Vintage Snowmobiles
Posted on May 14th 2015
Vintage, classic and antique snowmobiles have a following around the world. Many people own and collect these kinds of sleds. The Antique and Classic Snowmobile Club of Canada (ACSCC) is the most active and organized society for this hobby. The club started out when four out of about 20 Canadian members of the Antique Snowmobile Club of America (ASCOA) sat down at the Baldwin Inn in Windermere, Ontario, in October of 1982.
Essentially there were a bunch of guys from Ontario collecting old sleds. The ASCOA doing well with antique snowmobiles to a point, but they didn't take into consideration vintage sleds, which would be 1968 or older. The guys organizing the Canadian club wanted to show off their vintage sleds, which were considered antique by American standards and race sleds, none of which the American club sanctioned.
So the Canadian club was started. To clarify, an antique sled is from 1967 and older, 1968-1977 is a classic or vintage sled and in the past few years, 1977 has been moved up to 1985. There is a vintage snowmobile show almost every weekend somewhere in Canada. ACSCC members also attend swap meets where they show their sleds, bring used parts and swap or sell their parts.
Vintage racing is also a big deal. In Ontario, they hold the Grand Prix de Kincardine. It is a unique form of snowmobile racing. The race is done on a packed and groomed snow track in and around Kincardine, Ontario. The rules and classes are very simple and it's basically keeping the fun factor at a low price. There are drag races, closed course and cross country.
The club has members throughout Canada and the U.S. and even in Sweden. But because of the economy, some enthusiasts have been forced to sell their antique or classic snowmobile to pay the mortgage. Some dealers have gone under and closed their doors, and have shifted to selling their snowmobiles online. Usually when dealers sell sleds, they place a unique identifying sticker on the sled. Collectors post these online and see if anyone has any information.
Some people do not collect actual sleds; instead, they collect paperwork, brochures, literature, videos and so on to try and preserve the amazing history of snowmobiling. There are a number of iconic sleds out there. The original Ski-Doo, the 1959/60 Bombardier Ski-Doo, was considered iconic and was the start of recreational snowmobiling as we know it today. When you get into the mid-1970s, there are a number of manufacturers who brought in independent suspension. Sleds like the Polaris RXL and the Yamaha VMax are also very iconic.
You are sure to find your favorite vintage snowmobile on MotorsHiFi.com.
You can always educate yourself about all-terrain vehicles and other motor vehicle technology on the MotorsHiFi site, located on the web at www.motorshifi.com. Here you can go to get your dream vehicle.