have so much character and yes it is way cool to get peoples attention. I race my 77 yamaha exciter ( that is an exact twin to the first snowmobile I had as a teenager), but love the performance and ride of my ploaris tx's and txl the most!
I've been riding old snowmobiles since I was 5 I'm 27 now and I'm still doing it old school
You are a gem Mathew. Nice to see a younger man appreciate the older sleds..rare indeed. My kinda rider
@@zerofriends5592 lol im 18 and i have a 250 enticer and love it, one of the best machines on the snow and if not they no doubt have the best motor of all time :)
Sled's, i remember when those were brand new. I was on a 74' TX340, but always liked the yamahas.
@@zerofriends5592 Yamahas were considered fast in the days. We use to race on the sand dunes and they were the fastest.
I'm 12 and last year my neibor gave me an 1980 actor cat pantera we blew it up twice because we did not replace the seals my dad and I fixed it together. really vintage is so fun
I had a 1970 Arctic Cat Panther 399 kolher motor and 1974 Arctic Cat lynx 292 and 1982 ski-doo 5500mx blizzard and 1982 ski-doo 9500 blizzard . missed them old days snowmobile riding.
My First sled was a mint 1972 bolens 440 I purchased in 1992. That’s how I entered this sport riding leaf in the 90s
Don’t miss the reliability of the old sleds but I did have a lot of fun. Riding the old stuff forced you to be resourceful as you had to plan for breakdowns and bring a lot of parts.
Wouldn’t give up the modern sled but it would be fun to have the leafer for the lake and yard.
Thanks for the great videos.
i grew up on old sleds,they are amazing machines the thrill they gave us was great,somewhere in 1974 -75 the first electronic ignition set the new performance standard,by 1980 the blizzard 9500 plus was a beast ,good times back then simple times back then.
For guys like me, who like to get their hands dirty and figure things out, but they don't have a shop, maybe they're not experienced mechanics, classic sleds are another excellent option. My '97 MXZ starts and runs great, gets up and moves, it's easy to work on and it didn't cost me an arm and a leg. It's been a great machine to get into the sport with. I'm looking around at newer machines now that I know how much I love it out on the snow, but I'll probably keep this one. Great channel guys, love your content.
I've got a 91 indy 340 and an 87 tundra, the indy is just so great out on the trails I never wanna get rid of it (I'm hoping to find a 500 sometime soon though)
Love my 95 polaris XLT Indy 600. Such a badass sled and easy to maintain.
Great Show. Liked seeing Old Snowmobiles, Running
couldn't agree more we live in idaho where theres lots of snow same kind of conversation happened on the way home from a trip ended up with which sled changed our world of riding for us in the mountains now we are doing a vintage day all 4- '98 rmk 700 some mod sled some stockers of course we will be riding the new stuff also
old story from my childhood; my dad worked from Ski doo back in the 70's and bought our first ski doo in 1970 i was 6. We lived in the country and deal was that for me to use the skidoo on my own i had to be able to start it by myself. I worked hard at it and eventually i got it. I was 7 riding an old 69 Olympic i cylinder taken off for hours at the time, no helmets.
My very first sled was an 83 yamaha 250 enticer, that sled was so reliable, even after rolling it a half dozen times while racing my friends down an ice covered back road, it finally landed back on it skis and was still idling!! I drove it home and fixed the hood with fence wire and duct taped the headlight into a piece of plywood. I drove it for 6 more yrs after that and I've still never had a sled more reliable then that old timer.
We were John Deere sledders. cyclone 340 was a beast. Trail fire was a good trail breaker.
I had and also rode with many brands of sleds back then. John Deere was the most reliable back then but probably the heaviest.
Our Liquifires were as fast as rockets....
Joe Shmoe You’re right. The cyclone was crazy heavy. I got that thing stuck way too many times. We tried getting the Liquifier but dad knew we would be racing it with all the neighbors, so he opted for the cyclone. Still pissed about that. Lol.
We had a trail fire with a Polaris colt 340 stuffed in, the plugs stuck out of the hood.
Colin Dewitt just like the spitfire . Our neighbors had the colt, I could always beat it. Same neighbour jumped the colt off a snow ridge in the yard and stuffed it under his dads F250 rear bumper, wasn’t a pretty scene.
My perspective on snowmobiles is if you're having fun youre doing it right
Having grown up in the 70s and fighting with I mean riding on some of those old sleds LOL it's great to watch people taking interest in them restoring them driving them around and literally punishing themselves lol like we used too long ago but the truth is fellows if those old sleds could talk they could tell you of so many fun times that we had and in my case with a friend of mine that I just lost to a bad farming accident so take them out and enjoy them make new memories that's why they were built in the first place there's a lot of things you could be doing but these old machines bring families together friends together and it stays with you for life
I had an El Tigre 5000 in my teens. It had pretty decent power, lots of fun... Until it got hot. Then didn't want to run. Then I got a ride on a friend's SRV. Smooth, fast, what a beauty!
Man this video takes me back to when i got my first sled It was a 1981 arctic cat JAG 4000 It had around 7000 miles and had never blown up My first year with it i put on 500 miles and I still got the jag every time I ride it it puts a smile on my face and makes want to get another one
Just wanted to share this video with you guys. Filmed in 1977 near Roberts, WI on Super 8 movie film. My dad was told that no snowmobile could climb up this snow-drifted gully. On a 1973 Polaris TX400, he took the challenge. Original footage from the era of Leaf Spring Banging!
Vintage 1973 Polaris TX400, Filmed 1977 (Best Clips at the End) - RUclips
This is awesome. A few years ago I aquired a 1979 Arctic cat panther 5000 for a hundred bucks. A New regulator, cleaned the tank out an whala.... Life breathed into it. And barring the obvious lack of suspension, it's a lot of fun.
Interesting video! Appreciate it! I have a ‘78 and it’s just a different animal to my 2010. Even the late 80’s snowmobiles I grew up with are different to these older ones. IFS was the biggest leap in my opinion.
If anyone is getting in to these old sleds I recommend buying Mikuni carburettors, these old carburettors are in my experience what brings the most hassle and breakdowns.
Pulled my ‘78 out of a field, replaced the electronics and carb and it runs just like new. 40km/h top speed , you can’t be in a hurry when riding these 😂
I wish you guys did more of this stuff on the show. Rather than every show just featuring what the sponsors want.
i know a couple guys have said enough o the new stuff and only ride old.
I ride my 73 Polaris Charger 400 on vintage runs in the MN ND area
I had a 74 TX340..never heard of a charger. Intersting. I bet it was very similar. Edit: ah, i looked it up. Yours has the old , see the engine open hood with the porshe style headlights. Nice
I had a 250 enticer! Quick as hell. Light as the wind. A good dream, sir. I sold a 340 exciter and went down to the 250. No regrets. It was a evolutionary sled. 250!
4:44 how big are the paddles on that tra- never mind.
i have an 85' phazer, it's amazing. when cold starts up on second pull, it has electric start but i don't like to use it lol
I started off with a 81 ski doo Everest when I was 18. Back then I didn’t like going out sledding or knew how to sled. When I found the 81 ski doo in a farmers yard for 50 bucks when I was out doing trenching I decided to get it and get it running. Now I’m 22 and I love sledding and have a ton of vintage sleds. Love working on them and riding them, don’t know why I like vintage sleds. I guess it gives me something to do and the feeling of getting one running is the best. Never owned a sled newer than 81 and probably never will.
Grew up on these beautiful oldies! One thing I truly loved about these machines back in their hay day was the different and unique looks they had from manufacturers! Today the technology ALONG With the looks and shape have become clones to one another... aside from paint color and graphics... it’s hard for me to tell them apart, the unique individual look is gone and I don’t need to ride 100 miles an hour anyways... these older machines will always be top pick for me :)
had a 1979 kawasaki drifter 440 miss that thing was mint i sold it back in the mid 90's nothing like riding a vintage machine
Memories. Dad had A Sno-Jet 230. 23 hp single cylinder Hirth engine. Had the blue 3 child side by side Caboose we called it. Mom had the Skidoo Olympic with 18hp single(if memory serves)and cool pop-up headlight. . Also equiped with 3 child inline Caboose. Away we'd go, 6 kids in Cabooses and parents at the controls for 4-6 hr Saturday outings.
Great video guys. Bought a 85 enticer for my 10 year old as a Christmas present and I just love watching him ride. Sold my 02 Polaris a few years ago for lots of reasons, but I have been bitten by the bug since I was 13 so I found a skiroule 447 for myself. Working on getting a Chaparral now. Live on leaf springs, live on
I never had the opportunity to ride a sled till just a couple years ago. My first ride was on a 77 john deer 340 liquifire and I was hooked! Then 1980 motoski 400 light and fun to burn around on I spent one winter riding these sleds. My first sled I got for myself is a 94 Yamaha v maxx 600 she runs and looks mint! I just bought an 02 ski doo mxz 800 and going from vintage to newer sleds has been a cool journey through time. Each sled slightly better than the next but I really liked the motoski and still ride it when I can. From motoski to my 800 sleds have come a real long way no matter what you ride you are going to have fun no doubt!
Great video, this takes me back to my first snowmobile. My dad & uncle both purchased a new 1976 skiroule 440 fan cooled. My cousin & I , just kids at the time would patiently wait for the snow to fall, so we could go riding. We were too young to even start the snowmobile, our fathers would have to pull start them (no electric start back then, or reverse) lol. Well fell in love with sledding, eventually fast forward a few years, well more than a few years, and bought a 1996 Polaris XLT triple. Then life happened & took a break from sledding, well happy to say I'm getting back into it & snowchecked a new Polaris VR1, with a patriot 850. Cant wait for the snow to return. 🤓
Keep up the great work guy's love the show.
Get a 75 MERC 440 SNO TWISTER! Really fast free air... in 76 they had liquid cooled...76 being their last year.
Had a pair of old yamaha sleds back in the 80's. Both were 1971 440 models, they were
so light that an average sized man could pick one up nose first and stand it straight up and down on its rear flap. It was scary fast and so unstable because of its weight that it was terrifying to ride. You could easily hit uneven snow and lay it over on its side in a split second at 60 m.p.h. Those were the good ol' days. Miss them!
I rode the same 440 Whip as a kid in the 70's and my dad bought two 80 JD's a Liquifire and Trailfire which I rode for years...great times
I've had some old sleds..first sled was an 81 citation 4500, traded for an enticer deluxe 340. Had a 80 indy txl 340 liquid also, that one was fast for a 340. The enticer was a fun sled
I got a 1960s-1970 ski doo olympique and it always feels and looks good seeing a wake behind me from the bottom of the sled and the skiis under the snow. Me and my grandfather had to make a new gas tank and a new seat because the body didnt have a seat and my back kept hurting, and the old gas tank was leaking
Love that TNT. Had one when I was a kid.
My first sled was a 68 moti ski . My grandfather gave to me .It never ran very well. Next was a 78 340 Rupp it ran great. Then a new 86 Polaris Indy trail, then a new 88 Polaris Indy 650. I had that 9 years until it was stolen. I just got a 91 Ski doo mx. I can't wait to get back on the trail.The 17 year gap was way to long. Snowmobiling is addictive !!!
This is my favorite episode of the year so far. I had an old cheetah 5000 that eventually got scrapped from a bad motor and a shot everything else. But i bought a 1978 JAG this year so i could go back to old school. I have newer sleds but it a whole different experience on old iron.
great video, I have a 1983 John Deere 440 Trailfire LX, been in the family since new just need to do the brakes and its done. What a blast to ride. I bought 2-up's in the late 90's cause I was used to someone breaking down every time when we were kids and had to ride back double on a single seat sled. nothing compares with having to be able to get it running just to get home.
I used to own a Capri just like the one in the video! So cool to see!
Don't know what the big come on is with you guys, Me and my boys still have old machines,and we ride them All the time
We have an 79 El Tigree ,an 80 polaris colt ,an 73 artic cat cheeta 440,a yamaha 300 enticer and we have newer polaris but we ride the old ones more then the new ones ,I have rode these older sleds all my life and I am 60 now, when I was a kid I road a 433 yamaha a Rupp 340 a artic cat my dad had ,but I am still into the old stuff !!!!!!!!
im 14 but i got a 81 cat 440 jag and for being as old as it is its still a blast it can fly around tight sections in woods but when i get out in open lanes and ditches its gets up to around 60
Awesome!! I enjoy riding my vintage 1980 Scorpion Sting 440 more then I do my newer machine. Back on the old machines you used body english to fly around the corners, as old as I am, I still find that more fun.