Intoductions

cdobsonus · Oct 14, 2009

Hi to you all.

I've been lurking here for nearly a year and finally feel like a "real" member because I just bought my first snowcat! :clap:

Here's a couple of pic's the previous owner took last spring:

This is the first year for about 10 years that I'm really looking forward to winter. Most of my recreational activities are better done in warmer times.

The cat seems to be well maintained and ready to go. It does have the dreaded C-4 rear end, but it's never had a plow on it and looks to be holding up well. The tracks and grousers are nearly perfect and it runs great. The only things I'm thinking I'll do soon are upgrade the seats and "soundproof" the cabin.

I really appreciate the expertise on this forum. You've already helped me a lot and I look forward to more tips and advice as the season progresses.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

dlmorindds · Oct 14, 2009

That's fantastic!! You will love getting out with your new cat :clap:

weatherby · Oct 14, 2009

WELCOME........Very nice looking cat

Melensdad · Oct 14, 2009

WOW that is the most interesting front end I've seen on a Spryte. As for the transmission, from what I understand, for passenger use, the OC-4 is more than sturdy enough.

Any interior photos of the rear area?

cdobsonus · Oct 14, 2009

Thanks for the warm welcome.

Maybe someone with more knowledge can comment on the unique look to the front. I have seen another one or two like it. I'm sure it's original, perhaps a very early version before they started putting regular headlights in. The passenger side front that looks like it might be a light is just a sticker, as is the light spot on the passenger door. My brother-in-law worked for Thiokol, then Delorean, then about a year for LMC as the head of quality control. I'll have to ask him about it.

After being around here for nearly a year, I should have known one of you would want to have a better look at her rear. Even though we've hardly met, here you go.

MNoutdoors RIP · Oct 14, 2009

welcome, and you are starting out right .... with pictures . we all love pictures the more the better. now there are a few things you must remember you can no longer go on vacations without traveling the back roads and byways looking for a good buy on a snowcat. and if you find any you must contact me before you post any pictures of it or tell anyone where it is. never ever ever post any information that would lead the member Mainer to finding a 600 series Thiokol before all the rest of us know about it. then we will have that secret meeting like we always do to decide how to hide it from him and lead him on a goose chase. then when we are good and ready we will leak some info and watch him hunt for it. :yum:

Great to have a new snowcat enthusiast :wink:

cdobsonus · Oct 14, 2009

I appreciate the advise.

I did already know about Mainer, which is why I didn't mention the snow toaster that's been in my neighbor's barn for about the last 35 years. He starts it twice a month to drive slowly around his pasture in the river bottom and changes the oil twice a year, but I've never seen him take it on a trip. It has less than 200 hours on it and the only blemishes are along the corners where the paint is wearing thin from being waxed. He's getting pretty old, I imagine one day soon his widow will want someone to haul it away...

Snowtrac Nome · Oct 14, 2009

cherry rig looks good happy motoring

pirate_girl · Oct 14, 2009

Wow CD, that thing looks gorgeous inside and out.
You were very lucky to come across such a beautiful one.

I don't know a lot about snowcats, but I think they are interesting machines to say the least.

Bobcat · Oct 15, 2009

Nice ride.

You're right there to look at it closely, but from here it looks like the rear cab and the top of the front cab are someones custom metal work. Doesn't matter either way, it looks great.

MNoutdoors RIP · Oct 15, 2009

So I take that you hang your hat in Colorado?

cdobsonus · Oct 15, 2009

Bobcat said:
Nice ride.

You're right there to look at it closely, but from here it looks like the rear cab and the top of the front cab are someones custom metal work. Doesn't matter either way, it looks great.

You might be right. I have seen pictures of two different machines for sale that had the same treatment. I'll do some investigating just out of curiosity; I like it no matter who built it. :smile:

If anyone on the forum already knows, I'd love to hear it.

Thanks again to everyone!

cdobsonus · Oct 15, 2009

boggie said:
So I take that you hang your hat in Colorado?

No, no, no, no. It was YOU that told me not to provide any clues on this forum. If I announce where I live, Mainer will be here looking inside every barn in a 50 mile radius. :shifty:

Or, would that be you trying to sniff out a new machine? :yum:

Melensdad · Oct 15, 2009

Bobcat said:
Nice ride.

You're right there to look at it closely, but from here it looks like the rear cab and the top of the front cab are someones custom metal work. Doesn't matter either way, it looks great.

That is my bet too. My bet is that that started its life as a flat bed unit for carrying cargo and when the rear was converted to passenger use the front of the cab was included in the modifications. Very nice work indeed.

Bobcat · Oct 15, 2009

cdobsonus said:
No, no, no, no. It was YOU that told me not to provide any clues on this forum. If I announce where I live, Mainer will be here looking inside every barn in a 50 mile radius. Or, would that be you trying to sniff out a new machine?

That's right, don't trust either of those snow snakes! :shifty:

PM me your location and I'll come out to determine the best way to protect all of the snowcats in the area.

Pay no attention to the flatbeds following me. :whistling:

MNoutdoors RIP · Oct 15, 2009

cdobsonus said:
No, no, no, no. It was YOU that told me not to provide any clues on this forum. If I announce where I live, Mainer will be here looking inside every barn in a 50 mile radius. Or, would that be you trying to sniff out a new machine?

the machine you described matches a machine in Coloradro just thought it was the same one. :wink:

mtncrawler · Oct 15, 2009

This one's in Colorado. Has a 3" body lift, extra door windows, extra side door. Otherwise the body is as it came from the factory (excluding ski, pole, and gas can mods).

Mainer · Oct 15, 2009

boggie said:
...and if you find any you must contact me before you post any pictures of it or tell anyone where it is. never ever ever post any information that would lead the member Mainer to finding a 600 series Thiokol before all the rest of us know about it. then we will have that secret meeting like we always do to decide how to hide it from him and lead him on a goose chase. then when we are good and ready we will leak some info and watch him hunt for it.

...this is obviously all some very, very bad advice :doh:

... in fact.. I think we all know that it's definitely best to tell the Mainer right up front... I mean... not thru the forum of course... other communication channels that are, well, a bit more low-key... back of envelope, smoke signals, you know...old school... all info via internet is most likely to be hacked by the boggieman.

So, if that DOES happen... then the boggieman will pay you a visit at night :brows:

... leave you $3 under you pillow and lighten your load by 1 snowcat (or $5 for 2 snowcats and $6 for 3 and so on... until you eventually end up owing him cash for all the cats removed from premises) :shifty:

With that...Welcome to the forum! Very nice cat you have there... just a handful of those around and the condition is pretty close to those that I got out from under the boggie's nose of the 6's. :brows:

Mainer · Oct 15, 2009

cdobsonus said:
No, no, no, no. It was YOU that told me not to provide any clues on this forum. If I announce where I live, Mainer will be here looking inside every barn in a 50 mile radius. Or, would that be you trying to sniff out a new machine?

Come now... I smell Washington... release the hounds! :clap:

Bobcat · Oct 15, 2009

mtncrawler said:
This one's in Colorado. Has a 3" body lift, extra door windows, extra side door. Otherwise the body is as it came from the factory (excluding ski, pole, and gas can mods).

Definitely a different cab than the one above.

Lyndon · Oct 15, 2009

It's a real beauty. Like the paint, Great color too! I think that's the first time I've ever seen Jalousie windows on a snow cat:

"A patent for a louvered window was applied for in the US in 1900 and patented Nov. 26, 1901 . Patent # 687705 by Joseph W. Walker, OF Malden, Massachusetts.
Jalousie windows are best-suited for porches that are not climate-controlled and are located in mild-winter climates, and thus were very common on mid-20th-century homes in Florida and the deep South"[Wikipedia]

I hope they don't rattle out!

It's a "Peach"!

cdobsonus · Oct 15, 2009

mtncrawler said:
This one's in Colorado. Has a 3" body lift, extra door windows, extra side door. Otherwise the body is as it came from the factory (excluding ski, pole, and gas can mods).

mtncrawler; :thankyou2

This one does look very similar. The only differences I see (with my untrained eye) are the extra window in the side doors and the cabin windows aren't louvered like mine. Otherwise it looks to be the same.

Bobcat, what do you see that I don't?

Maybe I'll contact Petersen's and see if they can provide a build sheet. I seem to recall reading here somewhere that might be possible.

Now, the rest of you boys, settle down. (If I sound like a school teacher, it's because I am.) If you must know I live in Paradise, Utah and I made up the story about my neighbor's cat. I figured if I can't sleep at night because I can't wait to get the thing out in the snow, then maybe I could create some company. The intent was all in good fun, I hope you all take it that way. :poke:

MNoutdoors RIP · Oct 15, 2009

well, My cat is not made up it is in Colorado and what a butte she is.
now back to the teacher aspect of the membership we could use a good teacher, that is to teacher Mainer a lesson that is. :yum:

seems has math is needing some help. :w00t2:

and here I thought maybe you were the Focus on the family guy from Colorado Springs, CO. never-less, glad to have you on board. :wink:

snotrans · Oct 15, 2009

We have a cat just like this one For Sale, All Alum cab (never painted) Modifications,doors all the same made buy ADDCO SLC Utah They also made trailers for Thiokol and did custom fabrication for Mt Bell Telephone and others.,during the 1960's A 1200 Thiokol Spryte Sub frame and body and drive train ,OC4 diff , 200 Ford six cyl 4 speed trans 36'' drop center tracks With one hyd remote to run hyd tools. Our machine is on our web site snotrans.com under Thiokol
We Have all manuals and sales documents for this machine and it runs very well with 800 hours and in very good condition .

dlmorindds · Oct 15, 2009

snotrans said:
We have a cat just like this one For Sale, All Alum cab (never painted) Modifications,doors all the same made buy ADDCO SLC Utah They also made trailers for Thiokol and did custom fabrication for Mt Bell Telephone and others.,during the 1960's A 1200 Thiokol Spryte Sub frame and body and drive train ,OC4 diff , 200 Ford six cyl 4 speed trans 36'' drop center tracks With one hyd remote to run hyd tools. Our machine is on our web site snotrans.com under Thiokol
We Have all manuals and sales documents for this machine and it runs very well with 800 hours and in very good condition .

http://www.snotrans.com/lmc_thiokol.html :smile:

Bobcat · Oct 16, 2009

cdobsonus said:
<snip>
This one does look very similar. The only differences I see (with my untrained eye) are the extra window in the side doors and the cabin windows aren't louvered like mine. Otherwise it looks to be the same.

Bobcat, what do you see that I don't?
<snip>

Here's a biggie for starts...note the upper cab on yours is angled all the way down until it mates with the lower cab, the upper cab on the other cat goes vertical for the last few inches before mating with the lower cab.

mtncrawler · Oct 16, 2009

That is the 3" body lift I mentioned. The windows were the louvered but as Lyndon pointed out they couldn't deal with the vibration and were replaced. Also this machine was factory fitted with a plow and we leave the plow mount on for protection against stumps and such. These A-Model Sprytes work very well in our snow conditions.

cdobsonus · Oct 16, 2009

Boggie: I'm not sure I'm equipped to teach Mainer a lesson. It would appear that both of you are much to sharp, I'd end up cutting myself. :yum:

Bobcat: You have an amazing eye! Even reading "3 inch body lift" didn't clue me in to the now obvious difference. I appreciate you pointing it out to me. Thanks!

Mtncrawler: Thanks for the pictures! I hadn't seen that particular vehicle before. It's good to know that I don't have someone's backyard project (although I would think it was beautiful anyway :wink:

).

snowtrans: Nice machine! And I appreciate the history too. The stickers on the door and front that I referred to are barely legible, but look to be a utility company of some kind. That's consistent with the history you gave. Thanks!

dlmorindds: Thanks for the link! I could have found it on my own, but you saved me several minutes I'm sure. And, since I'm supposed to be working right now, that's important! :yum:

My best to you all, and once again, thank you. I'm going to temporarily go back to lurk mode; I have an old implement trailer that I need to modify to haul my new toy. :hammer:

Mainer · Oct 17, 2009

snotrans said:
We have a cat just like this one For Sale, All Alum cab (never painted) Modifications,doors all the same made buy ADDCO SLC Utah They also made trailers for Thiokol and did custom fabrication for Mt Bell Telephone and others.,during the 1960's A 1200 Thiokol Spryte Sub frame and body and drive train ,OC4 diff , 200 Ford six cyl 4 speed trans 36'' drop center tracks With one hyd remote to run hyd tools. Our machine is on our web site snotrans.com under Thiokol
We Have all manuals and sales documents for this machine and it runs very well with 800 hours and in very good condition .

From prior to snotrans on Idaho Craigslist...

utahwilson · Oct 18, 2009

assuming you admins record IP addresses on posts? Just look up his IP address provider and that should give you a clue where his location is. IMO

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