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Thiokol 201 S/N 001 Restoration

GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
The addiction is running strong, just purchased this 1962 Thiokol 201 Spryte S/N 001 yesterday. It will be fully restored in the future, after the Tucker 542 cab forward is finished, I build a bigger shop, and I build my wife that house she has always wanted. For now it will sit and I will start obtaining the parts I need to restore it.

It had the seats removed, so I will need to build or purchase some replacements. The engine actually turns over and fires, first snowcat I have purchased with this feature. If there are other owners out there with info and pictures of a 201, especially of the interior, they would be very helpful.

I purchased this from a guy in Springville Utah, he got it from a guy who had it and said it spent its life at a ski resort in Wyoming. The guy I bought it from took it to Arizona, then back to Utah over the past 15 years or so. Sounds like it was in Utah for a year or so.

Since I was going through Salt Lake City, I stopped by Dan Gates Snowcat Services and purchased a manual for it, this will be very helpful. He also had the engine manual for the Ford 6 cylinder. If anyone needs Thiokol info Dan has cabinets full, including manuals and build sheets, plus he is a great guy to deal with, fair prices (dan@snowcatservices.com).

If you look close at the cab you can see a seam below the windows, this snowcat is a convertible, the top comes off. Currently it is bolted on because the clasps have broken, I will return this feature back to use during the restoration. I have seen photos of the 201 before where there was not a cab top on it, did not realize they had this feature, kind of cool I think.

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Backyardski

BackyardskiLima
GOLD Site Supporter
Was the 201 the first thiokol to wear the Spryte badge? First 201 ever is really cool, first Spryte ever is even cooler!
 

GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Was the 201 the first thiokol to wear the Spryte badge? First 201 ever is really cool, first Spryte ever is even cooler!

No idea yet if it was the first Spryte, something to investigate one of these days.
 

Blackfoot Tucker

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
How fortuitous that you ended up with this machine. It could have been purchased by some knucklehead who just abused it and let it decay.

But having read your beautiful restoration threads, this machine will be returned with great care and thoroughness to its former glory.

I'm sure I speak for many when I say it was bought by "the right guy". I look forward to the thread...
 

redsqwrl

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Yes indeed the right person got it.

I personally had one of these convertible rigs. I can say I liked it. they are really light for the size of the machine.

I wanted to flip the ring to the other side of the pinion and build a baby 601 clone...

oh and in regards to seats..... I think you meant SEAT.

My rig only had one. and of course a platform for the dog in the spot behind the seat.

If I remember correctly they move out pretty fast too,
 

GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
How fortuitous that you ended up with this machine. It could have been purchased by some knucklehead who just abused it and let it decay.

But having read your beautiful restoration threads, this machine will be returned with great care and thoroughness to its former glory.

I'm sure I speak for many when I say it was bought by "the right guy". I look forward to the thread...

Thank you very much Blackfoot Tucker and RedSqwrl, appreciate the positive words. I will do my best to bring it back to its 1962 glory.
 

GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Yes indeed the right person got it.

I personally had one of these convertible rigs. I can say I liked it. they are really light for the size of the machine.

I wanted to flip the ring to the other side of the pinion and build a baby 601 clone...

oh and in regards to seats..... I think you meant SEAT.

My rig only had one. and of course a platform for the dog in the spot behind the seat.

If I remember correctly they move out pretty fast too,

With regards to the seats, I found this in the manual, not used to having a manual, this was money well spent. Looks like the seats (3) were some type of plastic formed seat, no cushion, ouch. Might be able to find some type of boating seat that will be close to the original.

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Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
I will second, that thought, you are the right person to own this machine

and further, I would say you are a premier restorer, and if there was an award for snow cat of the year, you should be awarded that hands down for the restoration of the Frandee.

Blackfoot tucker would be the fabricator of the year, for his Zilla tuckers and the extensive fabrication on his builds,

the two of you are very good and set a high bar for the rest of us, and should look to the both of you, as how to do it right.

well done, Gmoose and Blackfoot tucker

congratulations
 

GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
I will second, that thought, you are the right person to own this machine

and further, I would say you are a premier restorer, and if there was an award for snow cat of the year, you should be awarded that hands down for the restoration of the Frandee.

Blackfoot tucker would be the fabricator of the year, for his Zilla tuckers and the extensive fabrication on his builds,

the two of you are very good and set a high bar for the rest of us, and should look to the both of you, as how to do it right.

well done, Gmoose and Blackfoot tucker

congratulations

Thank you very much for the kind words, I need all the encouragement I can get with a Tucker restoration in process and two Thiokols in the wings.
 

GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Here is an interesting photo, the cat was stored on top of a cargo container. When I got there I was like, I hope he doesn't expect me to get that down from there, but he soon showed up with this huge forklift. Made for the easiest load I have had yet of an old snowcat, took about 10 minutes.

In the second photo you can see a homemade contraption on the front, the owner said the guy he got if from had a sled that attached to this item and he pushed it. I took it off and put it in the scrap metal pile for recycle. Also on the back is a metal shelf unit. The fuel pump had gone out so he was setting it up for a gravity feed system. The fuel tank was going to be mounted on this shelf. I also removed and tossed this.

When I got it home I put the tracks on it so it looked like a snowcat once again.

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GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
I have become friends with two of Ross Eskelsons (Frandee and Thiokol Engineer and designer) children. His son Scott has sent me the following two photos. The first is of Mr. Eskelson and his four children in a small snow vehicle with four 201s in the background, very possibly the first ones made, one of them could be S/N 001. This photo was developed in December of 1962 and it was believed to have been taken in the late fall of 1962. The second photo is of the prototype 201 on the top of Mount Logan above Cache Valley. Scott believes this prototype may be the S/N 001 201 before the cab was completed.

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pooreds

Member
i believe I have serial number 33, 1962. AND I have two of the original fiberglass seats, still using the third. i will be selling it very soon. i have purchased a 1344 Tucker. let me know if you are interested in the seats, i will try to find a pic.
 

pooreds

Member
my 1962, will be for sale soon.
 

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GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
i believe I have serial number 33, 1962. AND I have two of the original fiberglass seats, still using the third. i will be selling it very soon. i have purchased a 1344 Tucker. let me know if you are interested in the seats, i will try to find a pic.

I am interested in your seats.
 

pooreds

Member
here are the seats that were in the rear of my 201. fiberglass , no cracks. i'll take $50 for the pair, plus shipping.
 

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GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
I just received the two rear seats from Pooreds for the 201, they are in great condition. Now I just need one more. Does anyone out there have a Sprite 201 original seat they would be willing to sell?

I will still have to remanufacture the rear seat support, it has been cut out and removed, I may be asking for some pictures of this rear seat support in the future for those with a 201 that still has the original seats.

Many thanks to Pooreds, great guy to deal with!!!!

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Cidertom

Chionophile
GOLD Site Supporter
If you can't find any more OEM seats, those look to me like old auditorium /desk seats from a high school. maybe a school surplus sale?
or ebay search fiberglass shell chair but be sitting down, the sticker prices are crazy
 
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vintagebike

Well-known member
Can you show a pic of the underside? Is there a manufacturer mark on the underside? Looks like a vintage Herman Miller.
 

GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
If you can't find any more OEM seats, those look to me like old auditorium /desk seats from a high school. maybe a school surplus sale?
or ebay search fiberglass shell chair but be sitting down, the sticker prices are crazy

Thanks, and you are correct they want a fortune for one. Hopefully I can find one at a used or surplus store for a reasonable price.
 

redsqwrl

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
I have two. they are from a 1202 spryte but I would be willing to bet they are the same seat.

Let me dig them up and shoot you a photo or 6.
 

GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Another great day for parts acquisition at the Gmoose property here in SE Idaho. Received two more seats for the 201 today, supplied by redsqwrl for a fair price. However, I am not sure about one thing, the shipping box had an old pillow in it, not sure if this was for packing or if he is trying to tell me that these seats are very uncomfortable and you need a pad if you are going to use them. Anyway, thanks a million redsqwrl, I now have enough seats plus one spare for the 201.

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GMoose

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Scored a Ford 170 ci spare engine for the Thiokol 201 today, also got the transmission and radiator. All out of a 1960 Ford Falcon. Just spares, you never know what you might need. This engine has the intake manifold cast as part of the head, first time I have seen that (sorry, other side of the engine, not shown).

It will be good to have these parts when I rebuild the engine in the future.

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