I’ve owned three Tucker Sno-Cats and they are all from the same vintage (1979 and 1980). Tuckers are pretty popular and many first time buyers may not be aware of what may be lurking below the surface. There isn’t that much information out there about used Sno-Cats, so it can be easy to buy something that requires a whole lot more time and money to get right than what you thought.
This problem is compounded because many times (if not most) Sno-Cats are bought long distance; often just based on a few photos taken by the seller.
This is an attempt to provide some information as to what to look for in terms of rust issues.
Back then Tucker used raw steel square tubing for the frames and raw steel sheet metal for most of the cab. They used aluminum for the roof, the door skins, the hood and the floor panels. When they built the machines they would weld everything together and at that point they would then prime and paint the Sno-Cat. Anything that was assembled and couldn’t be painted wasn’t, and they used very little seam sealer in the joints. I have not found any attempt by the factory to mitigate rust issues.
The aluminum roof panel and door skins were riveted to their steel frames. Floor panels were typically attached with screws. Here again there are problems. If dissimilar metals are in direct contact with each other galvanic corrosion occurs.
The resulting structure was a magnet for rust. When (not “if") moisture got between frame and skin; rust started.
The “good” news is that almost all of the framework and skin is fairly easily replicated. Frame members can be cut out and replaced, Skin can similarly be cut out and used as a template to create new panels.
The vast majority of my Sno-Cat projects are done with my good friend Scott. He’s the brains and the talent. I’m the one with the bonehead ideas.
We’re now in the process of rebuilding the Tucker I’m going to keep and that has involved completely rebuilding the steel cab, both the framework and the sheet metal.
When we started we didn’t realize it was this bad. It’s one of those situations where you find something that needs attention and it just snowballs from there. In all honesty we are very “picky” guys and what many would consider to be okay we don’t.
All eight door posts, the rear cab frame and roll bar, the center cab frame and roll bar, both left and right upper door longitudinal header frames, both kick panels, the center cab roll bar/door post skin and the rear skin that wraps around. It’s a considerable amount of work.
I’ve taken some photos, which show the rust.
This problem is compounded because many times (if not most) Sno-Cats are bought long distance; often just based on a few photos taken by the seller.
This is an attempt to provide some information as to what to look for in terms of rust issues.
Back then Tucker used raw steel square tubing for the frames and raw steel sheet metal for most of the cab. They used aluminum for the roof, the door skins, the hood and the floor panels. When they built the machines they would weld everything together and at that point they would then prime and paint the Sno-Cat. Anything that was assembled and couldn’t be painted wasn’t, and they used very little seam sealer in the joints. I have not found any attempt by the factory to mitigate rust issues.
The aluminum roof panel and door skins were riveted to their steel frames. Floor panels were typically attached with screws. Here again there are problems. If dissimilar metals are in direct contact with each other galvanic corrosion occurs.
The resulting structure was a magnet for rust. When (not “if") moisture got between frame and skin; rust started.
The “good” news is that almost all of the framework and skin is fairly easily replicated. Frame members can be cut out and replaced, Skin can similarly be cut out and used as a template to create new panels.
The vast majority of my Sno-Cat projects are done with my good friend Scott. He’s the brains and the talent. I’m the one with the bonehead ideas.
We’re now in the process of rebuilding the Tucker I’m going to keep and that has involved completely rebuilding the steel cab, both the framework and the sheet metal.
When we started we didn’t realize it was this bad. It’s one of those situations where you find something that needs attention and it just snowballs from there. In all honesty we are very “picky” guys and what many would consider to be okay we don’t.
All eight door posts, the rear cab frame and roll bar, the center cab frame and roll bar, both left and right upper door longitudinal header frames, both kick panels, the center cab roll bar/door post skin and the rear skin that wraps around. It’s a considerable amount of work.
I’ve taken some photos, which show the rust.
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