USAF Thiokol 601

[RangerBob]

What the heck, over? No military snowcat threads?!?! Well, let's fix that right now!!!


Here is my beautifully faded strata blue 1963 Thiokol 601, which is retired from active duty with the USAF. Units like this were used for test rocket recovery, perimeter patrol, and personnel transport on the DEW Line.

 

[Andy1234]

WANT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Andy

 

[RangerBob]

Ha ha!!! You are a man of distinguished taste!

However, owning one of these rare cats is like being a Marine....the few, the proud.

You may notice my avatar. That was the day I finally bagged one after years of searching. That's my 'Captain Morgan' conquest pose.

 

[firefirefire90]

hmmm.. so I take it you could run the beast on the tires without the tracks?

 

[RangerBob]

No, but it would make it easier/possible to push it. There is a drive cog/sprocket in the rear that pulls the tracks around the bogie tires. The bogie tires that are at ground level have no power applied to them and just spin on their axles. A drive sprocket and track/bogies glamour shot...

 

[Stan Leschert]

Sweet! I am subscribed, and waiting for pics of the resto!

 

[bones1]

Interesting machine you have there. More pictures please.

 

[supermechanic]

one in a scrapyard near me

 

[RangerBob]

Rather than more pictures of mine, how about some eye candy of one that has been absolutely perfectly (perhaps better than factory) restored?

This unit is the same year as mine and was found in horrific shape by a friend on another forum. He spent years restoring it. In the end, it was so amazing that a local news crew came out and filmed it. Here's a before and and after picture, followed by a youtube video of the tv news presentation.

 

[RangerBob]

The news video...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsKgYLJIMBs[/media]


And a shake-down video...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gIzvs4BCfw[/media]

 

[T. Highway]

That is a great looking machine.

 

[Bill W]

Very nice
But here is my all time favorite sno-cat...its been uparmored a little

 

[RangerBob]

Ah yes, the Tucker War Wagon from the 'Airbender' movie. It was on eBay a few months ago.

 

[Bill W]

Yep thats the one Tucker Sno-Cat with Custom Armour | eBay

 

[captain-crank]

Here's my Sno-Cat.

An amphibious 1963 BV 202, made by Bolinder Munktell in Sweden. A subsidiary of Volvo.

One of two tested by the US Army at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in 1965. Listed in "US Tracked Vehicles."

Both went to Alaska and served with CRREL...Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratories.

One machine was used as a donor to keep the other functioning.

This is that machine.... U.S. Army 12FD30.... the only lone surviving Swedish BV 202 to be given a U.S. Army Registration Number.

 

[TheWeatherMan]

I love snow cats. I get paid to drive those things up and down ski hills for the winter. Just the ones I run are a lot newer, although I did have the chance to run a old thiokol once. Ill stick to the hydrostatic snow cats. Btw we store snow cats with the tracks off during the off season to prevent dry rot to the rubber, those tracks get expensive. Also its a lot easier to move them with no tracks if you have a good tow vehicle

 

[Das Uber Soldat]

I want one badly... I'd also love enough snow to fully justify one.

Maybe it was seeing it last week, but whenever I see older sno-cats like this, I think of The Thing...

 

[quickfarms]

Neat but I would need AC for it in so cal

 

[ODdave]

What the heck, over? No military snowcat threads?!?! Well, let's fix that right now!!!


Here is my beautifully faded strata blue 1963 Thiokol 601, which is retired from active duty with the USAF. Units like this were used for test rocket recovery, perimeter patrol, and personnel transport on the DEW Line.

SINGLE HANDEDLY THE BEST THREAD ON HERE !!!!

I have been looking for a snow cat for some time now.

I couldnt help but notice......"future owner of a M35a2" ????? I could help with that if you decide that sno-cat Dosnt sute your needs.

 

[ODdave]

Rather than more pictures of mine, how about some eye candy of one that has been absolutely perfectly (perhaps better than factory) restored?

This unit is the same year as mine and was found in horrific shape by a friend on another forum. He spent years restoring it. In the end, it was so amazing that a local news crew came out and filmed it. Here's a before and and after picture, followed by a youtube video of the tv news presentation.

Thats right, The good stuff is here in MICHIGAN, I just cant find it......