How to identify a bombardier

[houlio]

Thanks for helping me post the info Swamp Dawg.

[the old trucker]

Posting this from an email I received from Bombardier. I will see if he has the burgundy color code

Re: Blue Paint‏
From:   (b12bouchard@yahoo.ca) 
Sent: December 15, 2008 3:31:16 PM
To:  claude stratton (popsshed@hotmail.com)

hi Claude actually there were many different colours depending what company ordered a machine, bell Canada,army,RCMP,and so on,but strait from the factory was blue and some burgundy dark tint,have your friend look inside the doors for over spray,places that were not disturbed over the years,blue is called midnight-blue ,from limco paint which can be found in many auto parts store,stock # is 85003 midnight blue limco 3,the recipe is ,LB105 FLOW CONTROL 22.9,LB201 IRON BLUE 146.4,LB401 LAMP BLACK 74.7,LB608 RED VIOLET 38.1,LB900 BRIGHT WHITE 10.9, AND LMC3 URETHANE MIXING 134.5 THIS IS FOR ONE GALLON. HOPE THIS HELP YOU OUT LATER CHARLES...--- On Sun, 12/14/08, Claude stratton <popsshed@hotmail.com> wrote:
 

[DR.R]

     Good evening everyone. I have an easy question(I hope). I picked up a snowbug put the ID plate was not replaced when they painted it. Some specs are as follows:
- Narrow Gauge.
- Length app. 17' 3 " not including front bumper.
- Lights set to the front of machine.
- 4 round windows/side.
- Motor 292   6 cyl. I was told it was a Chrysler motor but Ford made a 300, but that was in the 80's for trucks.
- Trany is 3 on tree long shaft.

     It was used for only a few hours each year for last 6 or so years so everything is slightly gummed up. I want to buy new parts but want to narrow down the year best as possible. My estimation is a 52. Any other info required?     Thank You!
DR.R

[Swamp Dawg]

Is there any way to tell the vintage of a machine from the hatch location?  Our 52 has it in the back, but I see others that have it in the front.

[Cranman]

Many of the early metals didn't have hatches unless they were ordered . Don't think any of the woodies had them. Those that did were up front over the seats and were cut into the first roof support. Those installed after by owners were usually installed behind the roof support so they are a foot back or so. That is where I put mine in my early 1953. I like it better because you can have someone standing in the hatch without interfering with the driver or passernger. It's a great view from there and plenty of fresh air.

[Cranman]

GMC had a 292 truck engine. If it is a 1952 it should have wood on the inside of the doors, no shock absorbers and likely aluminum or cast iron sprockets. Mind you, many updates can be installed over 60 years but there still should be some tell tale signs somewhere on the machine i.e if it does have shocks and the towers appear to be fabricated after market, you know it is a 1952.

[Averyman]

DR.R  If it were a 1952 it would have a wooden body with five windows and a 251 Chrysler engine.  Roof hatches were an option on the 52 woodies according to my manual  Clarence

[Averyman]

DR.R    Disregard my previous post... the info I posted was for a 1951.  Sorry
Clarence

[DR.R]

    Thanks guys. This just makes my head spin. I checked the sprocket on the front of the track and it is a hard plastic. I also found out there are shocks, with a mark of T-7HC   Bombadier on it, plus numerous others. I did notice that there was the faint marks of a grinder between the ski attachment and the floorboard of the bug on the frame. This could be evidence of an old system that was updated to shocks,but the holes in the body where the shock goes thru are either factory or an excellent after market job. Wood on inside of door and on inside of roof, if that means anything.  After crawling all around I found out that the previous paint job is was Yellow.   Thanks for the help.  Much appreciated.
DR.R

[the old trucker]

  Swamp Dawg, I noticed in reply # 16 that you posted for Houlio,  this info is for the metal gauge machine. I assume it is same for all machines, metal or wood, with regard to width, motor, height, tracks, chassis width, (narrow & wide) & skis.
  I have read that the "woody" is approximately 1,900 lbs. My question to anyone, is what is the overall length of the "woody". I would think it has the same radius on the frame rails, but the length would be shorter on account of the blunt nose. Also I would like to know what that radius is. I also would like to know the measurements & angles  of the front seat frame that is "original" to the "woody" as I plan to duplicate a couple.
         
                                                                       Thanks from The Old Trucker   
                                                                       

[B12 man]

hear is some info that some of you may or may not know, the steal snow moble is made so that you can atach weals on it but the a snow moble is not realy built for riding on rodes this desine was put there for caring suplies around saw mill's and shiping yards in winter they wernt intended for long trips acros roads this would where the tracks down far to quick to prove any use. Also the steal snow moble has a coil spring but a wooden snow moble has a saspended bogy spring.

[the old trucker]

A bit more info.

 "At one time, all of the vehicles sold by L'Auto-Neige Bombardier Limitee had interchangable sets of wheels and runners to allow travel on soft or rough terrains. This was the case with the snowbus-type vehicles such as the B12 and C16 which, thus modified, became known as the R12 and the R18. The R series has all-steel bodies. However, sales never were spectacular. The R series remained in production until 1979. They were the last large snowmobiles produced by the bombardier plant for mass transpotantion. Their lack of sucess on the market convinced Armand that the days of the large snowmobiles were over."

Grfishmaker are you saying that the skis on the b12 are interchangeable to wheels ?? Was there a special bracket made to do this change over ??

[the old trucker]

Can anyone give me a rough idea of the year of this bomber ? I have it dated back to 1947. First year for rubber on the pedals.

 
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m366/theoldtrucker/DSCF0329.jpg


http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m366/theoldtrucker/DSCF0328.jpg

http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m366/theoldtrucker/DSCF0334.jpg

http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m366/theoldtrucker/DSCF0327.jpg

http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m366/theoldtrucker/DSCF0327.jpg

http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m366/theoldtrucker/DSCF0321.jpg

http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m366/theoldtrucker/DSCF0319.jpg

  Looks like metal on the back ends behind the tracks in the pic below. I thought it was framed with angle & covered with plywood.

http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m366/theoldtrucker/DSCF0318.jpg

[the old trucker]

  Maybe their all babies !!!! 11 per side plus 4 across the back !!! AAHHH  Haaaa.  Only joking kpm. Only joking my friend.

[grfishmaker]

Ah yes....the old R26...brings back the memories. The R26 was a special built bombardier in 1955 for the missionarys in New Guinia to hold 26 pigmys. The idea never lasted long as they soon realized that the lack of snow caused too much wear on the machines and the maintanance was eating up the church's budget. They quickly reverted back to the donkey-on-a-rope method of transportation and production of the B26 was ceased. Apparently it was the shortest production of any bombardier model that ever came out of Valcourt. (Isn't Canadian history interesting? I bet not too many people know this.)