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Frandee Snoshu w/Ski

GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Just accured a Frandee, model D, S/N 37, Snoshu, made by the Utah Scientific Research Foundation with the "retracting" stearing ski out front. Found it in a farmers "bone yard" while out bird hunting 3 weeks ago. The owners family had purchased it around 1960 and used it on their farm in the winter to feed the cattle. I am planning to restore however before I get to far into the project I would like to gain some knowledge on the unit and get any historical photos so I can correct the few "modification" it has. How close to original should I keep this unit since I am assuming it has some historical value? Does anyone know of any other Frandees out there that may be being parted out? This is my first snowcat and any tutoring would be greatly appreciated.
 

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couchloafer

Member
SUPER Site Supporter
That is a real piece of History! Bill Guthrie has one he is working on and has acquired a historical study that was published by, I believe the University of Utah. You should contact him at http://www.snotrans.com/ We were down last weekend and shot some pictures. JSX should get them posted soon. Thanks again Bill for letting us poke around the cat yard!!!
 

Mtn-Track

Member
I'd say that if you plan to fix it up and use it then you may want to make a few upgrades, but retain it's original look as much as possible. These old 'cats' were very functional in their day, but not very user friendly, so a few modern changes can make them more reliable and comfortable to use. If you just like to look at it, then by all means do an original-type restoration on it.....but I wouldn't plan to use it much.

That ski arangement looks like an add-on. Was it supposed to be original?
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
That ski arangement looks like an add-on. Was it supposed to be original?

With the front ski on that boom with the pivoting attachment point I'm not sure what it is supposed to do? I wonder if it locks into the down position and is supposed to help the front end float? It also looks like there is a shaft attached to the front ski to help it turn.
 

GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
That is a real piece of History! Bill Guthrie has one he is working on and has acquired a historical study that was published by, I believe the University of Utah. You should contact him at http://www.snotrans.com/ We were down last weekend and shot some pictures. JSX should get them posted soon. Thanks again Bill for letting us poke around the cat yard!!!

Thanks for the contact information! I will either contact him or go see him.

I'd say that if you plan to fix it up and use it then you may want to make a few upgrades, but retain it's original look as much as possible. These old 'cats' were very functional in their day, but not very user friendly, so a few modern changes can make them more reliable and comfortable to use. If you just like to look at it, then by all means do an original-type restoration on it.....but I wouldn't plan to use it much.

That ski arangement looks like an add-on. Was it supposed to be original?

I want to restore close to original, however I also want to use it. I will make a few upgrades which I will consider "bolt-ons" which could be removed and the unit returned to original. Yes, the stearing ski is original equipment.

With the front ski on that boom with the pivoting attachment point I'm not sure what it is supposed to do? I wonder if it locks into the down position and is supposed to help the front end float? It also looks like there is a shaft attached to the front ski to help it turn.

The ski pivots down to the ground and floats over the terrain. It is not locked down but is used to stear the unit. Once the boom is down the stearing shaft is attached near the pivot point and the stearing wheel inside the cab can be used to turn the ski. The farmer I purchased the unit from said that it did work fine to stear it. I imagine it would have an extreamly large turning radius. The unit also has brake stearing. I attached a few pictures showing some more of the stearing details.
 

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Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
The more I look at this the more I think any restoration will be a great project.
 

GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Thank you very much, I am going to see if I can locate this Frandee and look at it in person.
 

seskelson

New member
My father was Ross W. Eskelson one of the original builders and engineers of the Frandee Snoshu when he was at Utah State. The original designers were Roy France and Emmett Devine - hence the name "Frandee" made of a contration of their names. Roy France was still alive in 2009 and lives in Smithfield, Utah where I am from. You may want to look him up. Also, Lee McDonald is still alive and lives there. He worked with my father at Utah State and then later at Thiokol. I have lots of old pictures of the construction and devleopment of your vehicle. We have boxes nad boxes of dad's old photos. (literally thousands) Those genetlemen are two of the last associated with the vehicles still alive. My father dies in 2008 and Merrill Brown who worked with him at Utah State and Thiokol passed awy in 2007.
 

GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Thanks for the information it is very helpful. When I was doing some research on the Frandee last fall I thought I found that you live in Idaho Falls from some other posts I had found. I live in Pocatello, do you think it would be possible to get together sometime and talk about this and look at some of those photos? I thought I read that you had actually been one of the guys (kids) that were doing the fabrication. I haven't had time to work on it but hope to start sometime this summer. Once I get it done if you would like to go for a ride in it I would be more than happy to get together and give it a spin.
 

HankScorpio

Member
Any more info on the frandee? I just found one in Laramie WY and am wondering how molested it is. It has a inline 6 with a manual trans. It has a transfer case probably from a pickup truck mounted divorced with a short driveshaft. It has a GM 14bolt rear end set up with brake steer. The front ski is gone. The unit has a 1990 snowmobile permit on the side. Does anyone know what the original drive setup was? Cant find any pictures of one from the back.
 

seskelson

New member
Let me get ahold of my brother. I think he has a great number of dad's photos of the Frandee and also some copies of his thesis for his master's degree at Utah State which was on devleopment of over snow vehilces and has lots of old pictures in it.
 

seskelson

New member
If you would like some interesting information and pictures on the old Frandees (and other early snow vehicles) you can view my father's thesis for his Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering at Utah State Univeristy. This website address should work to get you there:

For Ross Eskelson

http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/968.

You can even print a copy.

Scott Eskelson

(it was done prior to my birth)
 
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