snowmobile trivia

[qwerty]

1-aktiv---snoFURY
2.alaska ski---supersport
3.allouette---snoDUSTER
4.arcticcat---PANTERA
5.autoboggan--COMET
6.boaski--------R/T440
7.boatel--------GRAND PRIX
8.chaparral----FIREBIRD
9.chaparral----thunderbird
10.evinrude---BOBCAT
11.johndeere--cyclone
12.johndeere--spitfire
13.johnson-----CHALLENGER
14.JOHNSON---RAMPAGE
15.kawasaki---ASTRO
16.leisure design-DIPLOMAT
17.massey----MARAUDER
18.MERCURY
19.motojet---STINGRAY
20.motoski---SPIRIT, FUTURA
21.polaris----MUSTANG,CHARGER,ELECTRA
22.raider----EAGLE,HAWK
23.roll o flex---APACHE,CHEROKEE,COMANCHE,GT
24.rupp-----MAGNUM,NITRO
25.ski daddler--MARK V
26.skidoo----ELITE,MACH1,CITATION
27.skiroule--LAZER
28.skizoom--COMET
29.suzuki---NOMAD
30.swinger
31.thunderbolt
32.wildcat

[Liquifire 4/6]

Good show, qwerty...you thought of about 20 that never even crossed my mind. I guess that goes to show just how widespread a problem this name robbing thing is/was.

[_FIII]

Yamaha ss 396= Chevelle ss 396

[Liquifire 4/6]

Here's a few of the one's I thought of

Polaris--Colt--Dodge
Polaris & Skiroule & Rupp--Sprint--Chevrolet
Polaris--Cutlass--Oldsmobile
Polaris/Autoboggan--Pacer--Edsel & AMC
Polaris/Autoboggan--Ranger--Edsel & Ford
Polaris/Autoboggan--Trail Blazer--Chevrolet
Polaris--Cobra--AC Ford Shelby
Polaris--Fusion--Ford
Polaris & Massey--Storm--Geo
Polaris--Triumph--British Leland/BMC Triumph
Polaris--XLT--Ford F150
Polaris--Voyager--Plymouth
Polaris--Transport--Pontiac
Polaris--Galaxy--Ford (Galaxie...spelled different, but sounds the same)
Arctic Cat--Lynx--Mercury
Kawasaki--Interceptor--Jenson
Moto Ski--Zephyr--Lincoln
John Deere--300--Chrysler
Auto Ski--Torino--Ford
Yamaha--SRX--Cadillac
Moto Ski--Capri--Mercury
Ski Doo--Alpine--Sunbeam
Alouette--Silver Cloud--Rolls Royce
Arctic Cat--Cougar--Mercury
Mercury--Lightning-Ford F150


At least in some cases, the automaker copied the name from the sled companies. Of all the words out there, some people need a spanking for this name theivery. Why am I bothered by it? Because when I do a search on the net for a specific sled, I get a whole bunch of unrelated hits. Guess, they didn't think about that back then....lol. Now why won't anyone build a sleek 4-stroke liquid cooled fuel injected long track with Fox shocks and call it a Yugo?

[qwerty]

your right about keeping the internet neat and tidy. it is possible to spend weeks/months/years researching a subject and not coming up with the info that you require. that is why its always good ,when you start a thread, to carefully select your title and description and include as many (or few) pertinent keywords as possible.

[440 invader]

Hey Guys,

Most that guessed got my question pretty much right. Kawi "square block" 440 and 530cc motors were never used in Deere sleds. Kawi used them in the 81-82 LTD and 82 Interceptor "550". I wasn't counting the T-7 based dual carb Intruder since Deere did use a single carb F/C T-7 in the Sport, but it's also a correct answer.

Differances from a Kawi Intruder to a Sportfire: Both were 440cc "T-7" type motors, but as stated above the Kawi sled had dual carbs, and a jackshaft driven oil injection pump like Liquifire/Invader Used. Kawi also mounted the motor by the ends like the Invader.

Yup, you guys got it right about Allouette, Chappy and Ski-Roule all having IFS racers, but failed to capitalize on it for the consumer market. Looking at IFS Chappy parts is amost scary to how simular it was to the 1980 Indy...considing the first ones were built in 72.

Yes, "Das Brute" was the first consumer available L/C sled in both twins and tripple. I belive Brutanzia Corp. was started by disgruntled Polaris employees.

The largest T-7 based Kawi motor was the 650cc "Sno Pro" used by Team Arctic in 1975. Only a handfull built. The tripple 650 F/A was called a T-8, and the Square Block 530 was not a T-7.

Doc Jim is Larry Prestons brother from www.vintagesleds.com. Doc reciently joined up over here after taking a slight interest in Deere sleds.

RP: Your busted on a few things. All the Deere's do not use the same cam sliders. The early gen Sally's used different ones from the Comet 90-D's vs. Deere's reverse cam secondary. The later Deere's from around 82 or 83 through 84 used 3 bolt wear bars vs. two for the older ones.

Late Liquidator,
-Rainville

Don't forget about the Kawasaki 440 B1 which was only used in the 1980 Invader LTD 4/6. It looked like a black powdercoated Invader/Liquifire engine with factory twin pipes,Twin spark plugs per cylinder and 6 transfer ports per cylinder,compared to only four per cylinder on the Invader/Liquifire.
Also the largest Kawasaki engine in a snowmobile was the 1971 Arctic Cat KIng Kat 800cc 4 cylinder, and not the 650 triple.

[Liquifire 4/6]

Interesting info, 440 invader. I've a buddy who has about 15 Kawis....beautiful sleds.....and fast.

Here's one that isn't really snowmobile related, but I'm hoping someone can answer it because I don't know the answer:

What year did John Deere come up with it's leaping Deere logo and who designed it?

[JoeRainville]

Hi Invader,

Thanks for the additional info. I did't include the 1980 4/6 (4 into 6 transfer ports) motor since it's part of the L/C T-7 based motor family, but you are also quite correct. There were deffinately more than two Kawi motors used in Kawi sleds that Deere did not use if you look at all the variations, such as the dual vs. single carb fans, the 1980 four plug 4/6 motor, jackshaft driven oil pumps vs recoil mounted, etc.

As for the 800cc King Cat, wasn't that a T-1 based motor that was more or less two 400's on a common crank and case? I am pretty sure the T-7's didn't come out until 73. The orginal trivia quiestion asked what was the largest T-7 based motor, implying the twins.

As for my last two questions since there were no guesses, here are the answers:

In 1981 the Trailfire and Sportfire got a 1/2" wider cleated track that also does not fit the DD sleds due to tunnel clearance.

In 1982 the Sportfire got the Liquifire rubber track and skidframe. Also recieved oil injection too.

Thanks for starting this thread, it's been a fun one!
-Rainville


B)

[qwerty]

what highly visible part will interchange between johndeere, argo, kawasaki, mercury, rupp, and polaris.

[SSGT USMC]

Question #1
If you cut a 100lb spring in half what rate will you have?

Question #2
What is the longest snowmobile race?

Question#3
What was the last free air sled?

Question#4
What is the snowmobile speed record and by who?

Question#5
Who designed the first IFS?

[Rodimus Prime]

deleted

[JoeRainville]

Hi Guys,

The spring rate should about double, or at least damaticly increase if you cut it in half. The geometery isn't that big of a factor, since a coil spring is just a wound torsion spring, and a leave is just a flat spring in pure bending.

Longest race in the lower 48 should be the I-500. In 75 I belive it was 599 miles according to the Speedo on Jon Carlsons 340/s. There might be longer ones in Alaska, but I am not sure.

Last F/A sled in production was the 1984 Snowfire. Deere was also the last company to use a cleated track.

Not sure about the current fastest sled, but I remember Big Marv set a lot of records with the "Chopper City Special" sleds and Turbo Kawi Bike powered sleds.

The first IFS was designed by the Unsers for Chappy. It was an adaptation of an Indy Car rear suspension to the front of a sled. First seen in 72 on oval race tracks.

Later Liquidator!
-Rainville


B)

[Liquifire 4/6]

Cool, I didn't know the leaping Deere didn't arrive on the scene until the sleds.

Yes, Rod's gotta be correct bout the t/l lens, however only a few Polari used them (Indy Lite GT, some widetracks & Transports, etc) and I think the only mercs that used them were the twisters.

Spring? Rod, you probably know way more bout this than I do (I'm no engineer, I tell ya), but that question sounded to me kinda like the "whats heavier, 50 pounds of feathers or a 50 of rocks" thing. I would have thought the spring would still have a 100 pound rate

Longest race? Winnipeg - St. Paul, maybe?

last F/A sled? 84 Snowfire

sled speed record? not sure...does Marv Jorgenson still hold the record?

1st IFS? Chaparral

[bob15]

The first leaping deer logo came out around 1876. The deer logo used on the sleds first came out in 1968. Before that they were 4 legged deer logos.

bob

[jdsledhead]

starting to get repeat questions now!
Boy I love reading these posts, I can answer most of the deere questions but a lot of other brand type questions/answers have expanded my vintage knowledge!
Thanks guys!
tim