I just got this a few weeks ago, I am about 50 years old and have been wanting it since I was in the 6th grade when I first saw it at the local ski hill. It has been abused and kinda hacked back together. The back half of the frame has been twisted and welded back together too many times, so I am planning on replacing that section. The exhaust is a joke, I think it was one pipe up the windshield pillar on the passenger side, I was planning on running dual stacks in back of the cab. All the lower tin is missing, planning on replacing that too. I want to relocate the battery to the factory spot, where is that??? I noticed the front pontoons are not the same as the rear ones and they are on the wrong side too. Does anybody have the right pontoons for this for sale?? This has plastic glass for the side glass, is that correct or should it be glass? The motor is a 318, don't think it is the original one though, planning on using it anyways. Here is some pics, any help would be greatly appreciated.
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My 1969 tucker 542 prodject and I have questions
- Thread starter corby
- Start date
Welcome to the looney bin. Here you will find all sorts of information as to your cat, who had it, who tried to fix it and what you should do next. The two authorities on Tucker restoration are regulars here, so they can speak for themselves. Jinn, Scott... your turn
CT
CT
Thanks, from what I have been told, the local ski club bought back in the mid 70's at a auction, they bought two of them. I don't know what happened to the other one, the main man who operated it died a few years ago. The ski hill it self did shut down about 20 or 25 years ago, that's when my neighbor got this machine. I have been on him for years and now its mine. It does run and move just needs a lot of tlc. I also got a truck load of spare parts too, tracks, parts for tracks, roller drums, skid plates adjusters ect, some of it is brand new too.
Hide your physical address. Paint your shop windows black, buy a Doberman. Watch out for orange suburbans, black helicopters.
CT
Hi Corby,
Your rig looks to be in pretty fair shape from what I see. I don't see the difference you mentioned between front and rear pontoons other than the clean out holes. I see some cobbled up track links but may have been done OK, need to measure them for correct height and width. I recommend that you make sure all the links and drive bushings on the links are free to move. You should check that the drive hubs are adjusted correctly and lubricated. Your cat uses IH diffs which are full floaters.
Batt location should be inside engine compartment right rear on a 543 (sedan model) You can put it where it fits best, but I don't like it out in front.
Get your jacks and measuring tape out when you fit the exhaust. It is a challenge to get clearance for all the different places the tracks can be in rough terrain and turning. The easy way is to putt them out the rear end of the engine side panels and up the front of the door pillars. A protective screen will keep you and passenger from burnt hands, it is too easy to grab them getting in and out of the cab.
Your rig looks to be in pretty fair shape from what I see. I don't see the difference you mentioned between front and rear pontoons other than the clean out holes. I see some cobbled up track links but may have been done OK, need to measure them for correct height and width. I recommend that you make sure all the links and drive bushings on the links are free to move. You should check that the drive hubs are adjusted correctly and lubricated. Your cat uses IH diffs which are full floaters.
Batt location should be inside engine compartment right rear on a 543 (sedan model) You can put it where it fits best, but I don't like it out in front.
Get your jacks and measuring tape out when you fit the exhaust. It is a challenge to get clearance for all the different places the tracks can be in rough terrain and turning. The easy way is to putt them out the rear end of the engine side panels and up the front of the door pillars. A protective screen will keep you and passenger from burnt hands, it is too easy to grab them getting in and out of the cab.
I will take a pic of the of the dash plate tomorrow, like I said I am pretty sure the motor is not the original, I think its a 318 from the early seventies.
The clean out drains are different from the front pontoons to the rear ones, is it suppose to be that way?? I thought the fronts were the same as the rears. All four are going to come off and get redone, that looks like a job. The rest of it I am not afraid of, I own a body shop and years ago I was a fitter at a ship yard, I love fab and repairing steel and aluminum. I take some more pics of the messed up frame also tomorrow. The covers on the drums are missing, don't know if I have to make the or if I can buy them. I agree the battery location looks bad, but is easy to jump lol. Not a lot of room under the hood I was thinking of using a gel cell and mount it under the cab. I can see that the exhaust has to be tucked in to the center to have clearance from the tracks.
My first plan with this was to mount a wrecker boom on it, we do towing also. But the frame on these things are not much. I am surprised they even stay together LOL!!. I might mount a small 8000 lbs hydraulic winch above the turn table but below the bed and run the line out the back, it would be like a small drag winch. We do live near the water and get a few calls a year of people stuck in the ice, so it could be handy.
Thanks again guys for any help and info you can give me on this machine.
The clean out drains are different from the front pontoons to the rear ones, is it suppose to be that way?? I thought the fronts were the same as the rears. All four are going to come off and get redone, that looks like a job. The rest of it I am not afraid of, I own a body shop and years ago I was a fitter at a ship yard, I love fab and repairing steel and aluminum. I take some more pics of the messed up frame also tomorrow. The covers on the drums are missing, don't know if I have to make the or if I can buy them. I agree the battery location looks bad, but is easy to jump lol. Not a lot of room under the hood I was thinking of using a gel cell and mount it under the cab. I can see that the exhaust has to be tucked in to the center to have clearance from the tracks.
My first plan with this was to mount a wrecker boom on it, we do towing also. But the frame on these things are not much. I am surprised they even stay together LOL!!. I might mount a small 8000 lbs hydraulic winch above the turn table but below the bed and run the line out the back, it would be like a small drag winch. We do live near the water and get a few calls a year of people stuck in the ice, so it could be handy.
Thanks again guys for any help and info you can give me on this machine.
That frame gusseting is pretty common. Many have additional braces added it just comes down to quality of the work. Some got boxed and some have a second frame slapped under the original.
I also believe that had a 318 in it from factory according to the tag. Take a look at my thread. I put dual exhaust out the back with the factory chevy small block. It works but you can bite the tailpipe in extreme pontoon Pinot conditions. Works good for my applications.
Email the Tucker factory the serial they may be able to get you the build sheet which contains useful specs and part numbers. Some other members may have some history for you also.
I also believe that had a 318 in it from factory according to the tag. Take a look at my thread. I put dual exhaust out the back with the factory chevy small block. It works but you can bite the tailpipe in extreme pontoon Pinot conditions. Works good for my applications.
Email the Tucker factory the serial they may be able to get you the build sheet which contains useful specs and part numbers. Some other members may have some history for you also.
That is the original engine. PM me and I will send you more info.
Sno-Surfer
Active member
What state are you in? Good looking 542!
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I have been told more than once that I am in a state of confusion.
nikos
Active member
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Sno-Surfer
Active member
Ok, you know about the Mcalling all cats event in Idaho? Plenty of time to get that up and running for the 4 day event. I know it's a bit of a drive but I can tell you it will be worth it. I'm also the proud new owner of a 68' 542.
Holly shit, I got ahold of Hurbert Hill, and talked to him on the phone. He does remember buying it, he use to own a ski resort, but he sold the resort off in the 70's, other than that, that is all he remembers about and he does not have any other info on it besides that he bought it from a dealer in Minnesota back in 69.
Sno-Surfer
Active member
I will get some photos. It's so new to me that it's not at my house yet...
Hide your physical address. Paint your shop windows black, buy a Doberman. Watch out for orange suburbans, black helicopters.
CT
CT...the orange burban never left the garage, did not need the black helicopter, they had a big friendly puppy, and the garage door was wide open...
Great looking 542 project and if you need any help, just ask...
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You are one lucky cat. Most of us do not get to talk with the first owners of our machines.
The history of these machines is the rest of the story. Many people owe there lives to these machines and the operators who go out in the storm to rescue them. Keep drinking the Kool-Aid.
Sno-Surfer
Active member
Yes, that's pretty cool you got to talk to the owner.
Good looking 423 Pontoon Princess. That will fit right in...somewhere.
Good looking 423 Pontoon Princess. That will fit right in...somewhere.
Good looking 423 Pontoon Princess. That will fit right in...somewhere.
If she keeps going like this it won't! She's going to need an annex for the annex!
corby corby corby, i have both styles of 500 pontoons, happy to trade with you, to make a matched set on your machine
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tuckerville (portland), oregon
Well I have been slowly working on this between towing and body work. As you can see I did get the pontoons off, pretty easy job. The 2 rear ones are not real bad, they are getting sandblasted in a few days then I will start making patches. The front ones are real rough, Tom says he has some to maybe trade with me. As you can see the frame does have a twist to it. I plan on getting some wheels on it soon so I can move it around till I get the pontoons and tracks done. I want to tackle that first, then it will down hill for the tear down and make over.
