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195? Tucker Sno Kitten, model 221, "Little Basturd"

Pontoon Princess

Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
PLATINUM FF Supporter
Going to preserve the 221, currently not running, plan is to bring it to fully operational condition and crush snow flakes.

Lots of interesting things about this kitten, starting with it does not show up in the serial number/sales book till 1961, its serial number ID plate shows it as a 1956, and its engine number is a 1951 from a Ford Anglia. This serial number predates all of the other serial numbers on engines used in Kittens, including the Crosley powered Kittens.

The radiator is out of a 1936 to 1953 Anglia with a screw on radiator cap, this cap resembles the gas cap from a 1926 Model T Ford with Ford script on it.

Next, the hood is a one of kind and resembles the 1947/48 hood on the Tucker 423's with the Mercury V-8. it is made from 3 pieces of aluminum, round/square door hoods and formed one piece construction

The cowl is 2 plus inches lower than the round door Kittens, with it being lower. the windshield is 2 plus inches taller, yet the roof height is the same as round/square door Kittens. Then the body is only 36 inches wide, making it 3 inches narrower than a round door Kitten.

Does have the widened/reworked grousers from the narrow pontoon used from 1954 to 1956, now it wears the standard width pontoon, used on Kittens from 1957 to 1962, and they are nearly new with orange paint still on the rails.

This machine is the only one ID' with a fold down trunk cover.

Grill is constructed from metal channel which Tucker started using in 1953.

Lots more to learn and figure out as the preservation continues.

There is a couple questions that need to be answered, when was it built, why wasn't it sold till 1961?


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Same motor thats in mine. Is your thermostat in the upper hose?

I see your timing pin is still there, thats a score.!

Do you have a water pump, if you do is it divorced from the motor?
 
redsqwrl said:
Same motor thats in mine. Is your thermostat in the upper hose?

I see your timing pin is still there, thats a score.!

Do you have a water pump, if you do is it divorced from the motor?
Click to expand...
I will check on where,the thermostat is located, yes, the timing pin is a plus, and the water pump is divorced. and not talking to the block, working on the tracks right now.
 
opened up the pontoons, dont believe the tops had ever been off, the 3 screws that attach the cover to the pontoon all came out without issue and slid off with ease, both of them, looking inside the turning brake looked to be is excellent condition, everything moved freely, though the drive chain did have rust on it. The bottom of the pontoons had about 40 pounds of squirrel ( mouse )
sh t, ugh not a pleasant task to remove. once done found the pontoon had stainless steel bottoms. Rails still had orange paint on them. this all points to very little use on the pontoons. Pretty sure the kitten sat for nearly 60 years from the looks of the pontoons and the amount mouse stuff covering the bottoms, the mice had a great pontoon hotel.

It appears the poor "little basturd" sat on a dirt floor and the grousers in the dirt were rusted up and frozen, while the grousers out of the dirt, moved freely, even the sprocket rollers moved with ease. so with that said, needed to take apart each grouser and link pin, cleaning both with great success, both show zero wear, nice. one track is done and tomorrow will start on the other, and for inquiring minds, yes the rollers show so little wear, like new. Which matches up with the condition of the rest of tracks and pontoons.

I put lube into the cylinders a few days ago, also changed the oil and pressurized the system insuring the main bearing were lubed. Today, put in a new 6 volt battery, hooked it up, hit the starter button, the engine turned over with the plugs out nicely and just off the starter turning over the engine created 20 pound of oil pressure. With that, going to proceed to start the engine.


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That is a really cool looking body and hood.

If it were MINE, I would be tempted to put a big vintage "Ski Doo" sticker on the hood.





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tucker built this kitten with a very sloped hood and with that being done, the fan needed to be moved, the original fan location is bolted to pulley on the generator, which is bolted to the top of the engine, tucker welded a bracket for the fan to the front timing cover and lowered it location down into the engine compartment, with all that said, this is how tucker solved the issue of a bearing retainer for the fan pulley....

feel free to comment

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I feel a lot better about mine. I thought i had a situation with cyl number 4.

We have the same situation with the firewall.

Dean at anglia obsolete has your head gasket if you need one, he will have a cam follower also
 
redsqwrl said:
I feel a lot better about mine. I thought i had a situation with cyl number 4.

We have the same situation with the firewall.

Dean at anglia obsolete has your head gasket if you need one, he will have a cam follower also
Click to expand...
ah, tucker with all their amazing manufacturing skills, so, front motor mounts were made, so if you pull the mount bolts, the engine could be lowered down between the frame, pivoting on the pontoons, engine and rear end are one unit, thus allowing the removal on the head with ease.

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Track Addict recommends, Small Ford Parts Company in England great to work with and very reasonably priced parts, lots of parts in stock, next day shipping and a wealth of knowledge, and price and shipping, it cost less than anyone in the states
 
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