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1969 Thiokol Spryte 1201B build

firersq18

New member
I just wanted to say hello to every one and this is my first time ever on a forum.

I was looking to get an ATV or UTV so I could take my youngest son landon who has CP, out to enjoy all that Colorado has to offer. The problem I had was there is no safe way to keep him on an ATV. So the search was on for something that had a seat that would hold him safely. UTVs where very expensive, so the best thing i found at the time was an ARGO 8X8 Conquest (top, plow, winch, 18 in tracks, trailer) he loves it. To years later my friend Harold told me I need something better than that, he said those words we all no and love SNOW CAT! The bug bit me and bit me good. I bought a grate machine localy and decited to make it like new. So here are picks of my build, a 1969 Tiokol Spryte 1201B that was converted to a 1201C.
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Time to make it look like new, apart she comes.
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I needed it to be a standard track and I needed parts, on the road we went. I got some good J tracks thanks to the Sharp sale, axles and tubes all new thanks to Nick at Petersons.
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Engine is a new industrial 300 L6. It was sitting out side and the fuel tank was full of water, so full there was some water in three of the Engines cylinders. Now take it all apart and make her new. While I was there I took a truck oil pan and added it to the industrial pan giving me 4 more quarts of oil and rear supply pickup for climing.
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firersq18

New member
Ok I got it figured out

The day I picked it up.
 

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firersq18

New member
Engine is a new industrial 300 L6. It was sitting out side and the fuel tank was full of water, so full there was some water in three of the Engines cylinders. Now take it all apart and make her new. While I was there I took a truck oil pan and added it to the industrial pan giving me 4 more quarts of oil and rear supply pickup for climing
 

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firersq18

New member
Now its time for the OC12. Every thing was good so I threw some steel on the lathe and machined shims to replace the ones that sit between the brake drum gear and the carrier. The last thing is the tubes and axles. (special thanks to Nick at Petersons).
 

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benz9

New member
Wow, that's a real teardown. Looks like fun. Cliky the Picky's now! Very nice and can't wait to see more.
 

firersq18

New member
Yah the guy who had it befor me used it for ski tours and had sprated the foam in the box. What a mess, it was three inches thick and every where.

Today I will be working on cutting and narrowing down the frame and bogie axles. More pics soon.
 

mtncrawler

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Where did you get it? Is this the machine that was in Montezuma? Also it kinda looks like a C- Model with B- Model tracks. 300 automatic and torsion bar suspension sorta points toward C. Modified?
 

firersq18

New member
Vretical frame truss had lots of problemsinside and out.
 

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firersq18

New member
Vertical truss gone so now I can measure frame for cuts to make it standard width.

The right and left front algle braces removed for angle change befor narrowing.

OC12 mounted to get the measuremet needed for the cuts.

It was easer to remove the rear crossmember to cut both ends.

Third crossmember just needed the one side cut.

Secound crossmember one cut for now.
 

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firersq18

New member
With the OC12 mounted at the rear I built a removable front cross member for the oil pan.

I cut 4 of the bogie axles to just get a better look at my project. All cuts are good so far.

Mounted the rear crossmember only to find that it will be better to just build new one.

When I made the brackets to come from the OC12 to the old frame, I found that it would be better to just build a new crossmember to hold the load of the OC12. Rubber was added to insolate noise and vibration between the to brackets.
 

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firersq18

New member
Ok another day.

Front cross braces welded and done.

New rear OC12 mount and now I will turn the frame over to weld in the last 2 support brackets.

With the frame upside down the braces just weld right in.
 

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firersq18

New member
The last bogie axle to cut was the front. The front ajuster brackets where hit so hard I had to cut the front bolts to just remove the axle. With everthing apart I could see the damage that had been done. Both axle sides the brackets where 50% cracked and or bent.
 

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mkntrakes

Active member
looking at your picks it looks like you changed the height of the differential in relation to the frame rails not sure if this is a illusion or fact ? the pinon looks to be above the frame rails is it ?
 

firersq18

New member
Good eye, I decited to raise the OC12 1 inch just to give me a smother ride and to protact the sprocket some. Even with raising it 1 inch the OC12 is still an 1 1/2 below the floor.

I have been building cars and all kinds of vehicles foe 23 years but never a Snow Cat. I try putting as much research as I can in the things and or shanges i do on my project.

I am building this Spryte to take handicap kids up to enjoy the Colorado mountains. I feel it needs to be dependable, smoth, (well as smooth as a 1969 2 track Spryte can be and room for 2 wheelchairs.
 

Mtn-Track

Member
Your rig obviously needed some serious TLC, but is the whole narrowing process to get it under 8' wide for hauling?

Nice idea you have in mind for the kids, by the way!:clap:
 

mkntrakes

Active member
so with raising the diff where does the sprocket sit in comparison to the rear idler wheel
for a smooth transition of the track the bottom of the sprocket {where the tire guide runs} should be at the same level as the top of the rear tire
 

firersq18

New member
Mtn-Track

Yes the reason is for transporting on the road and it only cost me $500 in OE parts and my time.

mkntrakes

I did a lot of research on this. With the Cat up in the air on jack stands with the tracks off the ground the drive sprocket looks like it’s higher. This is because the bogie wheels are hanging down with no load on them. when you set the whole machine on the ground (complete) the weight pushes the bogies up level with the rear drive sprocket.
 

firersq18

New member
It has been a long week and I have more for you to look at.

The frame is on the Bogies and here is a look at the OC12 mount.

The newer frames had a piece of steel plate added to prevent it from getting bent like a diamond, so I just added braces at the rear and second cross member.
 

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firersq18

New member
Now that the frame is all welded and square it is time to move on to getting the motor and trans in. The engine and trans are level and centered looking straight at the OC12. The engine centerline is 5 inches above the OC12 centerline with a drive shaft angle of 5% very good.

The engine mounts where just rubber disc, and boy where they smashed to nothing just metal to metal so I found mounts that are very close to the height of a new rubber disc. These mounts are stronger and have more dampening. With these newer mounts any one could update their old engine mounts by simply just cutting 1 stud on the mount and drilling 1 hole on the mount coming from the frame.
 

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firersq18

New member
Hay every one I have been working on the cat.

I have been busy taking family on vecation and getting them off to school.

The original master cylinders where ok but a friend of mine gave me a set of tilton brake cylinders that he had in his race car.
 

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firersq18

New member
The one barrel carb looked a little small so I milled the intake for a GM TBI fuel injection. The first pic shows the steel plate I made to adapt the holley to the intake.

Pic 2 is a spacer that i used just to set up the bolt paterns and location.
 

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