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I'm a Kristi, not a coma patient!

KT3survivor

Active member
good morning all, and happy thanksgiving! :tiphat:

last night was a pivotal moment. fired up the refreshed engine in my KT3 for the first time. that little hopped up1384 ran amazing and sounds even better :w00t2:

tracks are 95% done and will be installed soon. once the grand mesa has a decent snowpack it'll be ripping accross the top on its maiden too-me voyage.

there are some serious misconceptions about kristi's around here, and I know most of it is in good fun. but this is one KT that will be driven hard. just thought the FF world could use a positive post about a rare piece of american history. :flagusa:
here are some pics from the previous owners. more proof that kristi's can do work just fine :beatdeadhorse5:



 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Keep us informed on your progress. WITH PHOTOS

There is some good natured rivalry between the Snow Trac and the Kristi folks, but the reality is we are a a little crazy to buy and restore these things.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
fair enough! I will be quick to admit that they just aren't seen enough out in the wild. I plan on helping change that.

Probably because so few were ever made.

There were a couple thousand Snow Tracs. Probably about the same number of IMPs and plenty of SPRYTES, variations on the 601s, etc.

There was 1 or perhaps 2 KT7 made. Near as I can tell somewhere between a half dozen and a couple dozen KT4 machines??? Not sure what the combined total of KT2 and KT3 machines made was but I suspect its less than a few hundred, and maybe far less than that.

Certainly very innovative machines, but never produced in mass numbers, consequently we will never see a lot of them out in the wild.
 

KT3survivor

Active member
true. when you dig into the production/order per year paperwork chris had posted on the kristi site, the KT3's consisted of just over 100. still the biggest piece of the kristi pie. cant remember the KT2 numbers. (i was on a mission to see where mine was in relation to the last kt3 made) sure hope the website is still alive, wasnt working for me earlier today.
 

Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
great to see another believer,

maybe at one of the sno-cat get togethers, we can get several kristis out on the sno....we will show the snow track folks, that they are not meant to be kept in garages ( cages ) and or trailer queens.

FYI: i know of 2,yes 2 KT7s
 

KT3survivor

Active member
it sure would be great to see a lineup with as many major models from the brand as we could get. id love to make it up to idaho, its too early to tell if i can swing it. but we will deffinetly be attending the vail colorado event. looking forward to it.

as far as the 7's go, everything i could find says the first one was scrapped for bieng too heavy, the utah one burned to the ground in a trailer fire, one ended up a trail groomer then made its way to bigAl and the other never left the northwest.?? any pics of the 2nd one you know of?
 

Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
original KT7 gauges....
 

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KT3survivor

Active member
now those are cool! i think im starting to grasp where the second one might be. . :mrgreen:

mine is still sporting the original stewart warner gauges. im hoping i can get the tach working again. might buy a matching oil temp gauge and install it.

 

300 H and H

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Just curious, but does the leveling system functional?

This system would be interesting to see in action. Might have to make the trip to Colorado just to see it in person..

Also I have read some of these were produced with a Porsche industrial engine. Not sure yours is a VW from your pictures..

I find Kristi's to be an interesting machine, with an interesting if not just sad ending for an evolving company.. Would have been interesting if the founder were still alive..

Maybe I will see you in Colorado. I know some people who live not so far from Silverthorn...

Regards, Kirk
 

KT3survivor

Active member
yes the leveling system all works but i do believe i have a broken suspension spring.

as far as the engine mine is deffinetly VW. the porsche can be easily identified by the shape of the dog house fan shroud as well as the serial numbers and the front of the case casting. I wish I had the porsche option. there was a pair of kt3s for sale on CL, one with a porsche engine in craig colorado last spring. . . still kinda wish i had gone and looked at them in person. niether of the serial #'s were in the registry either :w00t2:

hope to meet up with a few of you in vail. and ill have no issues giving a full demonstration of the ski action in action.
 

KT3survivor

Active member
so long story short, my fuel tank still had some nasty old crap in it despite multiple flushing. this varnish material made it onto my intake valve stems during the break in and when i went to start the engine a second time (cold) i had one stiff valve and one stuck valve, resulting in a couple bent push rods and an engine that ran like shit.

so anyway, the head was removed, stuck valve is unstuck (had to use acetone, solvent wasnt helping at all) engine is re-assembled. pushrods replaced, all re adjusted. everything is ok, but since i have the fuel tank out i decided it was the best opportunity to replace the floors.

i wanted to ask you guys if anyone knows did kristi make wooden rear benches for a stretcher accomidation? i copied the wood bences i had in there and it sure seems like they made this small shelf for a specific reason.


obviously the bench tops arent done but i wonder if the stretcher equiped option came with these or if its just something home made by a previous owner. here are a few more pics to look at.









i imagine they all came like this /\ but maybe someone out there knows different.
 

KT3survivor

Active member
while we are talking factory installed parts im also curious, how many other kristis had seatbelts? did they all have them or was it introduced/required in later years?
 

redsqwrl

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
I'm a closet Kristi believer, I love your enthusiasm,
I have had the pleasure to have helped figure out some unique engineering/assembly practices on a KT-4, they are really cool to see up close. I would not hesitate driving head first into a river to cross it, IF there were some folks in the back to help balance it.

My guess on the unique shelf, If your machine was ambulatory, it was probably spec'd with seat belts. If the patient was tied to the back board. and the machine rolled, the lip would keep the patient from flying loose about the interior.

Just a thought,

is there any evidence of a Roll over protection system?
 

KT3survivor

Active member
thats pretty cool about the kt4. . . in my opinion thats the most usefull cat they made. so much space! also incredibly rare. i have some old footage on a dvd that shows alot of amphibious KT4 stuff. pretty cool to watch them work but its quite clear why you would want some ballast in the back hahaha
 

Helmsman38

Member Formerly Known As Kristi KT7
GOLD Site Supporter
Good news on my side of the fort. Im loaded up on the trailer and will head to the muffler shop to extend the tail pipe this week.....
 

KT3survivor

Active member
that is good news. i think we are finally getting enough snow, i just need to finish up the fuel tank and splice my tracks. get some sealer on all that new wood and mine is ready for a shakedown
 

KT3survivor

Active member
from this:


to this:


was a multi day effort but well worth it. like any paint job, its all about the prep work. should have that liner in today.
 

KT3survivor

Active member
interior is shaping up


should have the bench tops and backrests done tomorrow, then I'll figure out how to cover them.
 

DAVENET

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Don't forget to leave an access point to pull the tubs drain plug! :yum:

Just Kidding!
 

Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
Don't forget to leave an access point to pull the tubs drain plug! :yum:

Just Kidding!

i do not think you like Kristi snow cats??? and this hateful talk comes from a tucker owner, whose machine is NOT running:yum::yum::yum:

i am so happy to see this kristi owner hard at work and will have his machine on the snow soon and enjoying the wonders of snow catting, good good good

Mr Net, get to work on your tucker now.
 

DAVENET

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Just some good hearted banter to stir the Kristi pot! Speaking of which, have you mounted your hood ornament yet?? :whistling::yum:
 

Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
yup, i proudly mounted my yellow rubber duck on the hood of MY kristi, looks great and love it.... thank you...also, installed a towel rack and soap dish

so, mr NeT, how is your sno-cat coming along, just some good hearted banter to stir the tucker pot!:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
 

DAVENET

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Track & greased rollers in the garage ready to be reattached, pontoons at the shop to be returned to 'watertight' specs! AKA, partial reskining. It's unbelievable how beat up the ends of those things are. Can't imagine what they hit or how rocks of that size would have gotten sucked thru between grouser & 'toon.
 
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