# Tuckers in Nashua, NH



## DAVENET

While trying to find the street address for where the original east coast Tucker dealer was located (without luck), I came across this article from 1947 in the Nashua Telegraph.  It's interesting how much the winters have shifted.  You would have to have a very odd year to get that depth of snow on that mountain in December.  Now it would be occurring late January - early February.   The last sentence is interesting as well . . .

 "
DEC 31, 1947 Temperature, 36 Whether the weatherman was determined to leave a good impression, or what, this was a pretty decent day, especially in view of what had been forecast. It was moderate in the temperature line and, despite an uncertain morning; overcast, was due to be a fairly pleasant day -and night. High yesterday was 28 and this morning's low was 17, reports the Pennlchuck pumping j station. The forecast; Partly cloudy tonight , fair tomorrow. Little change in temperature. 

DAVE GREGG TO DEMONSTRATE HIS SNO-CAT Tomorrow at the Nashua Country Club- 

David A. Gregg, 2nd, is planning to give a demonstration at 2 in the afternoon of his Sno-Cat, which was the first 1 motor vehicle ever to climb Pack Monadnock last Sunday, when the owner, his daughter Carolyn and Austin W. Sanbom were its passengers in the climb to the summit.  Mr. Gregg stated that during this pioneer attempt to scale Pack Monadnock through snow, he encountered from two to four feet of snow and the climb took 20 minutes. He said today he believed it requires 10 minutes for a car to climb the mountain in dry weather in the summer, These Sno-Cats, said Mr. Gregg, are designed to supplement ski tows where these are in operation, or to be used In areas where such tows are not practical, or where it is necessary to move equipment to meet changes in snow conditions, The Nashua man bought his vehicle in Oregon and it was delivered here last June.  It was used it in the White Mountains prior to last Sunday's trip up Pack Monadnock.  Mr. Gregg's Sno-Cat is not the first one to be demonstrated in New Hampshire, since last winter an attempt was made to climb Mt. Washington with one of them owned out of the state. It is expected that another attempt to climb Mt. Washington with a larger unit that will be made this winter, he said.  A corporation is being formed for the assembly and distribution of those Sno-Cats in Plymouth, this state, said Mr. Gregg, with himself, Charles W Tobey, Jr, and Roy B, Doming as principals."


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## DAVENET

Then another article from 'The Pycolog' shortly there after:

"*
LINCOLN HOTEL NEWS​* Roy B. Deming of Plymouth, N. H.​ and his guests Mr. and Mrs. Charles​ Tobey, Jr. of Concord, N. H., Mr.​ Heath, David A. Gregg II of Nashua, N.​ H. and Mr. and Mrs. Tucker of the​ famous Tucker Sno-cats, of Medford,​ Oregon, were recent Lincoln Hotel visitors.​ Mr. Deming gave us a complete​ showing of the Sno-cat before proceeding​ to the Flume to show what it would​ do on real rough terrain. It was Mr. and​ Mrs. Tucker’s first visit east, and prior to​ leaving they expressed how much they​ enjoyed our New England hospitality.​ The Tuckers took some of our Marcal​Hankies back west with them.

*Sno-cat at famous Flume covered bridge
*


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## sno-drifter

Thanks for the history lesson Dave. Tucker history goes back into the 1920's


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## Pontoon Princess

mr davenet, wonderful post and info, the photo looks like a 524 and or 624 belonging to David A Gregg, he was the was the east coast dealer for years, and also the first dealer for Tucker, he purchased the first 524 and 624 that were built and sold by Tucker Sno-Cat in 1948. And the trailer is a 949, 25 passenger. thanks so much!!!


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## DAVENET

This ( http://www.leagle.com/decision/1963117922httcm1157_1952 ) is a typically long spiel of legaleze  ramblings, but references one of the co- owners of the company Charles Tobey.

 "
 In about 1947, petitioner was advised by his physician that he was suffering from cancer of the lymph gland; and he was told that he had only about 2 years to live. At the time, petitioner was married and the father of two small children. His law practice was then small, and was not yielding him an income more than sufficient to care for his family. He became concerned that, if he became hospitalized for a prolonged period as the result of the cancerous condition, his family would have no means of support; and that if the cancer proved fatal, the family would be left destitute. Petitioner then resolved to explore every possibility of forming businesses of a commercial and non-legal nature, so that he might not only derive income currently from such businesses, but also so that if he were hospitalized the businesses might still pay him salaries, and if he should die that he would be able to pass his interests therein to his family.
 Contrary to the prognosis of his physician, petitioner was cured of his cancer; and he was still alive and in good health at the time of the trial of this case.

 In 1948, petitioner organized and became the owner of one-third of the capital stock of a corporation known as Sno-Cat Corporation of New Hampshire. Petitioner received his shares of stock in payment for his services in organizing the corporation; and he did not at any time invest any money in the Sno-Cat corporation. The business of the Sno-Cat corporation was the sale of the Tucker Sno-Cat, a heavy piece of tractor-like equipment, used principally for carrying people and equipment over snow-covered ground. It is also used widely by ski resorts in New Hampshire and other eastern localities for packing down the snow on ski trails. In the years immediately following the formation of the corporation, petitioner traveled extensively throughout New England in attempts to promote the use of the Sno-Cat, and in doing so incurred and paid, out of his own funds, the expenses of traveling in such promotion efforts. The only money which petitioner received for his services on behalf of the corporation was a legal fee of $1,000.
 By 1957 the business of the Sno-Cat corporation had become highly profitable; and in 1958 (subsequent to the taxable year involved) petitioner formed a second corporation, Eastern Distributors, Inc., to purchase the Sno-Cat corporation. Petitioner was the sole stockholder of Eastern Distributors until 1961, when he sold a small portion of his stock herein to another party. Petitioner receives a salary of $30,000 per year as manager of Eastern Distributors."


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## DAVENET

Telegraph from Mar. 17, 1952:


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## Pontoon Princess

great reading thanks for the posts


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## DAVENET

You're quite welcome.  

 One of these rigs (1959 443) is actually just up the road from me.  Owner wants to try to get it running again (on snow), but it's been stripped of it's tracks & pontoons.  So, he has an almost impossible task. 

 It was originally run by Saratoga County (NY) Civil Defense.  Luckily, someone thought it important to keep the dealer info on the unit during the repaints (2?).


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## DAVENET

"Next Larger Edition"  524?


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## Pontoon Princess

yes it is a 524, a very interesting machine, one should ask sno-drifter about the 524.


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## DAVENET

Associated Press/file
*WATERVILLE 1952* Three hardy residents of Waterville, N.H., arrived via “Snow Cat” to cast votes. All seven voters in the town marked their “X” for Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Waterville Inn, where they voted, is at right. In the background is Mount Kancamagus.


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## DAVENET

The Inn burned to the ground in 1968 after a kitchen fire.


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## Pontoon Princess

MR DAVENET, great photo and post card, wonderful find and thanks for posting these, tuckerville, tucker does have a great history in the northeast


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## sno-drifter

DAVENET said:


> "Next Larger Edition" 524?



The same problem occurs with 524's and 424's as with 443's and 743's; Tucker proportioned them so well that they are hard to tell apart unless the two machines are side by side. The 524 machine has more track rollers(33) than the 424(31) and 2" wider tracks. The width of a 524 Sno-Cat is the same as a 743. If you see a front angle shot, the flip down front wheel assy. on a 424 is one piece. On a 524 each front wheel flips separately, no axle between front wheels. The Cascade Cat we got from Norcal has stainless steel pontoons, top, bottom, and sides.


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## Track Addict

Great info.  Too bad most of the old hotels like that in NH have burned the same way.  Think just the Mountain View grand, the Mt Washington, and Balsams(which is closed due to contamination nobody can afford to clean up).

Good find!


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## loggah

Well today i bought the Waterville valley tucker mentioned in the above article. I got it of a family member of the second owner in Holderness N.H.
 This machine has always been used in the Waterville valley area It was bought new in 1949 by the Waterville inn and used in waterville until the mid 60,s then it was bought by the Glidden family in Ashland about 30 miles from Waterville, and used on their rope tow ski slope.Today i bought it from a member of the Glidden family it has been parked for 20 years. Its a 1949 model 422 s/n 149059 heres a few pictures taken this fall.The tractor dont have those wrinkles that was because the flyer was folded!! Don


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## Track Addict

Nice find.  Beautiful tucker on the east coast.  Can't wait to see and here more.  On our way to having our first mini rally.  Think that makes 4 of us!  

White mountain Tucker has a nice 442
Near you .


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## pixie

Congratulations, Don !!!

Another project ? Or yard art ?


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## Pontoon Princess

nice find, i have the sister tucker to this one, also a 422, 148055


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## loggah

Pixie, I will get it running again!! i probably will just get it mobile without a complete restoration.Theres about 5 tuckers in a 25 mile radius. When i was in high school i worked part time in the Waterville inn,but this Tucker was gone by then.We had the 4 pontoon units then. anyone got pictures how the steering cables go under the hood ,this cable is broke and i dont have a schematic of it,thanks. Don


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## trailbuilder

I'm glad it went to a good home. It will be with other old tracked vehicles.


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## loggah

I'll let you guys try it out next year!! Its frozen in now until spring,but i dont think it will take a lot to get it running . I wish the trailer was still around,i remember it sitting in the "boneyard" years ago !!!


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## sno-drifter

loggah said:


> Pixie, I will get it running again!! i probably will just get it mobile without a complete restoration.Theres about 5 tuckers in a 25 mile radius. When i was in high school i worked part time in the Waterville inn,but this Tucker was gone by then.We had the 4 pontoon units then. anyone got pictures how the steering cables go under the hood ,this cable is broke and i dont have a schematic of it,thanks. Don



Nice find Don. I will take a photo and send it to you as to how the steering cable is threaded. I have never seen a stamping on a pontoon like the right side of your new machine, Although, the Sno-Cat shown in post #11 as posted by DAVENET, has this same design.


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## redsqwrl

Way to go Loggah, not sure if the snow cat bug bit you yesterday or yesteryear....

I am starting to gain a fondness for the old iron aspect of the original snowcat.

I had a blast teasing my father with those model A/T car mobiles......

Mike


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## sno-drifter

Here you go Don,

This is looking down on the driver's side. Two parallel cables go aft to a bicycle chain to the steering shaft with teeth on it. The left cable running forward goes out to the left side of the front hoop. The right cable goes around the pulley, behind the radiator to another pulley( not shown in the photo) on the right side of the frame, and then to the right side of the hoop.


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## 3512b

So Don what was that about " I got too many projects now with out any more" I see that went right out the window...
 Alaska Air flies to Boston now......now I am going to have to come back to visit!


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## jask

Congratulations! this is going to be WAY easier to trailer


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## loggah

Thanks for the photo sno-drifter,one of my pulleys is missing thats the problem.I figured with only 2 pontoons i will have half the problems! Steve, I probably wouldn't have bought it without the history,being used in waterville. I spent a bunch of time in them back in the 60's just didnt think i would ever own one!! Don


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## Track Addict

Free storage down here In haverhill if you need.


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## loggah

Thanks for the offer,I an pretty sure it will stay where its frozen down this winter !!! when i get it home it will give me an reason to build my pole barn i been planing on doing. I got to finish up sawing out lumber at my sawmill !!!! Sno-drifter this is the same machine as Davenet posted in #11 picture,so its the same pontoon.It seems a odd style stamping,the other side is different.One has been replaced at some time.Don


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## DAVENET

Awesome.  I've been keeping an ear to the ground for while trying to find one of those around up there.  It's excellent you knew where one was hiding before it disappeared forever.


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## loggah

Davenet,Pretty amazed myself that it still existed!! The people i bought it off gave me a copy of the Boston globe with the big "IKE" poster picture in it. Im not sure if its related ,but in the Pycolog picture it talks about a Mr Deming in Plymouth.  When i was a kid 50's-60's there was Deming Chevrolet in Plymouth,the local Chevy dealer.When i bought my first "NEW" Chevy truck in 1973 ,Deming Chevrolet was then owned by the Lenentine family.Don


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## loggah

Heres a couple of pictures my wife took today,i was just hanging around in the first one !
















heres the builders plate and engine with the correct serial number!! pretty amazing after all these years!!


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## 300 H and H

Now that's just pretty cool Loggah!

Not very often an old machine from way back is mentioned in a thread and is bought by a member and posted up in that very thread!

Must mean it was meant to be..

You definately have the old iron bug, as so many of us here do! 

Regards, Kirk


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## loggah

This is probably the lightest piece of "OLD IRON" i own !!!I thought it was an amazing coincidence myself to find the same machine that was in the articles posted. Heres a few of the other old iron pieces. Don


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## redsqwrl

Yep, Just what I thought..... 

I saw that big oliver in another photo and  began to wonder about the tucker bug.

that tucker is going to be like the only can of Bud light in My refrigerator.... every one goes to the fridge, opens the door, sees it, pauses in reach, and generally they grab a real beer ( pabst, Schlitz, Old style ect....) then silently think to themselves about the sanity of the host for having that single Crappy can of (light) beer. 

I think that machine will fit in quite nice, if (its bigger step siblings leave it alone)

If you need a foster home, Put kaukauna WI on the list. ( we have good beer!)


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## Broken Grouser

What a great thread!  Interesting history here - Nice find loogah!

I love the name plate with the lubrication chart, anybody know the last year they did this.


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## Pontoon Princess

Broken Grouser said:


> What a great thread!  Interesting history here - Nice find loogah!
> 
> I love the name plate with the lubrication chart, anybody know the last year they did this.[/QUOTE
> 
> thinking Tucker changed the ID tags in '52, though, the '53 torpedo has a cut down, factory installed, using only the top portion, and the '54's all have the later style


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## loggah

I have found out a bit more about the eastern tucker dealership,David Greggs office was in Merrimac, and i found out the Tuckers were sent by Rail to Nashua ,and then stored in a warehouse of the White Mountain Freezer Co. The White Mountain Freezer co.  manufactured the hand crank ice cream makers that were used in homes before ice cream became available in every store.Don


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## loggah

Well i picked up an interesting picture off E-bay this week. The picture is of an early Tucker on Echo Lake in Franconia Notch in New Hampshire.The picture is an associated press photo that was published in the Boston Herald newspaper Jan.10 1952.I used a jewelers loup and under the address "sno-cat corp. of N.H. there is the word Plymouth with the number 6.This would be the 6th machine sold by this company.The caption is on the back of the photo. Don


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## Track Addict

Great find. Keep digging!


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## Pontoon Princess

loggah said:


> Well i picked up an interesting picture off E-bay this week. The picture is of an early Tucker on Echo Lake in Franconia Notch in New Hampshire.The picture is an associated press photo that was published in the Boston Herald newspaper Jan.10 1952.I used a jewelers loup and under the address "sno-cat corp. of N.H. there is the word Plymouth with the number 6.This would be the 6th machine sold by this company.The caption is on the back of the photo. Don



great period photo and thank you for sharing, fyi, the style of the nose on this tucker was used from 1948 to 1953, it is not the 6 th machine built, there was 1 built in 1944 and 4 in 1945 and the 6 th one was built in 1946 and it was a 424 with a all steel body, not sure what the number 6 refers to. more info and i may be able to help solve the mystery. again thanks for sharing such a great early tucker photo, tuckerville


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## Pontoon Princess

oh, if you are referring to sno cats of N H selling it 6th snow cat, they had already sold far more than that by the time this machine was built, tuckerville


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## loggah

I was referring to it being the 6th machine sold by the N.H. dealer,mostly because i was told they numbered the machines as they sold them,and this photo has a number 6 under the address.I know when the photo was taken ,but i dont know  when the sno-cat was actually made.How can you tell when it was built? any identifying style changes. The machine i own had a number 3 on it and i  was pretty sure it was the 3rd one sold by the N.H. dealer. Don


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## Pontoon Princess

okay, after going though my tucker files, I find the following, your tucker 149059, was the 9 th tucker that David A Gregg/Sno-Cat corporation of NH bought, next, Gregg/Sno-cat corp of NH, bought a total of 4 torpedos, all were 1949's and i believe the one in your photo is 149058, because, it was sold to the tram company, also, by this time, there had been 5 trailers purchased also, hope that is of some help. fun figuring out history and the story it tells. tuckerville


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## loggah

Thanks ,Thats great info!!!!!looks like Gregg was busy selling at that time !! I found out  about a Tucker Torpedo and Trailer thats about 5 miles from me. The machine is not for sale ,but maybe the guy that owns it will let me check out the S/N!! I also heard that Greggs demo tucker might still be around tarped over in storage.


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## Pontoon Princess

you are most welcome, sure would like to learn more about the torpedo w/trailer good luck in talking with the owner, and a demo, that is exciting to hear about that one. anytime tuckerville can help, just ask, thanks and tucker forward


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## DAVENET

My guess is the Cannon Torpedo is the 6th unit sold by the Plymouth division and Nashua did the same on their units as evidenced on the first page.


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## Pontoon Princess

DAVENET said:


> My guess is the Cannon Torpedo is the 6th unit sold by the Plymouth division and Nashua did the same on their units as evidenced on the first page.



according to my tucker files, the cannon torpedo, was the 8 th machine bought by gregg


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## DAVENET

glacierparkbus said:


> okay, after going though my tucker files, I find the following, your tucker 149059, was the 9 th tucker that David A Gregg/Sno-Cat corporation of NH bought, next, Gregg/Sno-cat corp of NH, bought a total of 4 torpedos, all were 1949's and i believe the one in your photo is 149058, because, it was sold to the tram company, also, by this time, there had been 5 trailers purchased also, hope that is of some help. fun figuring out history and the story it tells. tuckerville



 Maybe he had demo units that were still owned by SCCofNH and the 49 Torpedo to Cannon was the 6th one actually sold to a customer??  But that's still a lot of inventory to have on hand so early in the company's history (since they had bought 13 and this Torpedo must have been pre-sold / custom built since the factory paperwork shows Cannon as the end user).  But, if you are going to run with the big dogs, er, cats . . .


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## loggah

From what i have been finding on the internet and pictures here and there ,it seems the low number machines said Plymouth on them and later ones said Nashua. I wonder if Deming got bought out. I got new tires and rims and put them on the front axle today,i had to torch the old bearings off .  One thing done !!!!! now i got to get to work on  my steering. Anyone know what the correct steering cable diameter is? my broken cables were two different sizes!!! Thanks. Don


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## 3512b

I helped created a monster! that Lombard cab isn't ever going to get done!


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## Pontoon Princess

loggah said:


> From what i have been finding on the internet and pictures here and there ,it seems the low number machines said Plymouth on them and later ones said Nashua. I wonder if Deming got bought out. I got new tires and rims and put them on the front axle today,i had to torch the old bearings off .  One thing done !!!!! now i got to get to work on  my steering. Anyone know what the correct steering cable diameter is? my broken cables were two different sizes!!! Thanks. Don



i can give a sample cable to scott and have him send it out to you, fyi, i have the sister machine to yours, last '48 built and yours is the first 422 '49 built only 3 serial numbers apart and were in the shop and built at the same time. some tucker karma.


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## loggah

Steve,The Lombard cab is all done,just not going to put it on this winter. You been crusing the streets of Anchorage in your snow trac??  Jinn, Thats pretty neat that these machines are still around and only 3 numbers apart. I was just curious if the cables were 1/4" or 5/16" in diameter. I figure i will go with the largest diameter that will fit in the pulleys. I'm going to wish my machine was a 423 model be a lot easier for a 6'4" 285 lb. guy to work on with that extra door !!!!!. Don


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## DAVENET

An early shot from Gunstock (Mt. Belknap)


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## Broken Grouser

Very cool - I bet 'ol Fritzie was quite the character!


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## Track Addict

Here's I pic I saw today up in the miester hut top of cranmore.

Eastern distributors concord nh


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## Track Addict

John hot rod Holmes invented.  They call that  a "mogul masher"


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## Track Addict

Could be my powder maker ?


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## Track Addict

Not Tucker but still cool skimobile lift in back


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## Pontoon Princess

thanks for the great photos!


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## Track Addict

How about buying any new vehicle and having the distributor paint their name across it ?  Good ole days!


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## Pontoon Princess

shameless self promotion, PT Barnum all day long, paper the town and week before the circus comes to town


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## loggah

Well i got the little tucker home today,the tracks were frozen up so i made a couple toboggans out of a fuel barrel for the pontoons.I wanted it to slide easily and not gouge up the aluminum roll off body! I chained it to the back of the Diesel lombard to get it unloaded heres a few pictures.


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## 3512b

Looking good!
 now to get it running!


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## loggah

Steve, Its going to take some tinkering !!!!!!


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## Track Addict

Nice Yankee ingenuity!  That Tucker will be up and running in no time.  Your support group is right here.  Looking at your other projects this should be easy as logging for you.

Rode  in one very similar thanks to some great friends  at the meow this weekend .  You are very lucky to have one back east.  Fast and very cool .


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## loggah

I wont get to really work on it for a while, got to get to the scrapyard ,got a lot of shearing to do!My buddy Steen was taken by the banjo steering wheel,thought it would look good on his 32 ford hotrod ! I had to say "NO" !! That little tucker looks like a lot of fun wished i could have made it out . heres a few more pictures. 
















as you can see it needs a bit of interior work !!


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## loggah

I got the new steering pulleys,cables and linkage all on today as well as getting the engine unstuck !!!!!!! I got to say im a happy camper! I do have a question for anyone in the know,who or what had a 160 m.p.h. speedometer in 1948 ?????? thats what is in the tucker instrument panel,i know these things never went this fast.


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## Track Addict

Think there is a math equation sticker you had to divide it by 12 or some  other random number.  Tucker Experts will explain exact details better.


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## Track Addict

Similar to this but different math


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## loggah

Thats a pretty neat gauge ! i'm thinking this dash panel was standard in something other then tuckers,its a 1 piece unit ,seems if they were made for tucker they would be close to speed instead of going up to 160!


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## sno-drifter

Loggah, The gauge panel in your '48 is the same as the one in my '49 which was built in '48. They came out of Dodge trucks of the same year. When in doubt, try Chrysler light trucks for drive train parts too. Track Addict's gauge is also Dodge with a Tucker faceplate above the speedo. The mileage factor varies due to different rear end ratios and different sprocket diameters. Your banjo wheel came from the factory that way, so it is stock.


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## loggah

Thanks Scott,  the different gear ratio,to mph on the gauge makes sense, the old guy that used to groom with it is still alive, and he said it would move right along !!! I do know that im going to have to modify the seat if im going to be able to drive it, 6'3" and 285 lbs dont fit to well, my size 14 shoe barely fits in the little floorboard! This cab is only 3' wide outside,i cant imagine how narrow a 300 series must be !!!


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## Pontoon Princess

mr loggah, the seat is not the original one for the tucker, they were a pair of seats that tilted forward, so you can adjust them to fit your seating comfort, tucker beyond


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## loggah

Thanks,now the search is on for a couple seats.


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## Pontoon Princess

loggah said:


> Thanks,now the search is on for a couple seats.



thinking you can make them, only if you had a pattern, think, tuckerville/tuckerland could loan you a seat to copy, then you could alter to fit your needs, much easier than finding something that is almost impossible to find if not impossible to find, happy to help.


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## Pontoon Princess

fyi, you can move the seat back on the frame work.


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## Pontoon Princess

loggah said:


> Thanks,now the search is on for a couple seats.



fyi again, i believe the seats were built by a local furniture manufacturer (they even have been built by tucker itself), they were a custom fit thing, not off the shelf item


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## zekeusa

loggah said:


> I got the new steering pulleys,cables and linkage all on today as well as getting the engine unstuck !!!!!!! I got to say im a happy camper! I do have a question for anyone in the know,who or what had a 160 m.p.h. speedometer in 1948 ?????? thats what is in the tucker instrument panel,i know these things never went this fast.


 Thanks for the update and photos! Congrats on freeing up the engine. You probably know this already but when you go to start that baby up take out the spark plugs and crank it over to get oil pressure first. Check for stuck valves. It's going to smoke quite a bit. I'd get it warm shut it off and let cool down. Heat cycle it a couple of three times. Not trying to tell you what to do just had these thoughts! Watching your progress!!


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## JimVT

I had a rear seat about that size in my 80 international scout. 
 jim


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## loggah

The engine has very little compression right now,im sure most of the valves have stuck open. I will spin it over quite a while and see if it will run on a few cylinders. Usually engine heat and vibration will free the other valves up. I have done this on a bunch of old flathead engines.I think i will fix the front seat and move it to the back,i picked up a couple of narrow front seats out of a old grumman delivery van ,in the junkyard yesterday that should work. I also got a bunch of the track loosened up with a "MEDIUM" sized hammer and PB blaster. I thank all of you for the offer of help and borrowing a seat, but i think its going well so far. I will have my wife take a picture of the new steering assembly.International scouts are more rare then tuckers in this area !!!! Don


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## loggah

Cheryl took a few pictures of what i have been up to,steering pulleys and track removal.































been freeing up pins,rollers, and bearings. I turned the engine over with the starter and the oil pressure came up to 40 by cranking, going to attack it again tomorrow !!!


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## sno-drifter

Nice job an the steering pulleys Loggah. I have seen a stiff tension spring on the pulley attachment to the front hoop to the reduce the shock load to the components and your arms. Don't know for sure if that is a factory installed setup or users who have broken thumbs. We need to examine the factory literature to come up with the correct answer.


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## sno-drifter

Partial link as axle for horizontal pulley is a nice touch, keep it Tucker.


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## Pontoon Princess

sno-drifter said:


> Partial link as axle for horizontal pulley is a nice touch, keep it Tucker.



ONLY you would notice


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## loggah

That was what a previous owner had stuck in there so it stayed !! I'm gong to be taking off all the bad rollers and  getting new balls to rebuild a few ,i think only 6 are bad. i need a couple links and rollers ,i think my friend Dave has some spares.You guys have done such a great job on your restorations,i am just going to get the mechanical stuff done ,replace the plexiglass, and make it a good runable unit. I believe it will be nicknamed the "RAT CAT" !!!!you guys didn't notice the beer bottle i stuck over the mirror bracket,i almost poked my eye out on it and i grabbed the closest safety device at hand and slid over it !!!


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## zekeusa

40 psi! I never would have expected that! Thanks for the update. Granite State Gas and Steam Engine show June 6th and 7th Canon Mt. anyone going? '47 Dodge truck grill looks very similar to the early Tucker grill.


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## Pontoon Princess

yes, the Dodge truck and tucker grill, are one in the same, Tucker used all Dodge running gear, so they must of thought, why not the the grill too.


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## loggah

I used to go to that show all the time when it was held at Dave Dearborns house in Campton,Its just not the same all the old timers i knew are long gone now!!! I pulled one of my pontoons off the bottom was pretty bad! now i have a pretty well gutted out pontoon, going to bring home a bunch of steel from the scrapyard and fix it, got some stainless steel sheet to redo the bottom skin. theres not a lot of steel in these things my light steel welding skills will be tested !!!!!


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## loggah

After pulling the head,freeing up all the exhaust valves, putting the head back on,new plugs, adjusting and filing the points, and a new 6 volt coil i got the little engine purring like a kitten !!!!!! that is once 50 or so acorns blasted out the exhaust manifold!!! i never even had to touch the carburetor and it set for over 20 years,the tranny and rearend both seem good ,i put into gear and tested them !!!! I am a happy camper so far. My wife has more pictures i will post the as she loads them to the computer. Don


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## Track Addict

Congrats .  Much more motivation with a runner.


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## Pontoon Princess

FABULOUS MR LOGGAH, WELL DONE ! ! !


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## loggah

Heres a few more pictures of the rear axle,and a gutted out pontoon !!











im waiting on some steel for the pontoon bottom,meanwhile i will get the track together and back on  the good side. I have to get the gas tank cleaned out and installed along with replacing all the wiring. lots of tinkering to do ,but you get a lot more incentive when the engine is actually running!!


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## redsqwrl

Don what is your finding as far as why it was parked....

suppose it was the pontoon?

Mike


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## loggah

Peter,who i was in high school with is married to a Glidden,She actually inherited it from her family! they brought it home but never did anything with it.Basically it sat outside in the woods for 20 years. The bottom of the pontoon was so bad that i believe it filled with snow and spread the pontoon which broke all the spotwelds on the internal bracing. The other side is fine. It is this odd shaped pontoon in this picture.











that no one here has seen before. I'm wondering if it was a prototype unit. It probably will be a bit heavier when im done !!


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## zekeusa

That's great you got it running! Thanks for the pictures and the updates!!


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## loggah

My little tucker gas tank was full of acorns and mouse nests!!!! So today it took it to Sanford radiator shop in Sanford Maine. On the way i passed a Tucker parked on a house lawn. On the way home i stopped and checked it out,it was a 1980  model 1342 with a chrysler 318 and 5 speed, a front mounted winch, and rubber tracks,the lady that was there said it was her bosses and he owned two tuckers and this one could be bought!! I just thought it was quite a coincidence to find a tucker while taking a tucker gas tank to be repaired !!!!!! For all i know it could belong to someone here on the forum !!!! Don


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## zekeusa

Those little bastards (mice) get into everything! I block off the exhaust tail pipe because if the exhaust valve is open they can make a house right inside the cylinder!!


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## Track Addict

Hey Don.  Dave sent me and email today. I guess he is working with some of the family in Ashland and people who worked on your tucker and the ski tow it was at.  

You probably already know the people and spoke with Dave.  Hope to get up your way this summer.  Maybe I can check it out.


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## loggah

I know Dave does a bunch of work at the woolen mill that belonged to the Glidden family. If you get up this way stop on in !!  you can check out some of the heavy iron !


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## loggah

Heres a few pictures of the gutted out pontoon,the bottom was shot so i cut it out and started over. Who ever kept repairing it before ,just kept brazing it, i was not a happy camper. i ended up rebuilding the complete subframe ,and am now ready to weld on the stainless steel bottom.


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## 3512b

Don, are you sure you got a big enough welding clamp on that pontoon?? course if there was any chance of it getting away,,,, there is the blade of your D9.......


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## loggah

Steve, The inside braces were all broken loose and i used the little kubota to press it back together to weld. I got rid of all my big dozers ,the biggest i got now is my old D5.i guess i could have used the excavator .I got to tell ya the guys a tucker must have all turned into Alkeys after welding these "TIN" pontoons, a little tack here ,a little tack there !!!!! they had to have been some patient !!!!


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## zekeusa

Nice work ! Looks brand new. You can weld stainless to regular old steel? My house furnace blew the side out this winter and everyone is telling me to repair it with stainless?


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## sno-drifter

zekeusa said:


> Nice work ! Looks brand new. You can weld stainless to regular old steel? My house furnace blew the side out this winter and everyone is telling me to repair it with stainless?



You need to know what chemical composition the ss is. I have had good success with 309L or 309 LSi  rods.


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## loggah

You can weld different comp of stainless and regular steel,but in a furnace you have to be aware of different expansion,contraction rates ,stainless versus hi carbon steel.


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## loggah

Heres a picture taken back in the 60's that was sent to me by a Glidden family member, all freshly painted up. To bad it wasn't better quality.


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## zekeusa

Nice period photo of a Tucker hard at work!


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## sno-drifter

loggah said:


> Heres a picture taken back in the 60's that was sent to me by a Glidden family member, all freshly painted up. To bad it wasn't better quality.
> 
> Nice to have the history to go with the machine. Tucker Sno-Cats had a lot to do with the ski industry growth in the early years. Having one defined the area as a ski area. I remember side stepping the local hill after a snow before they bought a Sno-Cat. You had to do the manual packing before they wood let you use the rope tow. Here is that cat the way we found it. Go to the Having a great time thread in the restoration section to see the progress to date.


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## loggah

Scott,I have been watching that thread!! you guys have been doing a beautiful job of the restoration, Im just doing the flintstone version on mine. I got my skis done yesterday, had to weld a front spring hanger, and now i took the exhaust,intake manifold off,has a bad crack in it. I noticed the manifold on your Tucker has a side outlet,the pipe must have come out the side,mine goes down and out the back i believe !


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## sno-drifter

There are side out let manifolds I think but most of the ones on Tuckers have the outlet cut off and rewelded on the side. Not too easy to do on an old manifold which is CI. Got any special tricks for welding on them? Seems like the CI is porous enough to soak up the exhaust gases and fuel over time.


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## 3512b

Scott, put the manifold in the barbeque at the tucker picnic, of course after you cooked all the hamburgers and hotdogs, that should cook out the soot and oil....then right after pie and ice cream run some nickel rod over the cracks and chuck it back in the coals..till the next day,,,,,,
 just a thought....the bar Braque  the miners poor boys heat treating furnace
 don't ask me how I know.......


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## loggah

Welding Cast iron is tricky,especially on exhaust manifolds or woodstoves,anything that has been heated and cooled a bunch of times. I usually pre heat and use cast iron rod,usually non machinable ni-rod works best on manifolds ,weld just a small area ,peen the weld to keep it from shrinking, keep the area hot and weld a small area again,peen reheat,make sure you let the cast piece cool down very slowly,covering the area with a welding blanket  to keep the heat in. sometimes it works !!!!


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## Track Addict

I second heat and ni rod.   Of course second to replacing but we have welded many jd cast exhaust manifolds.


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## sno-drifter

3512b said:


> Scott, put the manifold in the barbeque at the tucker picnic, of course after you cooked all the hamburgers and hotdogs, that should cook out the soot and oil....then right after pie and ice cream run some nickel rod over the cracks and chuck it back in the coals..till the next day,,,,,,
> just a thought....the bar Braque the miners poor boys heat treating furnace
> don't ask me how I know.......



I understand everything you recommend, except how did you know that we make ice cream with a hand crank ice cream machine?


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## loggah

Probably a White Mountain ice cream freezer! where David Gregg stored his early  tuckers! I got all new plexiglas put in the little tucker,along with getting the gas tank back in and a new fuel line hooked up. I have to say its a bit cramped working in the back of  a 422 model!! Don


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## loggah

Well i have been working on the tucker a bit,between cutting scrap ,gardening,and refilling the sugar house with wood for next year. I got the new exhaust manifold and exhaust system on,put a small tractor muffler on the back, got the newly rebuilt pontoon and track back on,made a aluminum deck in the rear to hook 2 more seats down ,made a cushion for the front seat and put marine naugahyde covers over the seats , and scored a couple period 6volt head lights off E-Bay.Basically all i have left to do to make it function is replace all the old wiring,i saved the worst for last!!! having vertigo dont make working under a dash in a small area very much fun. Heres a few pictures of where its at right now.


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## Pontoon Princess

ready to run, pray for sno !!!

fabulous


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## loggah

maybe around November!!! we just got rid of it about 6 weeks ago !!! need to have the garden veggies canned and a bit of hunting season first. There is a antique tractor show nearby in a few weeks and i probably will take it there. I wont worry about scratching it, no restoration ,just a runner !!!!


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## Track Addict

Nice work !  That will be a cool rig to own.


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## loggah

I got the little tucker rewired today, and took it for a short ride in the back field!! still got a few bugs i have to work out, heres a picture of it on the back lawn !


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## Pontoon Princess

old school lawn aeration machine, very kewl


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## AdkSnowcat

That's great!!!


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## loggah

Jinn,I used to use my big Franklin skidder with stud chains, I was just idling along in low gear,i think these machines would really move along in high !!!


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## zekeusa

Looks good! Nice patina!!


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## Pontoon Princess

loggah said:


> Jinn,I used to use my big Franklin skidder with stud chains, I was just idling along in low gear,i think these machines would really move along in high !!!



yup, get those skiis waxed, these old two pontoon machine scoot along quite well and a blast of fun to run. lots of smiles per mile, ah, the wonderful Glidden Glider.


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## Pontoon Princess

mr loggah,
 and or any other really smart guy, i need a little help ( okay, a LOT ), in the very early years of tucker sno-cat, they would buy used cars for the drive trains and built the sno-cat from the parts, thus, the first five tuckers built had, 2 chevrolet, 1 ford 60 hp V-8, and 2 dodge engines, all with different radiator shells, all but one was built by tucker inc, and the one i am looking for was not built by them, here is where i need some help, i need to identify this radiator shell, any ideas???

thank you tuckerville minion


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## loggah

Jinn, What engine is used in that particular machine? just curious.Im thinking a truck or industrial engine shroud. Don


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## Pontoon Princess

this tucker had the chevrolet 216 in it, really trying to find the correct shell,think you are right about an industrial shell, thanks


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## redsqwrl

I am thinking Modine....

No seriousness intended. 

I however will pay more attention......


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## Track Addict

Never saw anything that wide  spaced on vintage tractors.  Spend some time Google images yesterday no luck


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## Pontoon Princess

loggah said:


> I got the little tucker rewired today, and took it for a short ride in the back field!! still got a few bugs i have to work out, heres a picture of it on the back lawn !



fyi, your pontoons on your fabulous Glidden Glider are a prototype, more than likely only pair ever made.


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## Cidertom

Most likely isn't, but it looks like some of Ahrens Fox fire engine front ends from that era.


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## loggah

Im pretty sure your right about it being a prototype!! i think they were made with too light a gauge of sheet steel!! i think they probably got a deal on it after they wrecked the original one!I will be looking for another of the correct ones to match up the one on the other side,like this style.


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## JimVT

I noticed two things that jinn missed.  the seat was the wrong one and you  don't need a visor and that track repair job has the new tin on the wrong side of the grouser chain.


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## loggah

I only do that to the track when i want to make an enclosed trailer out of the machine !


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## Pontoon Princess

mr loggah,

i will trade you a tucker sno-cat stamped pontoon for the prototype pontoon, which are in stock.


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## loggah

Sure! sure! you wait untill i put a new bottom in it to make the offer !!!! I will think about it ,a lot of miles between N.H, and Oregon .  I thought i might stumble over one a bit closer. Is there a difference on the rail width between the 3/4" track bearing,and 1" track bearing pontoons?


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## Pontoon Princess

to make the trade work, how about i pay the shipping, and the one i have is nice!!!

1/4 inch


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## Track Addict

Sounds like a great deal!


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## loggah

I wouldn't mind seeing a picture of the pontoon,decent shape without a new paintjob i would hate to put a bright,shiney orange pontoon on the little "RAT CAT" !!!!


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## Pontoon Princess

no shiney paint on the Glidden Glider, will get you several pics of a very good pontoon, correct period for your tucker sno-cat


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## loggah

thanks Jinn, i was afraid you guys would send a new shiney one ,and shame me into repainting the little tucker.


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## DAVENET

If anyone needs extra noses grills:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1946-Dodge-Truck-Grille/171793439707?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D31236%26meid%3D8c83757eacc641a4a3de05bc92a56235%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D291478707610&rt=nc

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1946-Dodge-...5&pid=100005&rk=1&rkt=6&sd=291478707610&rt=nc


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## Pontoon Princess

loggah said:


> thanks Jinn, i was afraid you guys would send a new shiney one ,and shame me into repainting the little tucker.



repainting the Glidden Glider would be a crime against all that is Tucker.


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## loggah

I had my wife copy a few pictures out of a book "The Town at the end of the road" which is a history of Waterville Valley New Hampshire. This book was written by Grace Bean,who was the wife of Ralph Bean,who was the Manager of the "Waterville Inn, He was also the person who purchased the little tucker that i own  from David Gregg when it was "BRAND SPANKING NEW".  Heres the pictures,they are not great but you can see the little machine at work.

In this first picture you can see the tucker hiding beside the newly erected T-bar!





In this second picture the tucker and trailer are at the base of Tecumseh,where it hauled the skiers from the inn a few miles to the ski slope. the skiers had to walk up the Tecumseh trail and then ski down,there were no lifts there at that time.







in this picture the tucker is pulling skiers around the golf course that was in front of the inn. check out the rooster tail off the track !!!!


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## Track Addict

Where is the Tucker trailer?


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## loggah

I remember it in the "BONEYARD" back in the early 70's when i worked in the maintenance shop,it was just a frame then,and im sure it has been junked. we used to have a "junkie" come and clean it out every few years.


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## Pontoon Princess

mr loggah, 

wow, great photos, wonderful to see them, thanks for sharing, 

tuckerville minion


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## loggah

I see in the Inn photo my theory about the odd shaped pontoon is blown away!! this picture shows that the tucker came with that style pontoon on both sides.


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## Pontoon Princess

yup !, just when you thought it was safe and you had it figured out, surprise? 

pretty sure your machine was the only one built with the prototype pontoons, 

now what is interesting, i have the twin 422 to yours 148055, last '48 built, and it came with stamped tucker pontoons, this is confirmed by a factory photo, and then, and the next was 149056, a trailer, next, 149057, is the torpedo that we just hauled home, and it came with the flat side with a single crease down the side of the pontoon, again, factory photo shows this pontoon.

so, yours having the outlined stamped pontoon - prototype - is most interesting, does show tucker never wasted a single part and built no two sno-cats quite the same. these 3 sno-cats, all built together at the same time, sequential serial numbered, each, with a different pontoon style 

and the more you learn the less you know.


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## loggah

Jinn,Well i have been struggling with the pontoon trade idea!  after seeing in the pictures that the odd style pontoon were the original pontoons and not replacements, i have decided to keep it on the machine. It would be a shame to switch original equipment after all these years,im sure you will understand. I have to go on a search now to see if i can locate the remains of the other pontoon. Don


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## Track Addict

I would be willing to trade the rare rubber tire conversion on my 53 for some tracks and pontoons.

Let that idea marinate!


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## Pontoon Princess

loggah said:


> Jinn,Well i have been struggling with the pontoon trade idea!  after seeing in the pictures that the odd style pontoon were the original pontoons and not replacements, i have decided to keep it on the machine. It would be a shame to switch original equipment after all these years,im sure you will understand. I have to go on a search now to see if i can locate the remains of the other pontoon. Don



that is a very good idea and happy to see you are going to leave it on the machine, hope you are able to find the missing pontoon.  might easier to make the side panels and change them out on the stamped Tucker pontoon, then use the stamped side panels to built yourself a couple of benches


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## Pontoon Princess

Track Addict said:


> I would be willing to trade the rare rubber tire conversion on my 53 for some tracks and pontoons.
> 
> Let that idea marinate!



Dr. Addictstein, Yes, the rubber tire conversion is rare, very rare and valuable!, if you make that trade you should get some big dollars also.


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## Track Addict

Passing through this part of New Hampshire today the air smelled a little sweeter.  Think it had a touch of vintage tucker close by?

Don't worry fresh painted aircraft speed trap up the road.  Any orange burbans or expidetions will be caught speeding in!


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## DAVENET

Loggah- you better go check your inventory!


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## loggah

That piece of Interstate was at the Ashland interchange!! The tucker stuff is a bit further North !!!! I been working on the Diesel Lombard all day ,right next to the little tucker. I didn't see any "Flatlanders" with Drool on their faces , and hauling an orange trailer!!!


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## Pontoon Princess

beautiful country, have always enjoyed driving the back roads and stopping often, fabulous adventures. going with the camo coloring on the trailer. just blending in.


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## Pontoon Princess

148093, last torpedo built in '49, sold new to sno-cat of NH, has made it home, thanks to everyone that made it happen and very successful torpedo run. 

beautiful country ! ! !

regards

tucker mafia


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## Track Addict

Pics? Where did it come from?


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## loggah

I fired up the Waterville machine today ,and did about 6 loops around the backyard,untill i wore out the little bit of snow we had!I just wanted to get some of the rust off the tracks. My wife never even heard me doing it so no pictures ! You definitely need more then 4" of snow to make those front steering skis work well!!


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## Idahotracker

Pontoon Princess said:


> Dr. Addictstein, Yes, the rubber tire conversion is rare, very rare and valuable!, if you make that trade you should get some big dollars also.



Rubber tire conversion? I was unaware. Was this a factory option? Do you have any pictures available?


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## Pontoon Princess

Idahotracker said:


> Rubber tire conversion? I was unaware. Was this a factory option? Do you have any pictures available?



oh no, i am sorry, it was a joke about putting car wheels on a tucker sno cat, there is some poking fun and kidding around on the forums, sorry if my  making a joke had you confused.


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## Snowtrac Nome

you guys laugh about it I have always thought a tucker with 16.1 terra tires would make a great tundra hopper.


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## DAVENET

Belknap Mt. (Gunstock) Sno-Cat's


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## loggah

I think thats Fritz Baer on the far right owner of gunstock ski area. I'm wondering if the woman in the snowcat might be penny pitou, olympic skier that skied at gunstock ,and later had a ski shop there.


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## DAVENET

Definitely Fritz-   http://www.forumsforums.com/3_9/showpost.php?p=20582757&postcount=55


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## DAVENET

Loggah- Check your PM's


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## Track Addict

secrets.....


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## Pontoon Princess

seems to be lots of east coast secrets to be unlocked...


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## zekeusa

Congrats. Being at the right place at the right time and a bit of luck!


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## Pontoon Princess

I have always wondered, with about have of all the Tucker Sno-Cat trailers sold to David A Gregg, the Tucker Dealer on the east coast, why there are so few known to exist on the east coast, were the skis taken off and turned into garden trailers or what???

I am thinking there should at least, a couple dozen still left in the wild to be found...


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## DAVENET

Suspicions! 

 I'm just letting Loggah know the NE Ski Museum is trying to get a hold of him for a summer exhibit about Loon & Waterville. 

 While I would love to have a 50's Tucker sedan, I already have a full plate that I cant seem to clean!  So, I just keep my ear to the ground and eyes open!


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## Pontoon Princess

and we at tuckerville would just love to see you have a machine on the Sno... much less a fabulous 50's sedan, but if insist, it can be arranged in a moment, the orange is on it's way


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## Track Addict

Dave don't let the trailers head east empty.  I find having one runner and a project makes it much more enjoyable with anything.  There really should be a few more 2 pontoon Tuckers back east!


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## loggah

Well ,I dropped off the Waterville Tucker at the New England Ski Museum this morning at Cannon Mtn Tramway. I am leaving it there for a few weeks, their summer display is Waterville valley and Loon mtn. ski areas ,and there grand opening of the display is this coming Friday. They have a very nice museum there and usually have many thousands of visitors during the summer months.


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## Track Addict

That is great news.   Glad people can see that awesome piece of history.


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## Track Addict

Tucker Spy Photos Just In:

Thanks for sharing your cat with the people.

If anyone is up in Franconia stop in to the museum!


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## loggah

I never did take a photo after i dropped it off in the rain! there supposed to have around 70 large photos of waterville and loon devolepment !!


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## DAVENET

70 years later . . .


----------

