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1949 TUCKER 4 DOOR, My First Cat

N

NorCal

New member
Hey you'll, been lurking on this site for awhile and would like to share with you my first Sno Cat,
1949 Tucker 4 door model 524
Serial # 149071
Engine # IND8-4746
Called and spoke to a nice gal named Jodi at Tucker, gave her the serial # and she called me back and found my Sno cat in an old archive book, she said it sold to The City Of San Francisco. The guy who I got it from said that it also came from Nevada Dept. of Fish and Game, that is what it used to say on the doors.
I would love to track more history on it if possible, someone on this site might know something or seen it in action?
I'm sure that there will be lots of questions I will have to ask so bear with me. As far as I can tell it is all original minus the hickory skiies replaced with custom metal ones, still 6 volt and has the original motor.
 
Dan in Napa CA

Dan in Napa CA

Member
So you survived the earthquakes, eh? We got rattled a little on Saturday, but it sounded like Thursday was the big fun. Glad to see you made it through the shakers.

Congrats on the Cat! :clap: Does that Tucker move on its own? :whistling:

DiNCA
 
N

NorCal

New member
Hey Dan, We survived, epicenter was 5 miles from my house at Canyon Dam measured 5.9. It rattled pretty good but just some pictures and glasses broke at my place. Couple houses came right off foundations and lots of down chimneys. My kids are still shakin up a bit.
So I put a battery in the cat it cranks over but no compression on 5 holes. Pulled the head off this weekend and lots of valves were stuck open, got them all freed up but one exhaust valve is still sticky so its being soaked. cylinders look great, got a new head gasket on order, gonna pull gas tank, fuel pump, carb this weekend and clean eveything. Should have her going within the next couple of weeks. The guy who I got it from had it driving not to long ago so I'm being optimisic...
Does anyone know if it is a positive ground system? Still 6 volt, would a Dodge truck of that same era be positive ground?
 
DAVENET

DAVENET

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Is it a 524 or a 424 on ID plate? Pontoons don't look wide enough for a 5 series. That thing is in GREAT shape! I can't believe the nose cone still looks like that! :wow:
 
N

NorCal

New member
Hey Dave the ID plate states 524 and Jodi @ Tucker confirms it, I have been searching the net for several weeks but have not seen another like this with four doors. Seen some later models that were 524's but nothing close to this one. I would think 424 would make since because the 423 model is just like this one but 2 doors? Who knows how Tucker came up with the model #'s......
 
Snowtrac Nome

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
you've got some work ahead of you but it's not as bad as some others I've seen .as a former employee at a Texaco station, I love that data plate I havn't seen those products for years. yes I used to wear the green uniforms and I was there for the color change to the dark grey
 
Cidertom

Cidertom

Chionophile
GOLD Site Supporter
for what it's worth:
KA5143 was one of the Call Signs for The City Of San Francisco. Call was early but I can't find out exactly when. Too bad it's CAR 62 not CAR 54.
 
Dan in Napa CA

Dan in Napa CA

Member
On your positive vs. negative ground question, UR Wizer than a tree fulla owls - Since you are obviously thinking that you'll need to polarize the generator since it has been disconnected. A lot of those 6V Chryslers had regulators that were positive ground, but there were a few negative.

Take a look at the voltage regulator - it should say on the cover (if you can still read it), or inside. I have a chart that might help, if you can get a number. Probably a "VRP-4****" if it's an Autolite.

Surprised that Tucker didn't make that PROMINENTLY noted inside the bonnet. I guess if all fails, contact Lori at Tucker, eh?

Hee, hee - you got one o' them thar oldfangled critters. Get ready to set the current regulator air gap or the cutout relay air gap on the regulator, Sonnyboy!!! :yum:

I'll step aside now, because I'm sure there's a few experts puttin' in their teeth so as to give you some REAL advice.... :yum: :yum:

DiNCA
 
N

Northcoast

Member
GOLD Site Supporter
That thing is a GEM ! Great find. It'll be interesting to find out what condition the tracks/ pontoons are in after all these years.
 
N

NorCal

New member
Cidertom, thanks for solving the dash plaque mystery, curious how you came up with that info?
Dan, no writing on volt reg, you got me all scared about polarization and air gap on my flux capaciter thingy...We'll see how it goes this is unchartered waters for me..
Got all the valves freed up,

head gasket on order, she will driving under her own power soon I hope.
 
Cidertom

Cidertom

Chionophile
GOLD Site Supporter
NorCal said:
Cidertom, thanks for solving the dash plaque mystery, curious how you came up with that info?

.
Click to expand...

I recognized it as a OLD style FCC Call sign, and searched on it in some call sign databases. It isn't current according to the FCC.

If I had to guess, I suspect that your cat was used by SF Utilities Dept to get into the Sierrra's above Hetch Hetchy Reservoir to measure snow pack for water availibility predictions.
 
Snowtrac Nome

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
as faras battery terminals go the negative terminal is smaller than the positive choose a terminal and try to slide it on a post and than the other,if it fits snug on one and slides loosely over the other you have found the positive.than confirm it by doing the same with the other one you should find it slides over about half way on one post,and all the way over the other one snuggly.this should help you find the positive and negative terminals,as long as no one has stretched terminals in the last 50 years.
 
Dan in Napa CA

Dan in Napa CA

Member
Hey, don't sweat the generator too much. Those things take a while for the core to lose residual magnetism, months to years. One that old, it'll hold its core. You'll know if you run the engine and don't get any charge to the battery. If that's the case, flashing the field can be done with a D cell battery. I don't think you'll have any problems with it. If it was a fresh rebuild, or had been abused/damaged, it'd be more likely a candidate to polarize. If it throws a charge when it's run, you're good to go. If it doesn't, then you may want to check that before you go chasing through the regulator. Cross that bridge when the time comes.

Don is spot on with "look at what you have." See how things hook up, and you'll have a pretty good idea of whether its positive or negative ground. 40's Chrysler 6 volt were mostly positive ground systems, so it won't be a surprise if it looks positive ground.

Heh, heh. That Cat is so old.... (how old is it?).... That Cat is so old, it knows how to put itself together. :brows: Listen to what the old girl tells you.

DiNCA
 
DAVENET

DAVENET

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Every time I look thru this thread, I just can't believe how good and unmolested the body is. :wow:
 
Track Addict

Track Addict

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Nice Cat. Looking forward to watching your restore. Lots of great help on here. Can't wait to see that thing max out the speedo at 120 when she is done.
 
N

NorCal

New member
Hey thanks for the positive comments guys, The 6 volt battery and cables seem pretty happy as a positive ground so I'm gonna run with it.
CiderTom I think you are right on the money with this cat being up at Hetch Hetchy reservoir. Removed middle seat last night to get to gas tank in rear. The build looks like a rat rod where the rearend is up into the body, thought it was kinda kewl..
Dave I'm with you, I find myself starring at this thing almost everynight while enjoying a cold beer thinking "Damn this thing is in good shape for being over 60 years old" It did sit in a barn for the last forty sum years in a remote cabin near Lake Almanor, that is who I got it from..

 
aksnocat

aksnocat

Member
NorCal said:
Who knows how Tucker came up with the model #'s......
Click to expand...

As I undertsand it, the model numbers for that era deconstruct like this:
the first digit is the series - 400, 500, 700, etc.
the second digit is the number of tracks - either 2 or 4
the third digit is the number of doors

That is one beautiful Tucker! It looks like the big brother to my '49 423.
 
N

NorCal

New member
Just got back from a week longcamping trip with my sons 5th grade class, Wow that was alot of work, so gonna start tinkering with the old cat today.
Aksnocat....Thanks for solving the model# mystery, that totally makes sense, I would love to see some pics of yours....
 
N

NorCal

New member
Well it's been a long summer with winter around the corner so time to get back into snow cat mode.
I got the Tucker running and moving on it's own power, drove it around the backyard this past weekend with the kids onboard. One thing I can say is it is very loud, vibrates, the exhaust resonates in the cab and it is awesome!
My only issue is my #6 exhaust valve starts ticking pretty bad when engine is warmed up, then gets quiet then loud again. My question is does the valves get any lubrication from the motor? I am going to pull oil pan and flush out the oil system anyways just not sure if valves get any lube or not. The motor is a 47 Chrysler ind flathead 6.
Heres a pic of her after tearing up the yard a little bit......



 
DAVENET

DAVENET

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Try mixing some Marvel Mystery oil or Sea Foam with the gas and see if that helps quiet it down.
 
Snowtrac Nome

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
your rattle could be a broken valve spring or a cracked guide I had a wilies jeep with bad guides and broke springs it ran ok at lower rpm because gravity would drop the valve back down.
 
N

NorCal

New member
Hey Dave been doing the Marvel oil thingy now for awhile in my gas, DDS that is my worst case scenario, hope it doesn't come to that. Moved it yesterday seemed quiet, hopeing the rust on the valve polishes off if not will just have to pull motor and go thru it.
 
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