3 Alpines should make one for X country ski trail groomer

[Scottyb]

I had collected two old Skidoo Alpines last winter hoping to make one good one then use it to pull my old groomer and track setter. We get a lot of company and we all like to get out for a ski. When the snow is deep, my smaller sleds are getting stuck and I need something better. So with all the deep snow this year and so many projects to get at, I thought we better look for one more Alpine in ready to use condition. I found a third one that had came down to Saskatchewan a few years ago from the North West Territories. It came with a nice groomer and is the exact same model as the first two. I ordered a new windshield and am hoping that in the new year, one good weekend of shop time will have it up and making trails. These old sleds pull like mules on the snow. Two side by side tracks underneath a 640 cc engine and a hi-lo-reverse gearbox makes them perfect for pulling anything in the winter.







A short video of my three matching Alpines.

http://s1058.photobucket.com/albums/t40 ... pines3.mp4

Scott

[JWB Contracting]

Looks like your planning some time away from the stores, so good for you. Sometimes better to buy something ready to go instead of spending your time working on it.

The twin track machines are fun, we had a Caribou back in the late 80's or early 90's. It did not have front skis, but instead had two sets of clutches and chain cases to drive each track and when you turned the handle bars it applied the brakes to one track. So as close to a crawler as a snowmobile could get. It was alot of fun in the snow, mud, etc. and would climb over steep terrain very well. Again, wish I had that one back again. I last remember seeing when I was 14 years old and my dad sold it on us. We didn't think much of it at the time. Also, was a fairly rare unit. I think it was powered by a 440 skidoo engine.

I have however replaced it with a much more powerful modern unit, a 2004 Skidoo Elite. It is essentially a a side by side sled and two passengers sit in the front in bucket seats, has twin skis, twin tracks and is powered by a 1.5L watercraft engine. From what I have been told there were only 500 built in 2004 and 2005. I was about to buy one out of the states last winter and then found one less than 10KM away with only 1,500 miles on. I got it from an older gentlemen who bought in new in 2004 and used it around his acerage to pull his grandkids on there tobagans.

It is a blast and works extrememly well on groomed trails. Its not much wider than a regular sled and you don't have to slow down in the corners. My brother, his wife and 3 1/2 year older daugher rode it in the Whitecourt Poker Rally last February. The Alberta Snowmobile Association even contacted me after the rally to find out if they could buy it or if I knew where they could get one. This is one of those things that would be good to sell as they go for a premium, but not likely you'd ever get one back.

I tried starting it this weekend but the battery is dead. I had it running a month ago when it was warmer out. I have it charging plus I'm going to pick another battery just in case.

[JWB Contracting]

I did some brousing and this is the best picture I could find. Very neat vintange snowmobile.

[Lavoy]

Okay, that is way cool.
Lavoy

[steamfitter99]

Don't they call them snow machines? That is cool, side by side tracks nice. Tom.

[digitup2]

Scotty those old 640 Alpines were brutes for power We had three of them in the local snowmobile club trail groomers arsenal they worked great for many years.The only modification I ever did was I took the butterfly carb off and installed a single Mccuni 44 slide carb on them we got 3 times the fuel economy right off the bat and a few more RPM not really any more power but they weren't any thing great for fuel to begin with so the big improvement was three times the distance on a 7 or 8 gallon tank of gas pulling a drag groomer of 66 inches We modified the last one with a set of two ski's and independent front suspension that was slick At that point a member of the club was a guy by the name of Gordon Bell and he made our first tracked groomers these later became known as yes Gord Bell Groomers they originally used a Deere 4239 motor and a set of Sunstrand drives They still make 50 or so machines a year for the north American market and use a 3.3 or 3.9 liter Cummins motor now but we never had the same groomer for the trail for two weeks in a row since I guess our trails have done all Gord Bell's R and D since then I kept the first 640 for many years in one of my shops We have done some crazy things with that old Alpine I met up with it one night in but crack no where with snow two feet over the windshield in the bottom of a ditch and a groomer sticking up behind I packed snow till I got to the winch cable and winched it out in low pulling the groomer through the hole behind me I parked it and jumped on my sled and took off thinking I would meet up with the operator I never did meet him that night and to this day he probably hasn't figured it out either .Digitup.

[digitup2]

Nothing like a double post .Digitup.

[JWB Contracting]

Skidoo came out with various models of elites in the 70's and 80's, with the last model being produced in 2004 and 2005. From my limited research, it looks like there were about 500 of this version. I was looking for one last fall, when this one popped up on Kijiji just 10 minutes away from work. I rushed over and paid the asking price. I was not the first caller but my message explaining that I had the cash on hand to buy immediately pushed me to the front of the line. It now shows 700 miles and is in fairly mint condition.







I had to pull my battery and charge it, I guess I had better disconnect it next spring. Although I had it running a month earlier in the shed. I am going to have to read the owners manual to make sure I catch all the maintenance items plus I would like to update the ski's to the new summit style, they are a little wider plus I can get longer and more aggressive wear bars for them.





This is absolutely an awesome machine on groomed trails and appears to work fairly well in deeper snow as well. No need to slow down when going around a corner. I haven't got it stuck yet and don't want to try it. It does have enough power to keep the skis on top of the snow and even catch a little air under the skis over a hill. I need some more snow to really test out its capabilities. It will make a few appearances at snowmobile rallies this winter.

[Scottyb]

Jason. that Elite of yours is one sweet looking machine. It would be real nice up in cabin country where we are, miles and miles of groomed trails, lakes and open farmland as well. I know my wife would be impressed if it also had some heat blowing when we go around visiting to other cabins or check out the ice fishing etc. Just getting completely out of the wind would make a big difference to her. I think that the fact that it is also fast, is just another added bonus as it looks like it would be great for just cruising on a nice winter day.

Scott

[JWB Contracting]

My brother first told me about the elites after a sledding trip to Yellowstone. A couple of guys wrecked there sleds so the rented one of these. He claimed he couldn't pass it on the trails with his Arctic Cat M7, he'd catch them in the straight always but couldn't keep up in the corners.

The renters ended up having to buy it after trying to cross open water and sinking it, let alone the court appearance and fines.

It is a nice touring machine. The windshield and doors block the wind, although in the powder there seems to be constant snow dust blowing in. The steering wheel is heated, the passenger grab bar is supposed to be?? I've heard of heaters going in them. Has plug ins for heated goggles. Lots of storage in the front trunk.

If you find one buy it fast, I was offered new selling price for it this fall and declined. It's the kind of thing to pull out a few times a year and enjoy.

Now, lets see some pictures of the groomer in action!!

[Lavoy]

That is funny beyond belief. I was in Yellowstone years ago and we stopped at a gas station on our way back home from snowmobiling to fuel up and get a burger for the road. THe place we stopped at rents sleds, and had one of those sitting out front. I was asking the guy about it, and he commented that they used to have two of them, but a couple guys tried to cross some water with it, then they decided to buy it!
Lavoy

[JWB Contracting]

Well, atleast you know I'm not a story teller now. The incident occured in February 2005 or 2006. The machine ended up back in Whitecourt Alberta Canada and has been absolutely abused by the new owners. I seen it a few years ago left unattended in the ditch between 2 highways. I heard they were jumping it.

The real story was there were 3 grown men in the machine and they tried to cross a flowing river (a few miles north of Yellowstone) at night after having a few cocktails and didn't make it. One of the guys was washed down stream, lost his helmet and struggled to get up the bank.

We had a trip planned for the first week in February, but it will most likely be moved back as they are a little light on snow this year. The elite will be staying at home, I'll take my 09 Summit 800 XP instead.

[Scottyb]

Jason, interesting change up.... from crawlers at about 300 pounds of machine per horse power one weekend... to your Summet sled at about 3 pounds per horse power the next!

If I drove your sled for a day, it would likely take me a week on my crawler just to get my heart rate back to normal.

And then perhaps another week to get the smile off my face.....

Scott

[Lavoy]

I haven't been out there for a couple years, but would like to go back. I am however finding that I am too old to dig a sled out of 8 feet of snow at 9,000 feet. Either that, or just fat and out of shape.
Lavoy

[Paul Buhler]

As its warming up a bit finally, and snow is forecast, it will be fun to ride on the snow again. My vehicles of choice are shown below. Well heated 200-320 hp for the Kassbohrers, Mercedes engines, Blaupunkt radio, and Ricaro seats - electrics over hydraulic hydrostatic steering.
The Bombardier BR 400 has a Cummings engine, similar seats, good sounds and heated windshields with Morse control hydrostatic steering.
Both brands have 10 way blades on joy sticks (up-down, angle, tilt, wings, and curl) with multiple features on the tillers in the back.
Even my mother liked riding in one.
They don't do woods well, but sure are fun in the deep, steep and fluffy.
I only get to groom occasionally anymore, but it sure is fun once in a while.


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