Keeping Track (UPDATE: Weird Stuff)

• 
• 
• 

Although snowmobiles are nowadays quite popular, the fact that the concept was developed by a man called Virgil White from New Hampshire seems long forgotten. Already around 1910 White began to experiment with the track-and-ski concept and soon found that the Model T formed an ideal base for a conversion. White created the Snowmobile Company, Inc. and began selling kits and complete vehicles. The T’s rear axle and driveshaft were replaced with those from a Model TT one-ton truck. Special wheels were provided, along with metal tracks. Skis were mounted to the front stub axles. White’s snowmobiles became popular with mail carriers, doctors, utility companies and salespeople in northern climes. When sales declined in the late 1920s White sold the designs to the (renamed) Arps Corporation. They called their version “Snow Bird” and it became popular on the Model A Ford chassis. Both Model A and Model T shown here will be offered by RM at their ‘Vintage Cars of Hershey’ Auction on October 8-9. Look for lots 630 and 632 by checking RM’s catalogue that can be viewed online. (photos courtesy RM)

Update by Henry Norberhuis: “Would you believe I have a complete Snowbird conversion for front and rear axles right here in The Netherlands Been laying under my workbench for ages. It came of a genuine 1937 Ford Tudor Snowbird conversion that someone imported from Canada or USA. The body was perfect and in the end the car became a street rod. Just shows that weird stuff can pop up anywhere.”

Kommentar abgeben...