How sweet it is ..... Check it out

General topics related to John Deere Snowmobiles
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AirborneX4Special
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Re: How sweet it is ..... Check it out

Post by AirborneX4Special »

I'd say it would be a fairly blurred line between work and play when one is paid to drive snowmobiles for evaluation, but comedy is still a requirement.
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400brian
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Re: How sweet it is ..... Check it out

Post by 400brian »

I wonder about the license plate. WI never ran plates for sleds, and the number doesn't match my memory of letters and digits.

Oh, and Ed had the dream job!

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Wildfire II
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Re: How sweet it is ..... Check it out

Post by Wildfire II »

Those were special factory plates that x amount were ussued from state. At end of testing we remover from sleds before scrapeing ,threw in box, and used the next year, dont know how long they were good for but later on we had orange plates. You can see them on alot of my test pictures. No paper work involved, just pop rivet or duct tape on and go. Plate numbers have no meaning, not sure if they were ever recorded anywhere. Yes cool job and at times VERY COOL as in cold testing in Alaska. enjoy ED Pic is -25
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Wildfire II
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Re: How sweet it is ..... Check it out

Post by Wildfire II »

PS; Those were not Coldwave suits back then, Vest and newspaper top and newspaper and duct tape on legs. Enjoy ED
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Horicon Joe
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Re: How sweet it is ..... Check it out

Post by Horicon Joe »

Ed ..... I often wondered if anybody ever came up to you guys and questioned what these test sleds are or even noticed something different about them?
Did you ever see your competitors out testing prototype sleds?


Here is a shot of under the hood.
Do you think this thing would have done an endo over the first jump? A bit nose heavy perhaps ......

Joe
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spitfireguyII
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Re: How sweet it is ..... Check it out

Post by spitfireguyII »

Those pictures are great Ed testing a proto type trailfire and the set up on that most likely 340/s or cyclone proto type. Love the old pictures can't wait to see more.
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Matt
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Re: How sweet it is ..... Check it out

Post by Matt »

Wildfire II wrote:PS; Those were not Coldwave suits back then, Vest and newspaper top and newspaper and duct tape on legs. Enjoy ED
This picture makes me think: Ed Kruel is.............................."The most interesting man alive"
:usa: Matt - JDsleds.com Administrator
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HoosierDeereMan
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Re: How sweet it is ..... Check it out

Post by HoosierDeereMan »

Not only is Ed Kruel the most interesting man alive but he also had the prescence of mind to carry that camera to provide us with all these great photos! Atta Boy Ed!

There are alot of things going on in that photo! What are the additional gauges for? Also why are there ground wires running from the steering tower to the spark plugs? Is that a Arctic Cat gas tank? Note the Walbro carburetor!Interesting exhaust pipe! Very busy photo! Wanie, thanks for sharing Ed's photos they are trully priceless!

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S_Kyle
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Re: How sweet it is ..... Check it out

Post by S_Kyle »

HoosierDeereMan wrote:Not only is Ed Kruel the most interesting man alive but he also had the prescence of mind to carry that camera to provide us with all these great photos! Atta Boy Ed!

There are alot of things going on in that photo! What are the additional gauges for? Also why are there ground wires running from the steering tower to the spark plugs? Is that a Arctic Cat gas tank? Note the Walbro carburetor!Interesting exhaust pipe! Very busy photo! Wanie, thanks for sharing Ed's photos they are trully priceless!

Troy
I would think that they are cylinder head temp gauges. But that still leaves one gauge unaccounted for
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Wildfire II
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Re: How sweet it is ..... Check it out

Post by Wildfire II »

You are right. One is spark plug temp the outher yellow wires under the eng are exhaust gas temp. This picture is from the late Lee Hardesty collection that Joe Wanie has. Not much is knowen about this sled. was not tested in Horicon. Not sure where it was built. Looks like it was early attempt at front mount. The first front mount proto was built in our shop, the second built by Dale Cormican. Eng and dyno pipe could have came from Japan factory as Lee made many trips to the Japan eng factory. I know a person that might have more info on this sled. will give him a call. Pictures below are my best pics ever. Showing John Orvis, Dale, Roger Jansen. and Jr Peterson 340/s proto Enjoy ED
Wildfire II
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Re: How sweet it is ..... Check it out

Post by Wildfire II »

Pics not working will send later
AirborneX4Special
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Re: How sweet it is ..... Check it out

Post by AirborneX4Special »

Were you testing those green "Trailfires" in the mid - seventies? The one in the background has the unpainted tunnel concept.

Thanks for hauling your camera and then remembering to use it! The people who do get harassed at the time and then praised 35 years later......
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Horicon Joe
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Re: How sweet it is ..... Check it out

Post by Horicon Joe »

Most interesting man in the world? Well there is a strong resemblance ..........
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Wildfire II
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Re: How sweet it is ..... Check it out

Post by Wildfire II »

Joe!!! One question. Where's the girls?
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Horicon Joe
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Re: How sweet it is ..... Check it out

Post by Horicon Joe »

Ed ..... are you sure there was never any girls around? :think:

But you took these pictures ...........
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