THIOKOL 601 RESTORE

[bkvail]

wow! this is gonna be a $100K cat when it's done! Love to see the updated pics as you work

My husband did a 'brushed' look on the dash of his cat - used a drill and a small brush/sander on the aluminum and made overlapping circular brushed marks on his dash - not original, but it looks cool I think

 

[weatherby]

wow! this is gonna be a $100K cat when it's done! Love to see the updated pics as you work

My husband did a 'brushed' look on the dash of his cat - used a drill and a small brush/sander on the aluminum and made overlapping circular brushed marks on his dash - not original, but it looks cool I think

If I wasn't trying to keep it as original as i can I would have liked to have done the same thing to my dash, thats a cool look

 

[weatherby]

sOCAL4T12 here are the pics. of the master switch & fuse holder. To get the fuse holder out of the dash you need to de-solder the wire's on the back then you can unscrew it.

 

[Bulldog1401]

How did you re-letter the dash? Thanks

 

[weatherby]

Well to start with it's not as hard as you might think. First I blasted all the old paint out of the engraved lettering, then I sprayed some red paint out of a spray can into the cans cap it takes very little paint about the amount it would take to fill a pill capsule, or one quick squirt then I take a small paint brush like you would paint a model airplane or (snocat) and dip it in the cap and just paint the letters or I should say brush the paint into the letters don't worry about paint going outside the letters thats OK, because after the paint has dried only for about a couple of minuets I take a clean rag put it on my finger dip it in some thinner and then wipe the excess paint off by going rite over the the whole word in a back & fourth motion. You will have to keep moving the rag on your finger to get a clean spot on the rag each time you go back to re-wipe the word. If you do mess a letter up just re-paint it then re-wipe it. After all the unwanted paint was wiped away and all the letters looked nice & sharp I let the paint dry and the next day I did the same thing all over again except this time I used a clear paint to protect the color, It also makes the color in your letters shiner.

 

[weatherby]

P.S. I forgot to mention if the color in your letters don't look red enough such as in my case, I re-applied the paint three times because the paint I was using was so thin.

 

[Snowcat Operations]

Man this is going to be the nicest 601!

 

[Mainer]

Man this is going to be the nicest 601!

I venture to say this may turn out to be the nicest restoration out there... of any cat... it's basically a concourse-condition cat from everything Weatherby is doing... "better than mint..."

http://www.cgconcours.com/id9.html

I think Weatherby is setting a bar against which all other restorations will be measured. There's also that guy in Sweden (apologies refering to a forum member as 'that guy' but I don't recall his ID...he's a retired pilot I believe), that has a shop like an operating room that does snow master work...not sure if he did a full restore or not but his shop is the cleanest and most organized I've ever seen except for a few councourse condition workshops.

An important note here...before people jump all over me about waste of a cat restored that will never see snow ... I also plan to do some cherry restorations to the TM's and I will probably reserve one as 'exhaulted supreme cherry' but the others will be used and see plenty of snow... just like building a sweet scale-class Radio Control quad-engine bomber... if you don't fly it then what's the point? I think it's cool to rebuild to a very high standard and then also use. There's an impression (rightfully so due to how some vehicles aren't used...I'm guilty as well but that's because driving is relatively old-hack vs. using a snowcat which is fun), once a cherry restore is done that it will never get used... that is not a waste either but it doesn't deliver the full potential of bringing the cat back into it's native environment to play. That's another reason I'm sticking to (mainly) one type of cat... if I need to do a cherry job then I will probably need to build some forms to press all new grousers with a 40-ton press ... I'd rather undertake that cost once and then reuse rather than doing it for numerous cat/grouser types.

 

[bkvail]

That's another reason I'm sticking to (mainly) one type of cat... if I need to do a cherry job then I will probably need to build some forms to press all new grousers with a 40-ton press ... I'd rather undertake that cost once and then reuse rather than doing it for numerous cat/grouser types.

do you mean to press tire guides? Aren't the grousers just stock square tubing on the 4T's and 601's?

 

[Mainer]

do you mean to press tire guides? Aren't the grousers just stock square tubing on the 4T's and 601's?

The 4T uses a different standard square tubing with tire guides on one side and the drop-center build-up on the other side. That's a time-consuming and costly construction so when the 601 was introduced they simplified the design to maintain that same drop-center design but they took square tubing and bent the drop-center in which raised up the edges to form a natural tire guide. So, it's far simpler in design. With that being said, the grousers fail at those corners due to the stresses introduced from exactly that same bending process... so then some people bend & weld little 'life-extender' plates at those corners. If you do that they last a really long time.

See below image... can't see the 4T so well but you know exactly how those are constructed obviously... you see the 'integrated-tire-guide' style of the 601 below it.

Also, many had the 'paddles' attached for more 'bite' into the snow... usually arranged two paddles every five grousers then spaced apart every 15 or so... something like that... I have the data lying around here somewhere.

 

[Mainer]

of course I am bound by obligation to 'originality' to continue with the more work-intensive 4T style tracks on the 4T's... course it doesn't hurt that I have a few sets of extra tracks lying about. However, I'm going to have to have a number of deep soul-searching arguments with myself when it comes down to cherrying them out... will I have to rebuild every grouser in traditional/original form? Will I rest peacefully at night knowing that a 4T sits in the shop wimpering because she doesn't have her original specification grouser wrapped around her wheels????? My gut is telling me... original... well, better than original. Maybe upgrade the metal quality, etc... the main thing is to maintain originality while improving reliability.

 

[Snowcat Operations]

To me reliability is #1. The original design was actually pretty good. On hard pack the small center section is all that contacts and wears. In snow all of the track contcts but the dropped center section makes for better side hill traction. The paddles I thought were just on my amphibious Swamp Spryte. Guess they used that idea for the snow as well.

 

[Mainer]

Yes, reliability is #1. With that being said and that the original design is quite good, many of the cats proved to be sufficiently reliable to take into some relatively dangerous places on long hauls in solitude.
So, if there is something sorely lacking then I do think it makes sense to change it out, however, we know the engines, transmissions, and diff on the 601 to be extremely reliable... so those are all fine and can be original without reliability issues. Tracks are fine as well on 601 and the 4T didn't prove 'unreliable' but proved to be more complex to manufacture and yea, theoretically they could come apart but they've also proven reliable in some pretty extreme conditions (skidding over both snow and brush).
So, if you can maintain originality and give up ... who knows... 5% reliability then to some it's worth it...to others they may not dream of it.
On the other hand, a person can end up with such a modified snowcat that if it's ever sold the next owner won't even have a clue how to maintain, modify, etc... for example, that Landrover thingy on eBay right now with the mattracks...started out a CJ then switched the engine with an adapter now with a LR body with a pair of rebuilt mattracks... who knows how much other stuff has been changed! I've been there with cars... people get their mits into an original car and modify the heck out of it.... and then the value plumets given maintainability does decrease because there are 'unknowns' and also changes may have been made that appear to be better but create challenges in other parts of the car.
I have two cars that are the same year/make... one has been ever so slightly modified...the other is pure original... the value of the pure is 35% greater. People feel they 'know' it by original design and it can be maintained.
Anyway, 2 cents...or maybe just 1 cent.

I do question though... if reliability is #1 just forget the whole modify/improve thing and buy a LMC1200 or LMC1500, etc....

I specifically didn't do that because of the pleasure of restoration... if it were life/death/my job then I'd go with a LMC1200 or 1500... or a perfectly maintained spryte.

?????

 

[Snowcat Operations]

The 1202 Sprytes are hard to beat period!

 

[weatherby]

Thanks Mainer, snowcat Opp., Bkvail, & Socal4t12 Yes I do hope to get this thing restored back to it's original condition at least as close as possible, the way things are looking I think I will get very close to original. At this time I am having a hard time finding the correct mirrors BUT I've had a hard time finding MOST of the original parts anyway, so in time I will probably find these mirrors also. I'm one of these guys that find it so fascinating to look over any thing old & rare and even not so rare restored things like cars, boats, air planes snow cats etc. etc. I think it's interesting to see how things were made back in the day before there was todays technology though todays technology is nice and convenient I'm not all that sure it's always better. Yes I do plan on USING this cat but not ABUSING this cat. After spending all this TIME & MONEY would be a big waist if I did not take it out and show it off or take it out for those sunday outings that I can't wait for. Once these old cats are gone there gone for ever. You can always build a NEW ORIGINAL cat but never an ORIGINAL OLD one.

 

[socal4t12]

I just thought I would show you guys the crack in my exhaust manifold before I get it fixed, (the crack is between the two studs in the first picture). Also I,am switching the 35amp generator for a 160amp alternator

does anyone have a line on any ford 223 manifolds, not the headers? they are commonly found on the 1960's ford f-100 trucks. mine is cracked in the same exact spot as weatherbys. what are the chances of that. it appears to be a casting flaw. hope they welded yours reallllllly good weatherby.

 

[Snowcat Operations]

Good LUCK! If its a casting flaw which its almsot certainly is then why would you want another one? I would sacrifice authenticity and go with a very good header that wont give you any problems. My 2 cents.

 

[mkntrakes]

post a pick may have one but need to see which one you have

 

[weatherby]

I've been working on some small (time consuming) stuff and spending a lot of time hunting down parts along with working on body sheet metal and painting of some small parts. I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what were the correct type of switch's used for the heater's. They were either a push-pull switch or a twist or (turn) type of switch. If anybody with a track master has a pic. of there dash I would sure like to see it. I know these pics. are not very exciting but they are of the correct size outside mirror, & reflectors, e-brake & data plate refurbished, and you can see the missing heater switch's on the dash that I still need.

 

[Mainer]

Oh my god. I'm in luv. LOOK at that dash! Just look at it!!!! GORGEOUS!
Uh, can I get a centerfold/pin-up version please?
Look at it! Worship it!

 

[Mainer]

Here is a shot of what I believe to be the most virgin of dashes of the line-up. It should be one of the rotational switches however there are several types that have replaced the original by previous owners. One owner had at least gone through the effort to find a rotational switch with a somewhat similar shape/size but it was shiny! and tan! Ahhhh! Attached to show contrast.

Some may default to what is stated in other posts: "PM Boggie for spares..."

But I don't that will work in this case.

ps... unless that lights a fire under Boggie to go digging!

This is such a sweet mission you're on Weatherby! Awesome!
Capturing life of the original! I'll do some digging.

 

[mtncrawler]

Don't know what has been replaced on this dash. It is a little newer 601 though. The mirror looks factory.

 

[weatherby]

THANKS Mtncrawler & Mainer all those pics. are of great help. Also I need one wiper motor like what is pictured in Mtncrawler's pic. it need not work, all I need off of the wiper motor is the threaded shaft assy.

 

[weatherby]

Here's a better pic. of what I need

 

[MNoutdoors RIP]

Here is a shot of what I believe to be the most virgin of dashes of the line-up. It should be one of the rotational switches however there are several types that have replaced the original by previous owners. One owner had at least gone through the effort to find a rotational switch with a somewhat similar shape/size but it was shiny! and tan! Ahhhh! Attached to show contrast.

Some may default to what is stated in other posts: "PM Boggie for spares..."

But I don't that will work in this case.

ps... unless that lights a fire under Boggie to go digging!

This is such a sweet mission you're on Weatherby! Awesome!
Capturing life of the original! I'll do some digging.

That would mean we would have to get into the private stock. and since you are not a member of the club(RCA)Re builders club of America. Mainer you are not entitled to private stock.yet to start the application process to see if you can be accepted you first have to rebuild a machine and go through some trials and tribulations anyone can buy rigs. and store them it takes a real member to start rebuilding them. O by the way you missed another one....


Weatherby, great job......... If you can not locate your wiper part let us know we should have some. or just send a PM

 

[mtncrawler]

That would mean we would have to get into the private stock. and since you are not a member of the club(RCA)Re builders club of America. Mainer you are not entitled to private stock.yet to start the application process to see if you can be accepted you first have to rebuild a machine and go through some trials and tribulations anyone can buy rigs. and store them it takes a real member to start rebuilding them. O by the way you missed another one....

Boggie you are right on, dude! Snowcats should be used, not hoarded.

 

[weatherby]

Been removing some damaged sheet aluminum and fixing a few cracks in the frame, also some painting of some small parts.

 

[Snowcat Operations]

Getting closer and closer!

 

[weatherby]

Finished soda blasting the cab, it will not remove the bed liner type of coating that is on the inside of a 601 cab. It took 5 hours to do all of the outside of the cab and doors & roof hatch with only about 4 1/2 bags of soda.

 

[RedRocker]

No eye protection? You guys are tough!!