Best machine need help

Hello everyone
New here and thanks to everyone who is here and for all the great info everyone contributes.

I am trying to find a project machine. My uses are hunting and trapping in the winter. I am thinking something that can seat 2. Something that will have a bed area for hauling stuff.
Just looking for some ideas on the best machine as far as easier to find plus easy to find parts and knowledge on. I found a pic of a 1968 Thiokal IMP that looks perfect body wise.

Any thoughts and help is appreciated.

Thanks

how deep is the snow? do you want to stay on top or plow through it? are you going to have no snow areas you want to cross?

Yeah, and where are you? Because shipping costs can be a killer.

Bombardier are still serviced by Prinoth. Thiokol is out of business, and I believe some of the parts are scarce.

I will be mostly in the cascade range in northern Oregon. So the snow conditions can very a lot. I stay mostly in the lower country so deepest snow I would travel in would be about 4 feet max. I would have areas of no snow I want to travel in as well.

Right now we use snowmobiles and 4 wheelers but would like something that can do it all and have a cab to stay warmer and dry.

Hi Matt,
When you have time, update your profile with your location, so that others will know in the future. Sometimes it helps.
If you'll be in deep powder, you'll probably need wider tracks. But in "no snow", wider is worse. They'll bind up when turning and perhaps damage a track if the ground is too uneven. Steel tracks are probably better for "no snow", while aluminum ones will excel in powder. It's a tradeoff. Maybe others near you will have better advice based on local conditions.
So far, I've had two '70s Bombardiers, and have been pleased with the ease of getting parts.
Paul

the deep wet snow sucks up horse power which makes a super imp attractive a narrow trac bombie makes a great all terrain combo but they will suck in any deep soft snow. you may have to kind of prioritize what you want out of this machine. as none do it all real well. if you are climbing hills in deep fresh snow than wide tracks with deep grousers are a requirement say like an alpine groomer or snow master the super wide tracks are going to suck on hard ground things like broken grousers and thrown tracks narrower track machines like snow tracs imps and bombies fair well in low snow conditions I actually use my snow trac on the tundra in the summer. the snow tracs float well on fresh snow but won't climb the hills that say something with fragile j grousers will. I have successfully used my Thiokol 2100 on tundra and rocky river beds with 5 foot wide tracks and j grousers but I had to be careful with wide turns and being aware of how much twist I'm putting in the track there was also some welding on the grousers that occurred when the job was done as long as you aren't too big of a person the imp might do you well yet the cabs look a little tight for my full sized Scandinavian frame a 600 series Thiokol might also make a good all around machine even though they all a little larger.

one other rig that we see a lot of up here during hunting season are m29 weasels with a track and suspension conversion to say nodwell or Thiokol d- dent grousers and torsion axle suspension they seem pretty reliable that way

I should note that most of the travel I do is on roads that just get blocked due to snow not allowing regular vehicles to pass.

I have used Cushman tracksters several times in the conditions I will be in. They work good. I just want something a little bigger and with more capacity to haul my gear. Overall size of the machine is important since some of the areas are narrow or if I do want to go off road some I want to be able to pass thru trees.

I realize there isn't one machine that will do all. So from the advice so far a somewhat narrow track machine will be best. It would be easier for me to stay out of super deep powder then it would be to avoid areas with no or little snow.

I am fairly new to snow cats. I am doing a bunch of buying and a little selling to find the right equipment.

I have two primary purposes for tracked over the snow machines. staying warm and on the snow is one. Pulling drags thru the snow is the other.

I can share this:
Flat grousers handle most snow conditions ok. ( as don states Hills not so much)

D-dent handle all snow but cant pull anything. and really struggle in light snow.

J style are great in snow and are ok at slow speeds in light snow.

An imp ( without a blade or track setter is by far the most nimble )
A snow trac is very versatile but tight J turns in the snow are out. (trees are frustrating)
tuckers have the cool factor and can be made to get into some pretty tight places with experience.

Good luck as you find your stride. I really like the inside factor of all the cats I have had the pleasure to try out.

Mike in WI

imp or super imp would be my suggestion but I haven't own either just traveled with them. they can go on your trailer and move with no oversize permit .
jim

A few more questions:
How good are you at "wrenching"?
A: I don't even change my own oil > Buy new tucker
B: Average skills> Buy a good restored cat from someone who is willing to do the maintenance.
C: Frame rebuilds are a snap > Imps, Sprytes and Snowtracs
D: I can recreate it from a scrap of chassis and a photo> Kristi

How Much money are you willing to throw at it?
A: Sky is the limit> new tucker
B: Huge amount> Kristi
C: Large amount> Any other cat
(note: there is no other answers)

How much "fun" can we poke at you?
A: anything is game> Kristi
B: Only when I open my mouth> Any other cat
C: Leave me alone> new tucker

Whatever you decide, have fun and let us see what you get

northern redneck some one else is beating you to the punch on the krusty jokes. yes he beat me to it too. on the serious side I believe Big Al's kristies are still for sale the little kt 3 is kind of a wagon model but for what Allen put into it would be a good deal for some one wanting an easy to finish project.

if you get alllen's first test will be getting it started.
really don't think it would be a good hunting rig.

While my earlier post was kind of 'tongue in cheek', the reality is you are talking about a butt load of money any way you want to do it. The imp is probably the best knowing where you want to be, but it's not ideal. I run into the issue where the snow can be too deep for the toyota and trailer, yet I may have to run a mile on rocked road after that point to get back into snow. I have 1" x 1" tube grousers that do the road well and provide good traction BUT they also add 800 pounds over stock grousers. So I pay a penalty in surface loading. My friend has an issue with grouser damage on the same hills with his imp.

The thiokols, kristies, aktives and any of the pontoon tuckers are great machines but >you< are the source of spare parts. We, as a group, help but it's an uphill battle. It's not a case of going to NAPA and buying a brake band, you disassemble, clean and send them off for relining.

Count on 50% of the purchase price as maint in the first year unless you are lucky. I'm not trying to be sour, but it is ever so much better to know what you are walking into before you do.

I dont see anyone suggesting something like an ARGO, with a cabover kit & a good set of tracks, they are pretty capable... and there is the brother of ARGO is the CENTAUR...

and lately Scot-Trac have found a warm spot in my heart...

here is one on sale in UT
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=32416948&cat=&lpid=1&search=snowcat&ad_cid=3

Not sure if these links work but this just might be whats needed

Snowcat ASV2500
http://boulder.craigslist.org/cto/4779035214.html

Nik, Do the argos and cuntaurs have heat?

I think he mentioned he had a trackster and was looking for something more robust.

I like to consider the fact that i may need to over night in my cat. could I over night in a argo sure, but the snow trac I picked up has a removable seat and stored away pad to convert the entire interior to a elevated sleeping surface.
and ever since I watched the turbinator machine build that pop up camper pegs the cool factor.....

Mike

redsqwrl said:

Nik, Do the argos and cuntaurs have heat?

Click to expand...

I don't think any of them do. The smaller Argos are air cooled. Centaurs and the larger Argos air water cooled, but I don't think heat is a factory option.

redsqwrl said:

Nik, Do the argos and cuntaurs have heat?

I think he mentioned he had a trackster and was looking for something more robust.

I like to consider the fact that i may need to over night in my cat. could I over night in a argo sure, but the snow trac I picked up has a removable seat and stored away pad to convert the entire interior to a elevated sleeping surface.
and ever since I watched the turbinator machine build that pop up camper pegs the cool factor.....

Mike

Click to expand...

I'm not sure as far as inside heat, I'm sure its warm while on the go, but than running it just for the heat wouldnt be efficient.

I personally use either a buddy heater on propane in some cases, while on the most part use my Mobiba Tent w/wood stove setup, much more "home"-y

so.... I did not know what a mobiba tent was and did a google image search, and your smiling face was right there on the third line of images
the girls in the bikinis had a better page position but your video looked like a lot of fun!

Cidertom said:

A few more questions:
How good are you at "wrenching"?
A: I don't even change my own oil > Buy new tucker
B: Average skills> Buy a good restored cat from someone who is willing to do the maintenance.
C: Frame rebuilds are a snap > Imps, Sprytes and Snowtracs
D: I can recreate it from a scrap of chassis and a photo> Kristi

How Much money are you willing to throw at it?
A: Sky is the limit> new tucker
B: Huge amount> Kristi
C: Large amount> Any other cat
(note: there is no other answers)

How much "fun" can we poke at you?
A: anything is game> Kristi
B: Only when I open my mouth> Any other cat
C: Leave me alone> new tucker

Whatever you decide, have fun and let us see what you get

Click to expand...

Very good at wrenching and a basket case so to speak machine would be fine.
Leaning towards a IMP based on what I have read and seen so far but still to soon to be sure.
I was hoping to spend 5k to 10k to get one bought and then put money in as I go. Just a working man so cant afford a 30k or more machine up front. I would love one of those argo centaur they look nice but they are 40k new.
The IMP looks good size wise and looks to me the engine and tranny options are very good. Its easily trailerable and there seems to be some around.
Thanks for the help everyone.

well you have admitted you are handy with wrenches. don't over look a weasel project they can be had affordably and with a track and suspension conversion they work real well like the imp and snow trac they are light and easy to transport the old Studebaker flat head 6 will run all day on 15 gallons of gas.