Another VW Powered Snow Cat?

Lyndon · Apr 1, 2006

Snow Trac's and Cristi's were not the only VW powered snow cats. Tucker Snow Cat built a VW powered unit called the 222. It was a variant or the Kitten, but didn't look anything like it. They had the Body of an old Tucker 443 with the nose cut off and the windshield slanting backward. As far a I can determine only 3 were made. One belongs to an outfit that rents Army Trucks as movie props in LA. The owner can be reached thru the Cable Airport(LA Area) The second machine is in North Pole Alaska, which is 11 miles east of Fairbanks. The owner was interested in trading it for a Snow Trac. It is in excellent shape.

Melensdad · Apr 1, 2006

Lyndon, do you have any photos or spec sheets of that Tucker?

It would be interesting to see those.

alaska741 · Jun 29, 2006

Hi folks. I live in Fairbanks, Alaska and i have a Tucker model 222. It is called a Tucker sno and mud cat. it is VW powered. My brother had a Sno- track that he sold last year and now has a BV206. I will post pictures of my Tucker as soon as i get my camera working

mtntopper · Jun 29, 2006

alaska741 said:
Hi folks. I live in Fairbanks, Alaska and i have a Tucker model 222. It is called a Tucker sno and mud cat. it is VW powered. My brother had a Sno- track that he sold last year and now has a BV206. I will post pictures of my Tucker as soon as i get my camera working

Welcome to FF snow cat forum. We really would like to see pictures of this Tucker snow cat that you own. Let us know how you use this machine. :applause:

Also have your brother sign in as I do not think we have any active members who are knowledgeable in the BV 206 snow cat. These Snot Trac people need to be shown the world does not evolve around just snow snot tracs. :yum:

Isn't that right BigAl???? :coolshade

Melensdad · Jun 29, 2006

Does it use the VW industrial version engine or one of the standard production VW boxer engines?

Lyndon · Jun 29, 2006

Hello North Pole! As I recall you had done an exellent job of restoring your Tucker 222. Since we met I managed to track down another one of the 222's. This one had unique tracks, all together different from yours. The Owner has a large collection of Military Trucks, Tanks and other Millitary vehicles. He keeps the collection at the Cable Airport, just outside of LA and rents it out as movie props. Are you still running that original 36HP motor? I met one of the head salesman from Tucker, who was very close to retirement and he was pretty sure that they only produced 3 such machines. Do you still make your annual Hunt in the Tucker?

BigAl · Jun 29, 2006

mtntopper said:
These Snot Trac people need to be shown the world does not evolve around just snow snot tracs. Isn't that right BigAl????

Ya dang tootin!

I am so tired of "My Snot Trac this" and "My Snot Trac that" . :puke1:

Good lord man !!! It is not a Kristi !!! Get over it and live with it ! Its ok to be #2 OR #3 . I still respect you guy's

.

. welll ..... sort of anyway ...

Oh Crap !!! I'm Sorry ,I Almost forgot . WElcome to the group !!!!

Snowcat Operations · Jun 30, 2006

MNTNTPPR,
My brother and I owned a BV206. I still have the manual and also a cd parts and manual set. I liked the BV but was impossible to change the oil. You had to pull the motor (up 12 inches or so) to change the oil! Also averaged about 8 MPG. Also if you went up hill but had to back out things could get very interesting fast. It didnt do well at all here with the ultra deep powder we have. I hear the gas engines were much better for that. BUT it could carry a shit load of people or gear! 17 people. I wish I still had it though. I would do an engine conversion to a Chrysler 360 aluminum block and heads. The biggest problem was transporting the vehicle. It came in at over 10,700 lbs (not including any trailer). and was over 20 feet long. My brother and I bought it before the BV206 craze hit. Now they are 25K. We got ours out of LA for 13 K. Sold it for 15K Should have kept it. We actually used it more in th summer than any other time. They are a true all terrain vehicle. I will dig up some old pictures and scan them. I also trained in one with Saftey One. I was able to use the Sheriffs Search and Rescue unit. The old boys driving it in the class were pretty cool and new I wanted to buy one.

Lyndon · Jun 30, 2006

TO: Krusty "Big Owl"

You know I'm tempted to show up to the first Forums Snow Cat Meet in a Tucker. It will walk all over that Kristi, STOCK! Once you ride in one 'You'll never go back!' AND they are designed for Americans, not midgets. You have now idea how easy it's going to be to for Big Al to abandon the KKK for a REAL Sno Cat!

BigAl · Jul 2, 2006

Re: TO: Krusty "Big Owl"

Lyndon said:
You know I'm tempted to show up to the first Forums Snow Cat Meet in a Tucker. It will walk all over that Kristi, STOCK! Once you ride in one 'You'll never go back!' AND they are designed for Americans, not midgets. You have now idea how easy it's going to be to for Big Al to abandon the KKK for a REAL Sno Cat!

Yea ,Yea ,yea :blahblah:

. I say put your money where your mouth is .
So what do I need to do to get you pass the tempted point ??? Beg you to bring your little Tucker and kick the big bad Kristi guy's ass ??? :yum:

No , you'll be just like the rest of the crowd of undesirable snow cat owners . You'll just cower down and go hide with your Tucker or Snow Trac between your legs . :moon:

Maybe you better just stick to going out to BobS. house and playin "Corn Cob Frisbee" Maybe if your lucky , Bob will give you a ride in his Snow Trac as it goes up and down his floor lift in the garage . :yum:

That's about as far as he'll ever get too! :StickOutT

Good Morning you all :yankchain:

! Insults are free ,
coffee is on and the doors open :tiphat:

Snowcat Operations · Jul 2, 2006

I have a feeling that LYNDON will show up to show us ALL how its done! Beside LYNDON you have to show up! Remember you are the OFFICIAL ref. So plan on it now since we are getting closer every day to the BigAl eating his own Crow Cakes!

Snowcat Operations · Jul 2, 2006

BOB SKURKA,
You too have to show up and bring those fine staeks and of course the forums now famous "CORN" from your own field! Hell BigAl may just have to eat CORN!

alaska741 · Jul 2, 2006

my tucker 222 has the industrial VW motor in it. it is a 4 passenger machine. I haven't run it in a couple of years since we now have the BV206. The 206 is a six cylinder mercedes motor. they say you can't drain the oil - we just insert a pump through the dip stick tube and pump it out.

ALASKA 741

Melensdad · Jul 2, 2006

alaska741 said:
The 206 is a six cylinder mercedes motor. they say you can't drain the oil - we just insert a pump through the dip stick tube and pump it out.

That solution seems so obvious AFTER you hear it :pat:

Snowcat Operations · Jul 3, 2006

I,m not sure since I never did it but I believe the problem was also in changing the oil filter. I will ask my brother since he was the mechanic. He is pretty ainel about changing oil! I know we switched to AmsOil. That reduced the oil changing frequency. One a year or every 25K. We did it one a year and the oil filter was changed twice a year. My brother also installed a pre luber. This would bring the oil pressure up before starting. That was a nice feature.

alaska741 · Jul 8, 2006

here is a couple photos of my Tucker

alaska741 · Jul 8, 2006

This is a picture of the sno trac we sold last year.

This is the BV206 we bought to replace the sno trac.

Melensdad · Jul 8, 2006

I would love to see some detailed photos of your Tucker Kitten. Can we get some interior photos? It looks like it would easily seat 4 people. Is there any interior storage room too? What year is the Tucker?

How does it compare to the Snow Trac that you sold? How does it handle in powder snow? How wide is the Tucker? How long? DETAILS MAN we need details!!!

Lyndon · Jul 9, 2006

If this 222 is anything like the 3 Tucker's I've owned, it is a REAL Snow Cat and is Very agressive. According to the Tucker people themselves, only 3 of these were ever built. Thay used the same track assemblies called Pontoons, as the Tucker Tank. Tucker found that the VW motor gave them Overheating problems and discontinued it. The Tucker Tank had a more powerful 6 cindeler Chrysler Flat Head that was around 100 HP. The engine was more of a Center Mount instead of in the nose. The machine pictured above is the only one of these that I've actually seen but I did manage to track down one of the other owner's. When I inspected this machine in North Pole Alaska, the previous owner had just done exstensive restoration and still had a peep-squeek of a 36 HP motor in it( original equipment,rebuilt). Still he took it out hunting on snow and off and it preformed well. Good to see it's still in good hands. Tucker Sno-Cat doesn't even have one of these in their own museum.

Edit: Photos of Lyndon's Tucker 222, notice the body and the pontoons are totally different than the other Tucker 222.

Ice Queen · Jul 10, 2006

They are all very well, but for a start they are not PRETTY like our beautiful SNOWTRACS! Watch it those people who call them snot tracs, that wizard may still be about and he wouldn't understand that it is only JEALOUSY that makes you refer to them like that!

TerryN · Jul 10, 2006

The Tucker Sno-Kitten Model's 221 & 222 is not a VW powered machine. It is powered by a Ford Anglia motor. I know of at least a half-dozen in the US. Approximately 200 of the Model 222's were built with half of them going to the Russia in the 1950's.

The pictures from alaska741 are interesting what is the model number of this Tucker machine. The model 222 was a two seater with minimal storage. Attached are some photos of Tucker 222's in and around the USA. Terry

Melensdad · Jul 10, 2006

Hey Terry, welcome to the Forums!

Thanks for the posting the photos. :a1:

The yellow painted 222 Kitten owned by Lyndon is aparently VW industrial powered sno-cat. What else can you tell us about the 221? How is the 221 different from the 222? Do you have any photos of the Ford engine in some of the Kittens?

alaska741 believes his 4 seat Tucker is a variant of the Tucker222

Snowcat Operations · Jul 10, 2006

Hello Terry,
You are correct the 222 in Lyndons collection is a ford or Chrysler engine. I believe bob got confused. (he does that alot when he gets excited) We have to ask Lyndon since I only got a quick peek under the hood when I was in Washington. I have seen that orange 222 somewhere before on the web but cannot remember where. Is that yours? I also like the little blue guy too. Where are you located?

Snowcat Operations · Jul 10, 2006

I believe the Tucker that has the VW engine is the longer looking Tucker Tank pictured in the first part of this thread. Tucker only made 3 of them from what I have read from Lyndon. I guess they had over heating issues with the aircooled engine. It was also reffered to as the Tucker Sno and Mud cat.

Snowcat Operations · Jul 10, 2006

Here is the picture I was talking about. This unit according to LYNDON was a variant of the 222 and had a vw engine in it. I feel they should have left the little Ford engine or gone to a bigger I-6 instead of the vw. I belive Bob got confused since this unit was also designated 222. Only three were made so that is one rare Tucker!

BigAl · Jul 10, 2006

Welcome Terry, :wave:

Good to have another Tuckerman in the group. I own a Kristi . You want to team up with me so we can insult all the Snow Trac Guys and Gals??? I could use the help ....

Snowcat Operations · Jul 10, 2006

BigAl said:
Welcome Terry,
Good to have another Tuckerman in the group. I own a Kristi . You want to team up with me so we can insult all the Snow Trac Guys and Gals??? I could use the help ....

What you could use is a real snowcat BigAl! :yum:

alaska741 · Jul 10, 2006

ok everyone, I just received an email from tucker
My machine is a model 322. They emailed a brochure but i can't attach it because of the file size.
Hope this will settle a lot of the questions people have been asking.
Someone asked how it ran in deep powder snow ( it is all we get here )
Last year i ran it in 4 foot of snow and didn't have any problems.
the faster i went the more it floated to the top and of course with the steel tracks traction was no problem. Here are the specs:

passenger capacity 4-5
load cap. 1500 lbs
trailer cap. 1000 lbs
gas cap 25 gallons
volkswagon horse power 40
track pressure .7
speed 15 mph
length 115 ins
width 72 in
track 22x109"
climb max 100%
side hill 70%

EDIT BY BOB: I got this brochure from Ken, resized it and posted it for him!

Snowcat Operations · Jul 10, 2006

322! OK. Can you take some pictures of the inside? Thanks.

Melensdad · Jul 10, 2006

Snowcat Operations said:
Can you take some pictures of the inside?

DITTO!!!

Another VW Powered Snow Cat?

Bronze Member

Attachments

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator

New member

Back On Track

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator

Bronze Member

Gone But Not Forgotten

Active member

Bronze Member

Gone But Not Forgotten

Active member

Active member

New member

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator

Active member

New member

New member

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator

Bronze Member

Attachments

Bronze Member

New member

Attachments

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator

Active member

Active member

Active member

Attachments

Gone But Not Forgotten

Active member

New member

Attachments

Active member

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator