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Phd in Snocatology

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Sno-Ka-tol-o-gee, The study of Snow Cats.

In order to get a Degree in Snow-Trac-ology, a branch of 'Snowcatology' one would want to first get a good foundation in mechanical engineering and engine design. These guys, Henry Royce, & Charles Rolls wrote the book on automotive engine design. Your car, regardless of make, and yes your snow cat all have a bit of R R engineering in them. Rolls designed GM's 350 engine, invented Caster Steering, Synchromesh transmission, and Sodium Filled Valves. Every engine manufacturer, Ford, Chrysler, GM, Detroit, Cummings, Caterpillar,... right on down to Briggs & Stratton have a bit of Rolls Royce design and engineering in them. They really did "Write the Book" on both recriprocating engine design as well as Jet Engine Technology.
rolls.jpg
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
ONE of the designs that Rolls Royce pioneered was Dual Ignition. This is esentially 2 Ignition systems. Here the dual distributors can be seen on an early (1914) Silver Ghost engine. The Dual Ignitions systems became popular in the Aviation industry and eventually became "Leaglly Required" on all aircraft. On more than one ocassion I wish MY Snowcat had that dual ignition system!!
Rolls-Royce_Silver_Ghost_1927_engine_TCE.jpg
Along with these dual distributors there are dual points, dual spark plugs, and dual Coils.
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
This massive V-12 Merlin Aircraft engine, a 'legend in it's own right' can produce close to 2000 HP, and may hold more Land, Water, and AIR Speed records that any other recriprocating ever built, starting in 1934 and going thru 2000. They were produced under license here in the states by Packhard. At 27 Liters it's probably a bit more than you need in your snow cat.
merlin.jpg
Used to power Dehaviland Mosquetoes, 4 engine bomers, P38 Lightnings, P51 Mustangs, The first 2 prototype ME109's(BIG MISTAKE THERE!!) and perhaps 2 dozen other makes and models of aircraft. I suppose they could get their own thread, something like: Kestral/Merlin/Griffon...... Griffons were even bigger at 36 liter.
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Another fellow you would want to study was Ferdinand Porsche. He's the "Father of VW" as well at the car that bears his name. Numerous other cars, French, Checzk, German all weredesigned by Mr. Prosche. His Aircolled VW has the honer of being the first car to out produce Mr. Henry Fords "T-Model".
ferdinand+porsche.jpg
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
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One of Porsche's earliests designs, produced around 1900, won a hill-climb. What's really impressive is that it was a HYBRID! It had a gas engine running a generator that powered electric wheel drives. Needless to say he was not only "Ahead of his Time" but that HE WAS RIGHT!
Porsche w-cap.jpg
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Now to complete your BA( Batchelors Degree) You need to put in a few years of working on VW's at a VW repair shop. While your there you'll come across a guy named John Muir. Not the Naturalists that made Yellowstone and Mt. Raineer into National parks, the one of "IDIOT BOOK" fame. No self respecting VW mechanic isn't fairly fimiliar with John Muir.
LtP.jpg
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Now for your MS(Masters of Science). One guy in history actually GOT a 'Masters' in in "Over Snow Vhicles". His name is Ross W. Eskelson and he wrote his thesis in: Industrial Education at the University of Utah, Logan Utah, in 1955. This coincidentally is the birthplace of Thiokol, Later DMC, Then LMC.
You might alternatively study under Gene Berg, another VW Guru.
beetle_then.jpg

convertible_guitar.jpg
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
For your Doctoral disertation(PhD) thesis you need to study: The Primary manufacturer of Snow Trac, Westermaskiner. They produced a 3 Horse drawn Mower, Ploughs, Seed Sowing Machines, Tractors, Harvesting Equipment and yes, Snow Trac's.

You will continue on with your studies of the AKTIV company, who continued the manufacturer of snow Trac's.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention, you're going to Sweden so you'll need to learn Swedish too!

Finally you need to do a strech with Northwest Tel, in Whitehorse, in the Yukon Territory.
scenic_whitehorse_3640_468.jpg

northwestel-building.jpg

GEM1%20020.jpg

ANY QUESTIONS?
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Corrections: In the first Photo Charles rolls is on the left, Henry royce is on the right. Royce was the real perfectionists. With him "Good Enough for Government Work" didn't make it. it had to be PURFECT!!!
Henry Royce:
445px-Henry_Royce.jpg
A Casting and a Hay Rake from Westermaskiner:
2346134048_69b82acedd_o.jpg

6104002021.jpg
The Town where Stow Trac's were built, Morgongava Sweden, literally means: "Morning Gift". It refers to a gift that a husband gives his wife on the morning after they are Wed, kind of a late dowery on the Grooms side.
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
PhD1.jpg
This work, about 150 pages spans development of 'Over-the-Snow' machinery. Hansen, Utah, Barrett, Frandee, Eskelson, Tucker, Oliver, and Bombardier were all included. It's a very comprehensive study. The Serial Number One Frandee is shown in pictures and got a complete chapter.
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
This Linc, to the New England Ski Museum has perhaps an even more thurough cronology of early Snow Cat/ Snow Mobile development. It starts in 1907 and goes righ thru to date, If you go to the "On-Line Journal" there are quite a few interesting threads. This one specifically details "Grooming" and is about the most complete I've seen.
http://www.skimuseum.org/page.php?cid=doc143
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
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This Linc: http://www.bombardiermuseum.com/en/content/musee/library.htm

is to the Bombardier Museum, in Valcort Qe. Their collection is perhaps the most complete I have ever seen. It's worth the trip. IF you open up the first Book in the series, the one with Bombardier on the cover, you can do a complete tour of the Museum. It's an all inclusive 100 Pages. J.A. Bombardier was Canada's most prolific inventor, and held a record number of Patents.
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
CLARIFICATION: The Book titled: MUSEE, with the little french accent mark over the first "e", called :"Following a Dream", 1991. If you click where is says "click here" you get to read the entire volume as well as tour the Museum. It can also be viewed in PDF Format. This book makes an excellent gift for the 'Snow-Cat-Person' that already "Has Everything"!
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
There are probably over a hundred members of this forum, that each have we'll say an average of 15 years of 'Hands-On-Snow-Cat-Experience". So 100X15= 1500. With in excess of 1500 Years collectively, I would venture to say that this forum may well be the ultimate source for snow cat information, or Bull@#$%*! which ever comes first.
 

pirate_girl

legendary ⚓
GOLD Site Supporter
Lyndon, I must say one thing.





YOU ROCK!!!! :D

This gal didn't know a thing about Snowcats when I first joined the forum.
I like learning more and more all the time, and you've never disappointed with your threads, pics and sharing.
Thank you for the continued education.:thumb:
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Well the "FIX is IN". After reviewing the Study in the Linc that Pixie dug up there is no question. That military study is by far the most comprehensive. It list 32 other sources, and even covered some of the Russian efforts. That's what led to finding the previous linc about the Russian machines. Once again your government dollars hard at work!!
 

seskelson

New member
Interesting. My name is Scott Eskelson and I am the oldest son of Ross Eskelson whom you refer to and who wrote the masters thesis you describe. He also did the initial dessign work for Bombardier on their grooming vehicles which they began to produce in the early 1970's. We built two of their prototypes by hand in our garage and shipped them to Quebec for testing. I built the tracks myself with parts Bombardier sent to our home.
 

couchloafer

Member
SUPER Site Supporter
seskelson,
glad you are still posting! How is the restoration on your dads last snow cat coming along?
did you ever get a hold of Bill Guthrie? never heard anything after your last post last year.
We need stories and pictures!!!!
 

seskelson

New member
My father's lat snowcat - built from a Ford F250 has been completed. Stan Larson, who owns Northland Diesel SErvice in Bellingham, WA has the snowcat and did the restoration. You can look up his website for his company, Northland Diesel and probably find pictures. He has displayed it at one or two shows in the northwest. He has done a nice job and it evidently runs fine.
 
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