1972 Aktiv ST4 "Snow Trac"

Melensdad · Oct 22, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

bczoom said:
Bob,

Normally, the wire that connects to the top of the tank is for the fuel gauge sending unit.

Thanks for proving once again that I know nearly nothing about car-type vehicles and how they are wired and that this restoration is clearly over my head and that I should probably stick to playing with antique tractors

bczoom said:
Is the threaded portion the right size to slide the rubber hose over it? If so, why not just slide it on and secure with a hose clamp?

Just based on simple eye-ball examination and bad memory recollection, I'd say the I.D. of the hose is smaller than the O.D. of the threaded portion by a pretty good margin. I've actually never had the fuel tank inside the Snow Trac yet other than when I unpacked all the parts that were sitting in boxes on the cabin floor. So that is one of those things that I will have to actually go and measure. It might be easier to simply pull the fuel line and replace it with a new one. The rubber part of the fuel line only runs from the fuel filter, which is adjacent to the drivers seat, back about 4' to the fuel tank.

bczoom · Oct 22, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

You may need a fitting on the tank side but I would stick with rubber fuel line. Metal is a real PITA both to install and maintain.

johnday · Oct 22, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

B_Skurka said:
Ron, why wait to NEXT winter when we have THIS winter coming up pretty quick!!!

I am hoping to haul it around a bit this winter, probably into lower Wisconsin and into Michigan too. I may just show up at your door one day with a crazy red toy on the back of a trailer!

Ron and Bob, don't forget me!!!!!! :tiphat:

OkeeDon · Oct 22, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

You may already know this from your tractor restorations, but if you are planning to restore anything, or build a race car, or do much fabrication of any sort, you need to get familiar with McMaster-Carr

They'll have whatever fittings you need.

Melensdad · Oct 22, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

OkeeDon said:
if you are planning to restore anything, or build a race car, or do much fabrication of any sort, you need to get familiar with McMaster-Carr

Thanks Don! I've always been able to get the Oliver parts I need through the Hart-Parr/Oliver's Collectors Association contacts in the back of the magazines, or through referrals. But this Snow Trac is obviously a totally different animal and I'm not really a car restoration guy so McMaster-Carr is new to me. But after glancing at their site for a few minutes I suspect they will have exactly what I need.

This afternoon I took some fine steel wool to the gas tank to polish it up for the next coat of paint. I have the vinyl P E T R O L stickers at my office or I would apply them tomorrow and hit the tank with the first coat of red paint. But it will be at least Monday before I get to that.

Brian . . . upon closer inspection, I believe that you are correct about the fuel sending unit leads on the top of the tank.

The next step is to figure out how to mount this thing. I have the orignal mounting straps in a box with other parts, but I'm going to figure out where they actually mount to. The mounts that the straps attach to are non-existant, so I may be making those if they are simple enough for me to do (or having them made if they look complicated).

bczoom · Oct 22, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

Bob,

Like McMaster-Carr, get familiar with Austin Hardware. (austinhardware.com).
Prepare early and order their catalog. Their site has an incredible amount of hardware that's hard to find but their catalog (at almost 900 pages) has more hardware related items than I knew even existed. I keep the catalog handy for many things.

Anyway, on the snow track... For the fuel tank, you're saying there's no place to mount it???
You have the tank and the straps. Is there a rubber strap or other insulator on the steel strap to insulate the tank from the mount/frame? I can't speak for the trac, but on most vehicles, the tank mounting completely insulates the tank from the mounting. This is the tank itself as well as all the way up the filler tube. Absolutely no metal-on-metal. This is to avoid abrasion and electric and I would strongly recommend you have/get it.

On the wire, if the top of your tank has a round cap, probably 2-3" diameter with a single electric pole coming out, that is the fuel gauge sending unit.

Melensdad · Oct 22, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

There is a round cap, about 3" diameter, 2 electric poles coming out.

As for the straps, both are metal, no rubber insulators. I had intended to put rubber insulators between the straps and the tank, I figured I would cut a truck mud flap into strips?

bczoom · Oct 22, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

Electrically, you've described the fuel probe for the gauge. While you have the tank out, unless it's new, do a quick electric test on it.
Hopefully you have a book but basically you need to put an ohmmeter across the contacts. Measure the resistance while adjusting the float inside the tank. If you can't get a screwdriver or something to adjust the float, you can fill with water and then drain. There should be a gradual resistance change when the level changes. I have absolutely no idea what it would be for your vehicle but do recall a range of 20-170 ohms for other vehicles.

A truck mud flap would work well. If the straps are 2" or so, you may be able to find rubber insulators that are made for this purpose. They have a ridge that flaps over the strap to hold them in place.

Melensdad · Oct 25, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

Well I screwed up and now I am behind schedule.

I primed the gas tank to get it ready for paint and then for an install into the Snow Trac. Then I sprayed it white as a base over the primer. Then I sprayed it red over the white. However, I unintenionally mixed latex and enamel and now I need so sand all the paint back off because it blistered. So basically I'm screwed, I have a full evening of work to get back to where I was a few days ago. :smileywac

Doc · Oct 26, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

I hate when that happens!

No easy way to catch back up, but I'd wager you will not make that mistake again.
Good luck getting back on track!

bczoom · Oct 26, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

Bob,
That stinks...
Are you using chemicals or sanding to remove the paint? I found MEK normally works well when I screw up like that.

Doc said:
Good luck getting back on track!

Doc - pun intended?

Melensdad · Oct 26, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

bczoom said:
Bob,
That stinks...
Are you using chemicals or sanding to remove the paint? I found MEK normally works well when I screw up like that.

Doc - pun intended?

I'm old fashioned, I'm using STEEL WOOL pads

bczoom · Oct 26, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

Bob,

I really didn't want to know about your famine protection. So, chemicals or sandblasting?

EDIT - Oh, I get it now... You are talking about paint removal... My bad.

Av8r3400 · Oct 27, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

Bob-- I've got 80 acres in Northern Wisconsin to play on with your rig if I can come along too!!

:a1:

Melensdad · Oct 27, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

Av8r_2230 said:
Bob-- I've got 80 acres in Northern Wisconsin to play on with your rig if I can come along too!!

My goal is to get it up to Wisconisn this winter, how far north is your property???

BTW, today I will be re-priming and maybe even starting to re-paint the gas tank. I can't believe I screwed it up by mixing paint types and having it blister. But I've done it before and kicked myself for being an idiot, so I guess I didn't learn the first time

Today I purchased all new primer and paint and it is all the same type so I should be safe to begin work as soon as I finish stripping off the old stuff.

Av8r3400 · Oct 28, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

30 miles north of Wausau...

:sun1:

kensfarm · Oct 28, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

Bob.. where do we go to pick up a couple snow bunnies for the trip? :coolshade

Melensdad · Oct 28, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

Are you trying to imply that the lovely Mrs_B is not 'snow bunny' quality???? :boobies:

Them would be fightin' words.

As the famous Al Bundy from the TV show Married With Children used to say: Why go out for milk when you have a cow at home?

kensfarm · Oct 28, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

Bob.. I'm thinking like a bachler this week.. fiance's gone for 10 days.. comes home for a couple days.. then leaves again for 2 more weeks. It has nothing to do w/ the lovely Mrs Bob.. but more like picking up those lovely snow shoveling babes.. besides.. they have shovels if we get stuck! :boobies:

bczoom · Oct 28, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

kensfarm said:
but more like picking up those lovely snow shoveling babes.. besides.. they have shovels if we get stuck!

Nuff said...

Melensdad · Oct 28, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

OK back to serious talk about the Snow Trac.

I finally got the bad paint sanded off with steel wool. Re-primed it. Sanded it. Primed again. Sanded again. Then sprayed down the coating of white paint. So today I got myself back to where I was about a week ago! And the results are not as good. But they are pretty darn good, and for a toy that is plenty good enough. Saturday I'll get out there and lay on the PETROL decals and then spray it with red paint. After it dries it will be ready to install (which is still something I have not figured out quite how to do).

I think it will end up being temporarily installed just so I can get it to the High School for them to tune it up. I think they want to play with it for about a week. It was scheduled to go in next week, but it looks more likely that it will go in to the school about 10 days from now.

Melensdad · Oct 29, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

Crap Crap Crap CRAP :smileywac

Well the gas tank is all painted, it is a nice red color, with white lettering that came out perfectly. That is all the good news I have!

I went to fit the tank in. No go. The fuel filler tube is too tall to slide under the seat. So I start to disassemble the seat and get enough play to slide the tank under the seat, that also includes having to take out the driver's seat which is attached to the rear seat, and it includes taking off the hand rail for the passengers. Whew, the tank slides under the seat!

Now the filler tube won't fit through the hole in the back wall of the Snow Trac.

One thing I learned in college is that there is ALWAYS another way. If the tube won't slide in place, then maybe I can rotate it into place? Well the door frame is in the way. Off comes the door frame, and finally the tank slides right into place where it belongs!!! YEA!!!

So I figure I'm doing well (actually it took 2 hours to get to this point) so I figure I'll press my luck and attach the fuel line. NO CHANCE. The line I.D. is much smaller than the O.D. of fuel tank connector. I don't have any fittings that will work so I gave up for the day. Nuts and bolts and washers scattered all over the Snow Trac's floor because I don't want to actually put all this stuff together in case I need to slide it back out to attach the fitting? So I've given up.

Maybe tomorrow I'll measure the fittings? Maybe not.

bczoom · Oct 29, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

Sounds like you're having fun... Was this thing made by AMC???
What happened to using rubber fuel line?

Melensdad · Oct 30, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

bczoom said:
What happened to using rubber fuel line?

I was sort of hoping to use the rubber fuel line and slip it over the fitting on the gas tank and then clamp it into place. I knew it was a long shot, but I wanted to try it to see if it might be possible.

The plan now will be to install a fitting onto the rubber line that has a threaded coupler that will match up with the threaded fitting on the tank. Of course that leads to a delay as I will have to source out a fitting that will work, order it, etc. I may also replace the rubber fuel line with a new rubber line, but that will be decided after I do some inspecting of the line, etc.

In the mean time I now have the drivers seat undone so I will probably do some work on that. The upholstery is in good shape but the metal back needs to be repainted so I'll very likely take up that mini-project.

I'm seriously thinking of spraying in an epoxy floor like a RhinoLiner. I did a pick up liner this past summer as a test and really liked the results. I have enough light grey Xtreme-Liner epoxy to do the inside of the Snow Trac, as well as to undercoat it. So I may end up masking off everything inside the cabin that shouldn't get an epoxy finish and go at it with the spray gun.

TOMLESCOEQUIP · Oct 31, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

"The VW engine is a 1600 cc 4 cylinder boxer configuration engine." Bob...........could you use any extra engine rebuild kits ? I can let you have 'em at a good price !

Melensdad · Oct 31, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

Tom, thanks for kicking me while I am down!

Melensdad · Nov 1, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

A MIRACLE HAPPENED!!!

I actually dug through the 'spare parts bin' at work looking for a fitting that would connect the Snow Trac fuel tank to the fuel line. :a1:

In the back of one of the bins was a stainless steel fitting that I had machined (I actually had 250 of them machined a couple years ago) for a KARMA brand cappuccino machine. The factory installed plastic fittings but the high heat of the machine would cause them to fail, they would leak on a circuit board and I'd end up buying new machines.

So just because I don't like planned obselescene (SP?) I had new fittings made out of stainless steel.

Well one of those fittings was apparently left over.

It fit my Snow Trac fuel tank PERFECTLY. :tiphat:

TOMLESCOEQUIP · Nov 1, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

Will VW powered sno-tracks run on cappuccino ??

Melensdad · Nov 1, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

Tom, put enough caffeine into just about anything and it will run like the energizer bunny.

Melensdad · Nov 3, 2005

Re: 1971 Aktiv Fischer ST4 "Snow Track"

Here is the repaired, but otherwise original, fuel tank for the Snow Trac in its nearly final resting place. This is just a 'test fit' to make sure I could figure out how to get it in there. The door frame had to be removed and the seat had to be unbolted to wedge it into place. In the photo the door frame is in place (but only with one bolt) for illustration purposes. The support on the far end of the seat is also loose and the seat frame is simply resting on the support upright.

Now that I know how to get it in there, I'll be taking it back out. The rubber mat is being stripped off the floor, the entire inside will be taped off except the floor, and the floor will get a coating of light grey colored X-Treme Liner (it is a 2 part epoxy truck bed liner much like RhinoLiner or LineX). It should provide a good non-slip surface, but more importantly it will protect the wood floor from melting snow.

I need a new spray gun to tackle the project, so there will be no more progress until the spray gun arrives (I ordered 2 from Harbor Freight, at $6.99 each I consider them "throw aways" because it takes about $10 worth of mineral spirits to clean a gun after using a 2-part epoxy!)

I am also going to spray the underside of the floor with the same 2 part epoxy, only instead of using light grey color I will be using black under the Snow Trac to match the black paint that is on the frame under the floor.

BTW, you can see the rubber hose that is the fuel line above the seat frame. On the end of the hose is the 'Cappuccino Machine' stainless fitting that I installed. Amazing that a fancy coffee maker and a Snow Trac can share some parts, but hey, it works so I'm happy!

1972 Aktiv ST4 "Snow Trac"

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