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1958 Tucker 443

funtracks

Member
Time to start a restoration thread for my Tucker. I don't plan to tear much apart this winter since the machine is fully functioning and fun to drive right now. I know the tracks and pontoons are key to a reliable Tucker and I've spent some time inspecting them, I've only found one cracked cleat which should be easy to replace and all the bearings are in good working condition. I've narrowed my Tucker To Do list down to just a couple items for this winter season.
1) Replace cracked cleat
2) Install bench seats in the rear
3) Find and install a period correct speedometer
4) Design a hitch with integrated step for rear entry

Any suggestions or comments on my initial plans? I don't know if there are many original Tucker speedometers available so I've been looking at old Dodge speedometers just to fill the hole in the dash with something that looks close. Also was wondering about installing a 2" receiver hitch at the rear and I could build an insert for the hitch that is a step.
 

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funtracks

Member
I can't believe it's been over 2 years since I last posted, shame on me! Life has been very busy but I won't make too many excuses, my goal is to become more active again with this great sno-cat forum! I have managed to keep up reading the threads every few months so I'm still familiar with the friendly banter, I do hope you'll accept me back and won't hold back just because I have an orange sno-cat!

On to more fun discussions, the best news is that my Tucker has not just been sitting around collecting dust (well parts of it have) but I've been actively working (slowly) to restore it the past year and a half. I noticed on my very first post for this thread I had 4 goals, surprisingly I've done OK following my own "to do" list. Here's an update:

1) Replace cracked cleat - This is where I've spent most of my time, after replacing a couple grousers and broken cotter pins the first winter I decided that I wanted my Tucker to be more reliable and took apart all 4 tracks! It's been painful cleaning and repainting every little piece of those tracks. Following guidance from the Pontoon Princess I'm glad to say the tracks have turned out great and were in surprisingly good condition (very little wear).

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2) Install bench seats in the rear - I didn't spend much time on these seats but they fit nice and work well, I plan to redo them once again when I get to restoring the interior of the Tucker.

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3) Find and install a period correct speedometer - So after searching this forum and eBay for way too long trying to find a stock speedometer I actually stumbled across a complete Tucker that was in really rough shape but had a speedometer! I bought the old Tucker mainly to get the speedometer but the machine turned out to have more potential than I thought, I'll start a new thread for this Tucker soon because I have some questions about its history.

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4) Design a hitch with integrated step for rear entry - I bought a few parts and some square tubing to build this lowered, rear step but no pictures yet...

I have more updates to share but that's a taste of my progress in the past couple years, it's been said many times but I'd never get this far without the help of this sno-cat forum!
 

tom

Active member
GOLD Site Supporter
I remember this machine. I looked at it before I found the one I own now. Your tracks look perfect...good work. Good luck on your project it looks like you are on your way to a very nice 443. And another one gets saved!
 

funtracks

Member
Here is the ID tag from the dash, this Tucker had some previous forum time. It was originally purchased and owned by the Department of Communications in Colorado before one of the forum members saved it. Despite its appearance when I first bought it the condition of everything has been better than expected once I dug into it.

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funtracks

Member
When I was about half done with the tracks my plan was to finish up just the tracks (and bearings) and put them back on with the original pontoons. But once I saw how great the tracks looked and started to examine the pontoons closer I decided to tear into the pontoons too. (Another weak winter in Southeast MN this year also helped me decide to wait another winter). Here are pictures of the first pontoon we opened up for repairs and new skin (a metal fabricator friend is helping or I'd never get this project done). I plan to finish the other three, wait for warmer weather this spring so I can paint outside, then give them a final sandblasting and paint! I couldn't find a good picture of it, but I did spray the lower interior portion of the pontoons with undercoating to help seal up any small pin holes or gaps.

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Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
interesting, another tucker factory serial number mystery,

there is no 158621 serial number from the factory

if you go by the last three numbers of the serial number, shows up as 59 tucker as in 159621 and it was sold to dept of commerce, jamaica, N.Y. and that sno-cat was a kitten, but the engine number does not match up correctly with the serial number,

so, if you go with the engine number, it matches up with serial number 159601, and that cat was sold to the colorado state patrol, but it shows a crossed out number, originally showing it as a 1958 and the 8 was crossed out and a 9 written above it, thus making it a 1959, and the first one of '59 production.

i have found, there are several miss stamped ID tags for any number of reasons, even machines with the same serial numbers, my thoughts are, the engine number is the best reliable number to use, so in my humble opinion, your serial number is 159601 and it was sold to colorado state patrol, and that would match up where the cat came from, Colorado, for the most part, old sno cats did not get sold and move far from the original owners location. but, that no long holds true, the cats are now traveling far far far from home, in search of new loving homes.
 

funtracks

Member
Looking for some guidance on my rollers, I am cleaning and repacking everyone before putting them back on the restored tracks. I have a variety of configurations, bearing #4 I believe is the newest style with the spring loaded grease zerk and the other three have the screw. I searched the threads for more information about the metal shields and felt ring that are sometimes used but could not answer my questions. When I took off all my rollers I found some with no felt or metal shield, like #1, some with just felt like #2 and some with a metal shield and no felt like #3. I have a few spare metal shields but not enough to cover all my bearings missing them, is there a correct configuration of felt and shields or did it just change over time?


4 different bearings.jpg
 

funtracks

Member
I can't believe the day has come when I finished the 4th and final pontoon. Finally have all the pontoons repaired and painted. I also had time to paint the 4 drive sprockets too, they've been sitting in primer for more than a year! I have to draw the line somewhere on this restoration and start putting parts back on so I can drive it this winter, can't go another winter without driving a Tucker (although it was great to ride in them at the Snowcat Clowder this past winter). My final stage of restoration (for now) was to pull the front and rear axle assemblies off at the leaf springs, inspect everything, sandblast and paint. I did get the axles painted yesterday but they are sitting outside this morning all wet from the rain so I'll get pictures later and post them. This weekend should be the turning point where parts will start going back ON the Tucker!!
 

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funtracks

Member
The axles are looking shiny too, measured all the leaf springs for sag, checked for cracks and all was good! The yoke bearings and seals look and feel good, no need to replace them. However I did have some indications that the axle seals were leaking so I'll be replacing them before the pontoons get bolted on. Once those pontoons are on I hope to never take them off again. I continue to appreciate all the snocat threads on this forum, it provides great motivation! Time to start assembling....
 

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funtracks

Member
The shiny orange axles went back under the Tucker a month ago and since the Tucker ended up getting moved to my parents property for axle removal I decided to bring the rest of the tracks, pontoons and other various parts over there this weekend to start the assembly process. I thought everything would just slip together since it's all been cleaned and painted. Well the first two pontoons are going on a little slower than I had anticipated (don't want to scratch anything). And we got rain 2 of the 3 days this Labor Day weekend which was supposed to be Tucker time but they'll get done soon enough. I won't go another winter without driving this 443!
 

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funtracks

Member
I should have posted this picture a couple months ago, I have even more updated pics that I'll try to post later today. All the pontoons went on OK, I couldn't believe how the primer and paint buildup made it so difficult to slide the pontoons on, didn't realize how tight the fit was taking the pontoons off a couple years ago! Finally got all the pontoons on and 3 of the 4 tracks went on without too much trouble. Of course it had to be the last track that was a pain, actually it was some of the "improvements" I made to the pontoon to fill in gaps, build up the worn spots, etc... had to sand and grind down a few spots to get the rollers to roll smoothly around the pontoons. I'll have some touch-up to do on the paint this summer, should only have to take the tracks off to fix the spots I modified.
 

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sno-drifter

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Good on you Mr. funtracks for taking care of the running gear first. The rest of the cat will be easy and fast compared to the track work. A truly fine restoration.
 

funtracks

Member
The Tucker made it back to my place, it has been just across the Mississippi in WI at my parents where there's more space and bigger equipment to help move axles, pontoons, etc.... now it's back on the MN side of the river. My biggest issue currently is the lack of snow, yes that is a recent picture of the frozen grass! The pontoons and tracks fit well, with the new rollers I have my adjusters set all the way in and there's still a bit more tension on the tracks than I'd like but after just driving it a little bit the paint and primer on the steel runner surface (there's probably a specific name for that hardened steel that I've forgot) is getting worn away and I can already feel a little slack and the Tucker is rolling easier. I could only drive it up and down the ditch where the snowplow left some extra snow.
 

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Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
bummer, no snow, and machine ready to go, isn't that the way life goes,

have fun at clowder, you are going to have a great time, travel safe

great job on the pontoons and tracks.
 

funtracks

Member
I did put new u-joints on the drive shafts mating to the differentials since I have no plans to remove that connection in the near future. Thanks to DCM Classics out of Michigan for continuing to provide new replacements. We did have one good old fashion auto parts store in Red Wing that I thought could find me the replacements but was not able to do so. I did re-use a couple of the u-joints at the transfer case since that's where my restoration stopped at this stage and frankly they seemed to be in very good condition (I'm keeping the others in my parts bin for emergencies).
 

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funtracks

Member
Last thing I need to get done before the clowder (there's a huge list of nice to do's) is putting the covers back on over the drives. The original ones were in rough shape and I was trying to figure out if I should make new ones or just pound out the old ones, sand blast and paint. I'd hate to have a random rock fall down in there and make a mess! I should probably just make the old ones work for now, something is better than nothing....
 

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Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
far easier to clean and clear out either frozen snow/ice or junk that always finds it's way into the pontoon well...

besides, one less thing to rub, wear or get bent up...


if you never plan on using your machine, you can leave covers on...
 

funtracks

Member
it is better to leave them off

That's what I like to hear, now I can focus on getting something else done that really needs to get done. Just realized I need to get the head lights re-wired, those yellow glass lights look cool but I should think about adding something that casts a little more light on the snow. I really liked a couple of those night time photos of the snocats from the Colorado jamboree thread. Plenty of light to see all around!
 

Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
fyi, the yellow lights work great when it gets dark and even better when it's snowing and remember you will NEVER out drive the headlights unless you are a Squirrel. IMHO, the yellow lights are all you really need, and when you add all those lights, you will need to change out the generator for a alternator to handle the increase demand for amps. and yet the kewl factor goes way up the more lights you put on....

now, think about the poor folks that have the real pleasure of riding in the back of a tucker, it is cave like back there and the windows are small, very small, and if there is more than one person back there, they may never want to ride back there again and or never talk to you, take off the metal skin of the rear door and install a plastic skin on, i.e. timberline tucker sno cat, and if that is too much work, take the door off, and if that is too much work, just tie the door open, anyway, they will enjoy the ride if you do that... it is a dark cave and cold!!!

remember, it is all about smiles per tucker mile.
 
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Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
oh oh oh,

I can see it now, you want more lights, why not go with neon!

and get a sponsor to pay for it all

big neon signs on the side of the tucker, " Eat at Squirrels" blink blink blink..........



best roadkill in the Yoopers
 
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