Bennyboy1337
Active member
I've been lurking on these forums for 9 years and obsessively searching Craigslist and Marketplace for a smaller sized project cat for cabin access and backcountry skiing. Last week I saw a posting for a "Tucker sno cat" on my Marketplace feed with zero description or other details for $6k in Montana. I thought this was maybe a scam but after inspecting the seller profile and reverse image searching the photos I determined it looked promising. I messaged the seller and quickly realized this was the real deal, and offered to drive up cash in hand ASAP with the few details I had.
The Tucker spent 15 years at a mountain ranch ferrying around equipment and guests, before then I don't really know of it's origins. It has sat for the last several years because the rear pontoons which are fiberglass were starting to wear, and the owner had the correct conclusions to stop driving to prevent further damage.
One really surprising fact after getting the cat home was I discovered someone had swapped the motor to a V8 at some point in the past, this is a A318 Poly V8 to be precise, a really iconic mopar hunk of iron. It pumps out twice as much power as the Chrysler V6 flatheads tucker installed originally, so I'm sure this increased power probably hastened up the pontoon wear to some degree. This motor is so huge they had to move the battery from the engine bay to front of the cat, someone I certainly want to fix in the future. A lithium or advanced AGM with a smaller footprint may do the trick.
My list of repairs/refurbishing in order of importance
-Pontoon/track repair (yeah I know what I'm getting myself into)
(the front two are steel rear are fiberglass, adjusting, inspecting bearings, repacking, painting)
-General fluids replacement and drivetrain inspection
(the CVs were recently replaced with modern shafts which is really nice)
-Power overhaul/heater
(need to fix battery situation and run all new electrical)
-Roof/trim/windows
(need to reinforce the frame for the roof to support a cargo rack and seal all major water entry locations in the process)
-Undercarriage cleanup and sealing
(rust cleanup and prevention, undercoating spray, few light duty braces need replacing)
-Interior
(Bench seats install and returning the rear floor to the original drop design, carpet interior)
-Exterior/paint/new skin
(I'd like to make some new engine housing panels, then either repaint the shell or do something fun, maybe strip to bare aluminum and mirror polish)
I hope to have the pontoons and tracks up to snuff in time for this season, but we'll see how that goes Look for some updates to come after I finished the bathroom remodels I promised my wife before I touch even a bolt on the tucker
The Tucker spent 15 years at a mountain ranch ferrying around equipment and guests, before then I don't really know of it's origins. It has sat for the last several years because the rear pontoons which are fiberglass were starting to wear, and the owner had the correct conclusions to stop driving to prevent further damage.
One really surprising fact after getting the cat home was I discovered someone had swapped the motor to a V8 at some point in the past, this is a A318 Poly V8 to be precise, a really iconic mopar hunk of iron. It pumps out twice as much power as the Chrysler V6 flatheads tucker installed originally, so I'm sure this increased power probably hastened up the pontoon wear to some degree. This motor is so huge they had to move the battery from the engine bay to front of the cat, someone I certainly want to fix in the future. A lithium or advanced AGM with a smaller footprint may do the trick.
My list of repairs/refurbishing in order of importance
-Pontoon/track repair (yeah I know what I'm getting myself into)
(the front two are steel rear are fiberglass, adjusting, inspecting bearings, repacking, painting)
-General fluids replacement and drivetrain inspection
(the CVs were recently replaced with modern shafts which is really nice)
-Power overhaul/heater
(need to fix battery situation and run all new electrical)
-Roof/trim/windows
(need to reinforce the frame for the roof to support a cargo rack and seal all major water entry locations in the process)
-Undercarriage cleanup and sealing
(rust cleanup and prevention, undercoating spray, few light duty braces need replacing)
-Interior
(Bench seats install and returning the rear floor to the original drop design, carpet interior)
-Exterior/paint/new skin
(I'd like to make some new engine housing panels, then either repaint the shell or do something fun, maybe strip to bare aluminum and mirror polish)
I hope to have the pontoons and tracks up to snuff in time for this season, but we'll see how that goes Look for some updates to come after I finished the bathroom remodels I promised my wife before I touch even a bolt on the tucker
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