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Thiokol 1402 Transformation

nutsster

nutsster

Member
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What I started with... Not much!



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After 8 years of refinement and countless alterations and modifications.




This Thiokol 1402 is used for cabin access for 6 months each year.
It is a fantastic snowcat now with excellent deep snow capabilities.

It has a Ford 2.0 liter (Pinto) engine with a C-3 Automatic transmission. The differential is an OC-4, which was relocated aft and down about 6" for the new track geometry. Torsion axles replaced the leaf springs with new custom four belt 33" tracks. Drive sprocket and wheels lengthened to reduce pitching over bumps. Car seats and exterior mirrors added this last year.




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Great restore/rehab of the 1402...That is the first model Thiokol I bought...and then boom...got nailed by the bug! OUCH!!! Please post some pictures of the interior and the engine and cowling...you have a beautiful machine. I have a pontiac 4 banger duke engine with the transmission in line with with the original Thiokol tranny giving 13 gears. Goes like hell..but you need a crash helmet:wow:....I bet the track psi is less than 1:w00t2:
 
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Here is the rear of the snowcat. I placed the fuel tanks outside the cab and added a step for the door. As you can see, the rear differential is located about 6" aft and down from normal.


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Here is the interior showing the bench seats and engine cover. There really isn't anything on this machine that hasn't been changed or modified in some way. The biggest change was the tracks and suspension. It took a few years of evolution to get to where it is now. I have really learned from the changes and with discussing what I was after with the guys at Peterson's Equipment.
 
nutsster,

Yes very well done indeed! Can you tell us about the material you used on the interior of the cab? Does it have good sound deadening properties? Where did you source this material? It really looks great in your application....

Best regards, Kirk
 
I been very busy getting ready for winter, so sorry about the slow reply.
This cat had a Ford 2.0 L engine installed before I purchased it. I thought it was a 2.3 L as they look identical. The H2O pump died, and that is how I found out what it was. I wanted to pull it out and install the 2.3 L due to better low end torque. Some Ford expert told me that the 2.0 L was built in Germany and was far better than a 2.3 L. It is the engine used in the open wheel race cars today. It makes more power, but at a higher RPM than the 2.3 L. It is indestructable they say. So I decided to leave it alone and add an automatic transmission. The Pinto in "74 & 75' had this engine. After months of searching, I finally found an automatic transmission in Saint Louis. It was in excellent shape, with low miles on it. It made it a totally different machine.

The interior bench seats are simple, light and removable (if additional space is needed). I used indoor/outdoor carpet from Lowes for the interior. At first I didn't have it in there and it was very loud from engine and track noise. I insulated the engine compartment for heat and noise too.
The car seats came out of a 2004 Elantra for $25.00 each at a local junk yard. I had to weld new mounting brackets for the seats, but well worth it!
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That is looking great. You sure have changed it alot from when you first got it. I am envious of guys with fabricating skills such as yourself. Thanks for sharing the pics !
 
Very cool ride, you have done an outstanding job on it! Now go out and ride all over with it. Won't do any good as a yard queen!

Take lots of photos too!
 
That is a stunning display of pride in workmanship.
I would commit immoral sex acts to own something that nice!!
Scotty
KL1YO
 
Hello,
I am doing a similar conversion to a 1964 Thiokol 1201B. Your resto is fantastic and a testament to truly great machines being built not bought. Would you happen to have any photos of the cab fabrication that I might get some ideas from? I just procured a Ford C4 auto trans to swap out my manual trans and I would like to do the cab extension at the same time I am swapping the trans. Any lessons learned on the trans swap would also be helpful.
Thank you.
 
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