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Kristy up for auction (KT-4 full body, ultra rare model)

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IMP

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Spotted a Kristy in the Alyeska auction lot in Fairbanks today. It looked like it was in pretty good condition and complete. It supposably ran when it was parked a few years ago but its not running at this time. I think the auction is in early August. All bidders won't have to worry about competition from me bidding, I'm allergic to anything with wooden grousers
 

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Re: Kristy up for auction

WOW, that is a SUPER RARE KT-4

Seriously, all kidding aside, that is almost as rare as Allen's KT-7. There are only a handful of those known to exist and that is worth saving and restoring!

They made that in 2 styles, full body and open bed. The open bed unit actually FLOATS and is considered amphibious.

I'm guessing there are less than 8 or 10 of those (both variants combined) alive in the world. I sure hope someone can give it a good home and keep it alive.
 
Ah so that is what they look like. there is a member here who has one of those amphibious kristis, chatted with him on the phone and he mentioned he had one that was rare. that confirms his story. He mentioned the only this the same as a 3 is the chain in the drive box..... that has to make it cool.

those things look like they have the mumps......

would that have the big pimpin juice ride system in it to raise and lower it as well.
 
Rare is a understatement . If it was in the lower 48 it would be mine .

Somebody ought to jump on this !!!! DDS are you listening ????
 
any krusty that runs is a rare a rare krusty . Big Al I may have a rare krusty in my yard in the near future as Bob Cat may need a place to store the one he has and it run's. also to you Jim the auction should be at the nordale yard in Fairbanks that is where alyeska auctions off all there surplus. I'm amazed Bob cat didn't sniff that one out a few months ago when he was up there .
 
It's in the yard off Vanhorn road for the whole world to see along with lots of other equipment. The auction company seems pretty organized Im sure they have it listed online. If anyone is really serious about it and can't find the info they need online I could stop back and take more photos
 
Can you find a link and post it? Can we get more photos of it?

Heck, I'd love to know who buys and for what purpose. It would be great to see a future thread on that machine and its restoration.

Seriously nice piece of history!!!

Heck if it was closer I'd probably jell-o wrestle BigAl for the rights to bid on that auction. And while I am a devoted Snow Trac fan, I'd make room for THAT model Kristi!

Seriously, we need one of the ALASKA members to rescue this machine and make it a loving home. It was designed as a workhorse. Should be able to haul quite a few people or a good load of materials out to a cabin, hunting camp, etc. It would pay for its home in utility if you can fix it up!
 
WOW its more complete and in better shape than I would have guessed.

This this is a historical treasure that actually could be put back into useful service!!!
 

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Last photo, some of the seats are still in place.

Center steering with doors on both sides for access, plus rear door. Basically waterproof lower hull section so if the top was removed this would become an amphibious unit. This thing is MUST be put back into service and needs to get back out into the snow.

Anyone doing snowcat tours?

Anyone hauling hunters/fishermen out to remote areas?

Anyone run supplies out to remote homesites/cabins/camps?
 

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That snowcat looks great! What a design! (4226 miles from Virginia) I wonder if it has the Porsche or Corvair engine?

Thanks for putting the info up!!! Cool machine!
 
I believe the KT-4 was equipped with the Corvair engine. I've got a brochure that I posted somewhere here on the FORUMS, I guess I should go look up the specs!

EDIT: NO BROCHURE for the KT-4

However, at one time I wrote up a Wikipedia article on Kristi Snowcats and this is what I have on the KT-4 from the original Wikipedia page (it may have been altered a couple dozen times since then):

A large Kristi, designated the KT4, was built as an amphibious machine and was built in small numbers. It was powered by a modestly sized 6 cylinder Chevrolet Corvair automobile engine. Reportedly less than 20 of these KT4 units were built and they were offered in 2 series between the years 1961 and 1965. KT4s were designed for snow, sand and general ground use, while some units were built with the amphibious configuration and were designated as KT4A models. The KT4 was available with a fully enclosed fiberglass cabin, while the amphibious KT4A model had and open top configuration. There are no reported KT4s currently in Europe and no records of them have been found in either Arctic or Antarctic expeditions or research. It is possible that only 2 or perhaps 3 of these units exist. An un-restored open top version is known to be in Idaho, at least one enclosed version is reported to exist.
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I think I talked to the former owner of it several years ago. I have the one that Big Al had. I may bid on this one if I can get a friend up there to store it until I get up there. I have a remote cabin up there and was thinking about it for access instead of the one I have now. My other 2 Kristis are still for sale.
 
i'll store it for free for whoever buys it..just saw it myself and came on to post it...pm me if you buy it and we can bring it over to the house till you arange shipping...it's way cool.Bill w
 
My name is David and I am the one selling it. I got it from a friend who had purchased it in pieces and put it back together. It has been parked for about 5 years. I have been working with the auction crew to get it running again. The key was lost so we replaced the ignition switch and put some gas in it and it started right up. It runs and drives like its suspose to. It does have a couple of small problems. One track is a little loose (still works) and it has 2 hydrulic leaks. One fairly serious leak in front and one small one in back. These could be as simple as a hole in the hose or a dried out seal.(I have not investagated it) Today I worked on cleaning a lot of the sun fading oxidation off of it to bring back some of the orange color. There was 19 of these built of this body style. It has a corvair engine with a 4 speed transmission. It originaly belonged to the US Goverment. It appears to have been used for inspecting mines.
 
This kristi does have the lift package. To lift it you open one valve and lift 1 side then close it and open the other side and lift it. The left valve is seized up and will not open so only one side lifts right now. If you have a question Please ask it on this site and I will answer it when I get time. I am not good at answering emails.
 
I would have liked to save it just for the historical value, but than I would have been the the target for all the krusty jokes. as it looks like Big Al is going to retire from snow cat's.
 
At the risk of being the recipient of all the bad jokes inflicted on Big Al over all the years, I will admit to being the purchaser of the KT4. I also own the one that Big Al had that had the pick up type cab. We think it was the only one of its type. I also have 2 KT3s also.

Not sure if we are bringing it back to Oregon yet to work on it , or if it will live near Delta at a friends place and I will do a little work on it there and then take it to our remote cabin on Flathorn Lake.

So fire away, I now have 4 Kristis.
 
flathorn,

No jokes from me... I think it is cool that you collect Kristy's. Some one heeds to preserve them, for the future. I hope you post more about your machines. I am curious about the leveling system, and how well it worked. Does the machine you just purchased have the feature?

Regards, Kirk
 
well I hope like Bob Cat you drive them a little more than Allen does. I thought it was a cool piece of Alaska history and really didn't want to see it scrapped. but shipping here for a project that won't generate revenue isn't going to happen any time soon.
Besides my snow tracs might divorce me for bringing one of those into the stable.
 
Humm. I think you need to make a Matryoshka doll type of Kristi collection. Just shoe horn one of those KT-3's into that KT-4. That way the 4 can drive out, and the 3 can get you back. Maybe! :yum:

Just kidding! It's not my cup of tea, but I'm glad someone saved it with it being so rare.
 
Ok, I am new enough here I don't understand fully why all the Kristi bashing. I know there aren't many video's of them I can find any way....Surely they are a group of folks (Kristi owners) who are tired of all the bashing they seem to get here. It was going on when I joined this forum.

If they work, why do we bash them? I suppose I alone am not going to be able to get Kristi owners to post more about their machines. But I wish to say that I for one would welcome them here with all you other scallywaggs.....:whistling::wink: who don't yet own a Snow Trac...:clap:

Regards, Kirk
 
I know I poke at kristies almost more that any body else, I like to use it to try to motivate Big Al to get his going than drive it around a bit. all things considered I like the kt-4 but with something as rare as a 4 or 7 I couldn't reasonably think of using it commercially if you broke something you may have to look a while to find parts. as for the collector I can't think of a better candidate for preservation. besides you just can't help but to give a cat with wood grousers a bad time even though they may actualy be better on snow and ice can you all remember saw dust tires
 
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