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Newbie Here - Introduction

Broken Grouser

Broken Grouser

Member
Hello All!:tiphat:

I'm new to your forum and am very impressed with what's here. I'm Mark and I live in Red Cliff, Colorado. I own a 1961 Tucker 443 and am getting ready to begin a restoration on the old girl - check out my avatar - that's her.

I've been an avid fan of Tuckers ever since I was a kid growing up in Michigan. My Father spent over twenty years in the ski industy managing small ski areas throughout the state. I learned to drive a stick shift in a '78 1542 while in high school.

I followed in my Dads footsteps in the early eighties into the ski business. I am currently a snow grooming foreman - winters, and mountain electrician - summers, for Vail Resorts on Vail Mountain. I spend my working "days" organizing and operating a fleet of Pisten Bullys and Prionths that number up to twenty five groomers, winch cats, and park cats on an average night. At Vail we own forty two cats of various configurations and duties the last time I counted.

With all that said my favorite machine is my '61 443. We call her Katy after the childrens book called "Katy and the Big Snow". As I begin the process of of bringing Katy back I'll try to keep everyone up to date with my challenges; I'm sure there will be many! With any luck I hope to be able to take my 443 up Shrine Pass Road next winter to the top of Vail Pass.

Now if I can only find some more of those darn track rollers, oh and that pontoon, and what was that - the Vickers Pump is leaking what?......

Looking forward to being part of your community:

Mark Delpiere aka Broken Grouser
 
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Welcome, we have all sorts of snow type critters here, as well as just "Critters". Looking forward to seeing some photos of your restoration process. There are members here from all over that will be delighted to see your progress in your endeavors also.


I have an Thiokol Imp that I use for traveling to my remote cabin about forty miles one way, here in Alaska.

Again, Welcome!:thumb:
 
Broken Grouser said:
Thanks - good lookin' Imp you've got there
Click to expand...

Well I stripped off all the paint about two years ago with the intent of repainting it... never got that far, did pretty much go though everything else, just not the paint part. Maybe this summer....or next....
 
Contact Bill Guthrie 208-549-2501 He has used and sold Tucker Sno-cats for 35 years and does have some parts such as one fiberglass pontoon and many rebuildable steel pontoons, lots of track sections, and drive train parts like the trunion plates and he has manufactured new UHMW rollers
 
WELCOME!!!!!! Looking forward to your restore project! Bill at Snow Trans is one person as is BOGGIE here on the forums. Bill is alot closer though and has just about every cat in his inventory. Boggie has a huge supply of Bombardier parts (in case you have a Bombardier in you fleet needing some rare part) Boggie also has several other cats. Good luck with the restore. Oh and before I forget MTNTOPPER has a 443 for sale in pretty good shape with a ton of those roller bearings. PM him as well. He also has it posted here somewhere for sale.
 
Thanks for the info and feedback Snowcat Ops.

I talked to Bill today, we're heading up to see him at Sno Trans, leaving here Tues morning. I'm planning on renting a small U-Haul trailer in Boise to hopefully pack with track goodies.

If anybody else has some parts they are looking to sell drop me a line and look for the yellow Toyota FJ Cruiser somewhere between Colorado and Idaho.
 
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