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THIOKOL 601 RESTORE

weatherby said:
I must say though.....I did have a minor problem which made me have to put away. after bringing it home one night I saw oil dripping on to the garage floor, after lifting the engine cover to check things out (and there was oil allover the pass. side of the motor) I could not for the longest time figure out ware all this oil was coming from because the radiator fan helped blow all the oil allover everything, so after checking all the most likely possible sources for an oil leak, I could not find it. Then after cleaning the oil off of everything I started the engine up to see if I could see any oil leaking from anywhere, and still nothing, no oil leaking from anywhere "UNTIL" I kept the engine at a high idle for about a couple of minutes then there it was. Anybody want to take a guess what was!!!.....it was not the valve cover nor was it the side cover gasket and this is on the pass. side of the motor:brows:
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oil pressure sending unit or oil filter
 
nope, not the dipstick or sending unit......OK I'll tell what it was.....It was the fuel pump. The fuel pump has a weep hole and when you ran the rpm up engine oil started squirting out of the weep hole then the fan would blow it all over, but at idle it didn't leak. So I took the pump off and will take it back to get another new one, this one had 7hrs on it.
 
weatherby said:
nope, not the dipstick or sending unit......OK I'll tell what it was.....It was the fuel pump. The fuel pump has a weep hole and when you ran the rpm up engine oil started squirting out of the weep hole then the fan would blow it all over, but at idle it didn't leak. So I took the pump off and will take it back to get another new one, this one had 7hrs on it.
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one of the reasons to run an electric fuel pump with block off plate
 
These are some pics that were taken this past week....The first two are out on the frozen surface of Lake Superior about a half mile off shore, these pics along with many others were taken by a UP News Team that came over to shoot video and do a story of this 601. In the last pic is the curator of the KI Sawyer AFB Museum MR. Bob Vick who they also brought along. He operated this very same cat in the mid 70s at KI Sawyer. It was a very interesting day listing to him tell stories about this 601 and all the different jobs they used it for. He was very excited to see it again "to say the least".
 

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Yea, I heard that part in the video ... the most important thing is that she'll obviously be kept in mint-original concours condition unused after all the effort that Weatherby put into such a masterfully crafted piece of history and yet be enjoyed by a broader audience.
 
Mainer said:
Yea, I heard that part in the video ... the most important thing is that she'll obviously be kept in mint-original concours condition unused after all the effort that Weatherby put into such a masterfully crafted piece of history and yet be enjoyed by a broader audience.
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seems that the deal is not yet complete.... could go west at this point :yum:
someone has to dig deep yet.
 
boggie said:
seems that the deal is not yet complete.... could go west at this point :yum:
someone has to dig deep yet.
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Blah...blah... a man's word is a man's word.
If dealing with anyone else other than Weatherby then I'd be concerned... reminds me of the 603 Bennett deal... he proved you wrong too! And just recently one of the other 601's! Sheesh... I leave yours alone once you get your mits on... out of respect.
 
groomerguyNWO said:
That was mighty kind of Bobcat to send you his knob like that.

So this winter, when you're cruising around in the fields, every time you shift a gear, know that that's Bobcat's knob you're grabbing!:w00t2:


:yum:
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:shock: I just just spit out all my coffee on my key board! Thanks groomer dude. That was one of the funniest things yet on FF. Hope the key board doesnt start shorting out. e th once thyier kasldijui lwerhj ndsfai;dofhg;wojknaldfbgjkfbdvkuybfiuehgbiyuqhnenbiynogiuweobifgqrygvaiugvayfguyh
 
weatherby said:
YES....It takes every bit of two men to move them around. I remember seeing somebody on this forum using this style, and I thought it was you, but I searched all your threads and could not find the pic. so I thought maybe I dreamed it. Well its good to know you haven't had any issues with this style:thumb:
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I used that style when I brought my Snow Master home from Canada. Im sure those pics are around in the Archives!
 
weatherby said:
OK Boggie.....I could use your help. What I will need you to do is maybe create some kind of a distraction at the Mackinaw Bridge because there are always state police & motor carrier officers setting there watching for DOT infractions and any other odd looking vehicles pulling up to the toll booths. So what I was thinking....is maybe when you see me coming (across the bridge) you could get out of your truck and start video taping the bridge and that ALWAYS gets them excited now-a-days, and then when they all approach you or should I say (come running after you and tackle you) I can just roll rite through:clap:
Thanks DDS for your complements. Mainer...BigAl...I agree with you guys, I have been looking for a deck-over, I even sold my dump trailer to make room but I can't find one I like for a decent price. Then I got to thinking.........I think it was ether BobCat or SnowCatOpps. posted pics a wile back of a deck-over made by Utility Equipment, I saved all the pics of that trailer and I'm thinking of trying to get the measurements of that trailer and build one.
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YUP! I spotted her in Oregon. Cant remember the town. But I believe she was a MAXEY tilt deck trailer.
 
Well I am now up to date on this build! WEATHERBY I hope you can post more vidies and such. I am unable to watch the other video you posted but It may just be my FireFox. You have a You Tube version? Any links? Thanks for the build!
 
I hope you keep posting your 4T-10 pics (I can't get enough of 6 series pics) You have a nice cat, it looks un-molested which is very good. I agree... Bob Cat is a nice guy, but I still ware a glove on my RT hand when driving my 601:whistling:
Here is a pic of that trailer
 

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I saw the piece on the local news. Very cool. Your snow cat is becomming quite the celeberty. At the end they said you were selling it to a museum? You've only had it running one winter! :unsure:
 
YES I WILL keep posting pics! Just finished removing y top half of the tracks. My fear was when it would roll back the tracks would hangup on the sheet metal and ruin those areas. That trailer is the one I spotted. She was in a town 2 hours or so East of Medford Oregon.
 
I found the Akuret tires at Kan Rock tire hear in Michigan, but the Titan is exactly the same tire, I also looked at them and it was just a toss-up on which brand I went with, I also put tubes in them. I used about 5 quarts of color and the same for the primer. I also used Nason 421-23 Epoxy two part primer by DuPont on numerous parts and I think it is just as good and it's cheaper, also keep in mind when using Corlar primer you can ONLY get it in one gallon amounts at a time NO quarts.
 
I know the first painted parts will be the rims. I have seen the actual rims listed on some farm equipment site before. Still looking for them as Ive lost that link. I just need one more then I will have two spares. My grousers and backing plates are in excellent condition. How is that POR 15 holding up on the grousers?
 
Snowcat Operations said:
I know the first painted parts will be the rims. I have seen the actual rims listed on some farm equipment site before. Still looking for them as Ive lost that link. I just need one more then I will have two spares. My grousers and backing plates are in excellent condition. How is that POR 15 holding up on the grousers?
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M. E. Miller tire is where you can get a rim, I think they are located in Ohio, they are also on the Web. I think Por-15 is great...I use it on almost anything I want black anymore, I wish I would have discovered it earlier than when I did. It is holding up well on the grousers except on the drop cleat which comes in contact with the road, but nothing would stay on that surface of the grouser without being scraped off.
 
Excellent! Yah I dont think anything would work to well between a rock and a grouser! Thanks for the rim info. I did find what I believe to be a match. There about $50 bucks new plus $15 for shipping.
 
so reading snowcat operations post it seams as the 601 went to live at a new location i just have a couple of questions when you started this project was your goal to sell it or use it? after rebuilding the 601 and getting to drive it was it what you expected? how many hours did you drive it?
 
mkntrakes said:
so reading snowcat operations post it seams as the 601 went to live at a new location i just have a couple of questions when you started this project was your goal to sell it or use it? after rebuilding the 601 and getting to drive it was it what you expected? how many hours did you drive it?
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When I bought this cat I fully intended to keep and use this cat, but I have had this cat for about 16 years and as we all know started to restore it 4 years ago and it is now complete. In those past years I've gotten older, "my wants and don't wants" in general have changed over the years. I like restoring things more so than ever now..For a example....I have been into snowmobiles my whole life approximately from the age of 10yr to present 53 years old and I had to have the fastest and the baddest that were made, and if somebody would have just three years asked me if I'm going to stop buying those 900 & 1000cc sleds and slow down, I would of said NO WAY, but three years later hear I am with a three year old mountain sled and rarely get up to 70mph and 90% of the time I don't hit 60mph, and what is really weird....I don't really care if I even ride any more, that's how much I have changed OR age has changed me. When I finished this cat I started to really miss working on it or working on something. So when I started driving it, I started to feel very uneasy about using it after I spent so much time and labor getting it to the condition that it's in, that it didn't make much séance to me to go out and start using it as you would a normal snow cat, so I decided it should be on display someplace and I would much rather like to restore another cat. The odometer shows 121mi and 7hr on the clock and in that amount of time in the drivers seat I got a good feel of what this cat is good for and what it is not good for. In my opinion it is a purpose built cat good for something’s and not so for other things, it is at home in big open areas, frozen lakes, snow covered roads airports etc.etc. it is in my opinion out of it's environment when on tight two-track trails....you get a work-out steering it if you constantly have to be pulling on the sticks. If used as it is intended to be used I think it's bullet proof and it's nice to get all your family, friends, dogs, and or gear inside for the ride, you can't beat that, plus you can travel at speeds that most other cats can't.

At this point I would really like to buy another old cat and start the process allover again, and who know what I'll feel like doing with it three or four years from now.
 
Weatherby,

I gotta tell 'ya I really enjoyed this thread. I have enormous respect for your talents and dedication throughout a long (and I'm sure trying) project. It is my sincere hope you stick with Sno Cats and this forum. I know I'm speaking for many when I say you're a huge asset to this forum.

Mainer,

Though I don't have any immediate travel plans, I grew up in Vermont and will go back and visit friends at some point. Distances in New England aren't that great. I would very much like to meet you, and I'd also like to see the 601 Weatherby restored as well as other treasures in your museum. Where are you (and your museum) located?
 
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