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WTB - Looking for an enthusiast/mechanic near central Vermont (Ludlow, VT 05149) for Thiokol Imp

S

Snowdancer

New member
WTB - Looking for an enthusiast/mechanic ideally located within 100 miles of central Vermont (Ludlow, VT 05149) for top to bottom inspection and service of 1967 Thiokol Imp to get it ready for this winter season- change all idler wheels, repack hubs, open differential and inspect, replace brake bands if required, change all fluids and grease all joints, replace radiator hoses, new spark plugs, tune V-4 engine, confirm operation and condition of brake masters and slaves, water pump, alternator, and fuel pump etc.
 
Presuming it's a new acquisition...all the regular stuff when going through an unknown. Nothing that a DIY shade tree mechanic can't handle, been there done that. The hardest part is dealing with removing/replacing the tracks.
Not a big chore to open up the C4 differential inspection plate and if needed replace or rebuild the brake bands. If your brake hydraulics are still building pressure and not leaking, then no worries there.
Engine access is somewhat of a bear, but mostly for anything up front like belt replacement or checking ignition timing. If I didn't live 3000 miles away I would be happy to skin my knuckles on your machine.
 
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Thank you. You are exactly right. New acquisition and the Imp will be in a very isolated area and if (when) it breaks down durning the winter recovery not be possible till springtime. I am looking for someone local as my shop is 500 miles away and I looking to avoid the 1,000 mile roundtrip tow.
 
Snowdancer said:
Thank you. You are exactly right. New acquisition and the Imp will be in a very isolated area and if (when) it breaks down durning the winter recovery not be possible till springtime. I am looking for someone local as my shop is 500 miles away and I looking to avoid the 1,000 mile roundtrip tow.
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I hear you. I have the same fears of breaking down, but only run mine miles away from my cabin and could always hike back and /or spend the night survivalist fashion if need be. That's a daunting thought at my ripe old age of 72 but I have emergency supplies on hand for just that occasion. Retrieval would have to wait for the spring thaw, then just a 50 mile trailer back to home base.

Get it checked out the best you can, put some time driving around the neighborhood, then just go for it.
 
I hate to say it, but that 1,000-mile haul is probably your best option—especially if you're planning to use it in remote areas.

Finding someone who really knows how to work on an old sno-cat is tough enough. Asking them to go through a detailed list on a machine they don’t own is another level of risk. Doing a full maintenance rundown isn’t the same as an inspection, and you're relying heavily on their judgment instead of your own—especially given the terrain you'll be using it in.

Personally, I'd rather haul it 500 miles just to go over everything and make sure it meets my standards. Even if that delays using it for a season, it's worth the peace of mind. When I got mine, I knew that if it broke down on the first trip, it would be up for auction the next weekend—so I made sure it was dialed in before I ever took it out.

My $.02

David
 
David, I agree with your advise. So, I will bring the Imp home to my shop and go through the machine top to bottom. Just have to figure out when and if I can get it done before winter.
 
All good points to consider.
I cut my teeth on my Imp, didn't know diddly-squat about them but figured I could figure it out...with a boat load of education from folks on this forum. Once you understand the basics of how they're supposed to operate, then the rest is just wrenching lifting hoisting grunting swearing, etc. A well equipped shop would sure be nice. I am not a mechanic...just so inclined.
I did all my work out on my driveway, including the paint job. Little things like rebuilding the tracks, removing and wheeling the differential into my garage for a rebuild (long story that) and a whole host of other stuff. If it ever fails on me, it's my fault.
 
I really don’t have much Thiokol, or Imp experience, though we did get a DMC 1450 that The Gorilla and I refurbished and sold. (There are a few threads about that machine on the forum.)

When you say “change all idler wheels” I assume you mean install new tires. From the factory, they were pneumatic tires, and for a time anyway, the 1404 Imps used a pneumatic front tire as well. I would suggest you have all the new tires foam filled, and I would further suggest if it hasn’t been done, you upgrade the front idler wheel setup to the later style cast aluminum wheel with a solid polyurethane “tire” bonded to it. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as just installing the new wheel as I believe you may need to come up with a new system of adjusting track tension.

If you have a pneumatic tire as the front idler... and it goes flat, you’re pretty much dead-in-the-water. Knock wood, I haven’t had to deal with a de-tracked machine in the back country, but that is something you very definitely don’t want to have first-hand experience with!

If you don’t have them, I would encourage you to get a pair of Thiokol track jacks. I know Snowcat Service sells new ones, but IMHO they are obscenely priced.
 
Blackfoot Tucker said:
I really don’t have much Thiokol, or Imp experience, though we did get a DMC 1450 that The Gorilla and I refurbished and sold. (There are a few threads about that machine on the forum.)

When you say “change all idler wheels” I assume you mean install new tires. From the factory, they were pneumatic tires, and for a time anyway, the 1404 Imps used a pneumatic front tire as well. I would suggest you have all the new tires foam filled, and I would further suggest if it hasn’t been done, you upgrade the front idler wheel setup to the later style cast aluminum wheel with a solid polyurethane “tire” bonded to it. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as just installing the new wheel as I believe you may need to come up with a new system of adjusting track tension.

If you have a pneumatic tire as the front idler... and it goes flat, you’re pretty much dead-in-the-water. Knock wood, I haven’t had to deal with a de-tracked machine in the back country, but that is something you very definitely don’t want to have first-hand experience with!

If you don’t have them, I would encourage you to get a pair of Thiokol track jacks. I know Snowcat Service sells new ones, but IMHO they are obscenely priced.
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My idler tires are solid rubber, which Thiokol may have moved to in later years as much more dependable. Even if a guy were to replace the wheels with polyurethane bonded to them, as long as the diameter remains unchanged then track tension would/should not be effected. These Imps use a piece of crap method of track adjustment where you have to unlace the track and then unbolt and move the entire wheel mount to a different position on the frame...then lace it back up and hope it's where you want it. I've never done it, my tension seems fine, and don't relish the thought.
 
The Thiokol progression moved from Thiokol to DMC to LMC. I think the DMC 1450 we had was one of the last off the production line as it was a 1984 model ,and in 1985 the 1450 was discontinued and the LMC 1500 was introduced. The 1450 had the solid front idler wheel and pneumatic tires in the other positions. Track tension was adjusted by pumping grease into a zerk fitting that moved the front idler wheel assembly forward.

But in the case of this 1450, thorough inspection of the machine revealed the left side idler wheel spindle was bent a fair bit, and there was a broken weld.

Everybody loves pics.

Measuring how far out of parallel the idler wheel was. Next to the wheel: 9 1/2".

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At the end of the framing square: 9". That's not good!

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Broken weld.

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Pulling the wheel spindle into proper position prior to re welding.

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With the left idler assembly removed.

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Note: If you're thinking those track belts look bizarre, you're not wrong. A factory Wide Track Imp is 7' wide. At some point a previous owner installed much wider outer track belts, along with wider (longer) grousers. This machine was a full 8' wide.

Idler wheels getting some new paint after foam filling the tires.

IMG_0613.jpeg
 
Man, I would give my left nut for some detailed pictures/dimensions of how the grease pump mechanism is designed. Maybe...maybe...a person could fabricate and adapt that system to a 1404 Imp
 
BoyToys said:
Man, I would give my left nut for some detailed pictures/dimensions of how the grease pump mechanism is designed. Maybe...maybe...a person could fabricate and adapt that system to a 1404 Imp
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Hmmm. You might reach out to Pat Foster at Spryte Improvement in Wallace, ID. He's a forum member, but I don't think he posts much.

I've never met him, or even talked to him, but my impression is he's VERY knowledgeable about Thiokol/DMC/LMC stuff.

SNOWCAT PARTS

spryteimp.com spryteimp.com
 
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