RARE, John Deere experimental sled

[Wildfire II]

Hi Guys. I would like to make one correction. I would like to state that this a 295/s LOOKING tunnel. Would need closer look. I am working on a 295/s right now in my shop and it looks like this one with all the same holes. Mine has the battery box holes plus the licence plate holes on right side and the hole forward of chain case also. It would be easy looking at the pictures provided for everyone to guess this one is a 295/s tunnel. Very hard to see from the pictures all the side stampings on tunnel sides. As Dick Teal stated the engineering Number on the ser. # plate was written for the 74 model year.

[Wildfire II]

MBSleds Check your messages.

[Matt]

So Ed, do you think that most likely someone from the factory bought the chassis for "scrap" and threw on whatever parts they could find?

You're right, all the mismatched parts, skis, bogies and mounts, handlebar grips, etc really don't make sense form a testing standpoint.

[Wildfire II]

Yes Matt, That would be one way. That would be the best and most legal way. Of course you cannot over look the shady side. One thing that bothers me is the ser. tag. should have been removed by the worker that dissasembled the sled before scraping and turned it in. so then the tag number would be recorded as scraped. Before we started using the plasma cutter some of that scrap left the yard with some very useable items on board.

[Wildfire II]

Matt-----Check message

[Matt]

Warning: Wildfire II made some edits to clear up some confusion about his posts. The posts that have been edited are documented below it.

[Horicon Joe]

The only thing I will comment on at this time is that I strongly believe that this is NOT a 295s tunnel.
The 295 has 3 bump out oval strengthening ribs and this sled has 2.
This sled is clearly missing the 3 holes for the grab handles that all 295s's had as far as I know …….

Joe Wanie

[Wildfire II]

Good job Joe. How did everyone miss that Including myself? Very likely 73 tunnel was used for the engineering order number stamped on the tag. Are we all in agreement. ED

[Horicon Joe]

This was a messed up point I was trying to make here and I removed it ..... sorry

[80spitfire]

Very good eyes I can't believe the grab handle holes didn't get brought before that was a really good observation. I think we have definitely put it to rest that it's a 73 tunnel. Now on to the fun part, was it a 295S test mule? Personally I think maybe it was since it has the hole for the tuner pipe and all, but that's just my educated guess. I'll leave it up to Ed to decide

[Wildfire II]

Yes I think we can move on. From what you can see in the pic it does not look like the swirl chamber was ever bolted down in that area. That area use to get prety beat up from the heavy exhause system. this area look realy clean. Maybe MBsleds can look to see if it was ever bolted in. Right now we can just guess what it was built to test. Maybe more info will come toghether in the future. Don't forget there was a JDX8 out there also. ED

[MBSleds]

Here are a few more pics of some areas I have been asked about. Also, it for sure only has the two bump outs in the tunnel. the back tuned pipe exit hole does not appear to have ever been used. But the two in the center of the pan both look to have been used. The pic is hard to tell but I would say for sure that this sled never had any pics in a track, I have been asked this by some. The pics are a little dark since I have it inside now. Thanks for all the replys.

[dap574]

This story has been a can't wait to see where the trail leads!!! Thanx!!!! Dave

[400brian]

Only one tunnel protector. These were installed in pairs on the slide rail sleds, which would be '74 up.

Sled has quite a few miles showing if accurate.

[JDT]

One way or another it is still a pretty cool find.