VW Snocat Project

This machine sat in northern Idaho for years and was then purchased by a VW enthusiast who had big plans for it but supposedly his wife cut off the money and later they were tradgically killed in an auto accident. I know the guy that was doing the restoration and he ended up with it and offered it to me today. He discarded the old tracks as the pitch was wrong for the Bombardier drive sprockets and the grousers had huge plates welded to them so he said the tracks weighed 600 lbs each. It has a Toyota axle and must have steered with the brakes. I guess it had a Buick V6 and auto for power but there appears to be room for a small block chev if so inclined. He has all the glass and a bunch more stuff I haven't seen. It would be a neat project for exhibition but probably not real practical to use. If you have some hippy friends you want to impress this might work. If anyone has a thousand dollars and a lot of extra time and absolutely nothing else to do with either I can help you become the new owner. Hopefully the photos will download.

Wow, a blast from the past! This cat rested for at least 18 years just 4 miles down the road from where we live, right where that second pic shows it in green paint. I never saw it run or move. About 3 -4 years ago it was moved to the front of another garage in the same 'hood (Blackcloud) and jacked up on one side. I was hoping to see it made to run. Then it disappeared, I thought into the garage.

If I had known it was for sale I would have wanted it just for that classic VW truck body, but around here we don't ask too many questions of our neighbors. Now I see the body redone to a more 'snowcat specific' look I like it even more. I wish I had the $ to bring it back home and put it on a proper snowcat chassis, (Super Imp?).

I don't know but may have roamed the same snowy roads we do now. I guess I'll have to borrow a Kevlar vest and go knocking on doors to find out.

I just dig the old van body styles, '60 and 70's chevy and '60's VW have such a retro cool look. Does that make me a hippy?

Where is it now?

-Pat

You are right on there Pat. I remember seeing it there also about 20 years ago too but wasn't really interested because it looked so cobbled together. Home-made stuff doesn't really interest me unless it is really old or very unique. This thing is close now as far as unique but I have too many other projects and would never do anything with it. The guy who has it re-did a lot of the cobbled stuff so it would make a much nicer looking unit. I saw it turn up on a VW site a few years ago and thought it had to be the one from Wallace. Then I read the new owner was killed after he had brought it home. Next thing I see it parked as photos show it now in front of current owner's house and again wondered if it might be the same machine. Still wasn't interested but very curious how it had gotten here. Then he called me yesterday to try to peddle it to me. We have a mutual friend so he must have heard I was curious. He verified what I had already gathered so there it sits. I guess it is a 1955 body. I didn't ask a lot of questions about what other stuff he has because I thought if someone is interested I can get the list later and take a better look at it. I think it's neat, but lots of things are neat. Doesn't mean I want them sitting in my yard. Knowing this guy he'll call me again in a couple weeks and offer to trade it for a gun or something.