Upgrades & Modifcations or Restore to Historic Condition?

[B_Skurka]

Ok guys, here is another question from a non-Bombardier owner.

When you guys buy these old units do you "upgrade" them with modern features or do you restore them to their original factory specifications?  Is there some collector value in these units that would make them more valuable if restored to showroom condition or does their value lay in the ability to use them?

LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND for my question.  My Snow Trac is 34 years old and from what I can tell has no collector value.  Mine was actually featured on a British TV show so it is a "famous" Snow Trac (at least it has some small bit of history).  But all that said, it has no value as a collectable.  As I went about the continuation of the restoration, I changed the headlamps to H4 Halogens (but kept them inside the original housings) and I also added side, rear and additional front lights plus a strobe.  I also added dual rearview mirrors, upgraded the whole electrical system and rebuilt the generator.  Inside I have a Magellan Meridian Color GPS unit, an auxillary heater, a 12-volt outlet, dual batteries, and even upholstered the seats in Hawaiian fabric to add a bit of color.  Most owners of Snow Tracs I've come across have made similar "upgrades" to make their units safer.  Many also have added 2 way radios, etc.

Here are some of the photos of stuff that I have done, what have you guys done?  Why?

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y75/melensdad/Herbie%201972%20Snow%20Trac%20ST4/mirrorsandlights.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y75/melensdad/Herbie%201972%20Snow%20Trac%20ST4/dash.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y75/melensdad/Herbie%201972%20Snow%20Trac%20ST4/attachment-2.jpg

Fan helps keep the windshield from fogging in the winter and also keeps me cooler in the summer.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y75/melensdad/Herbie%201972%20Snow%20Trac%20ST4/fan.jpg


And just for fun I labeled my "ignition" button "eject"
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y75/melensdad/Herbie%201972%20Snow%20Trac%20ST4/dashboard.jpg

[Averyman]

Nice job.. As a restorer of old tractors I favour keeping everything as origional as possible and plan to do the same with the Bombardier. I plan on upgrading to 12 volt though to get better lighting but I will retrofit with a generator rather than an alternator just to keep the same appearance. I'm looking for fabric to match the origional . Because my machine is one of the last wooden bodied machines I believe it has collector value as not too many have survived.  Just my opinion....Clarence

[B_Skurka]

I got into snowcats because I love tractors.  My last restoration was my favorite.  It was a 1956 Oliver Super 55 Diesel.  I still kick myself for selling that one.  It is now a working tractor on an apple orchard.  When I got it it was not much more than a running engine.  A barn, or something similar fell on it and while the engine was in great shape, there was a lot of work to be done to get it presentable. 

To make matters worse, at some point in its life someone painted it John Deere green & yellow.    That was just sort of the last insult.  But we turned it into a beautiful parade tractor.  I had no idea it would go onto lead a productive life again.  I figured another collector would have wanted it but I suppose it is doing what it was designed to do!

[Averyman]

Being a farmer I love tractors too, especially the rare ones. I have a 1918 12-25 Avery and a 1917  12-20 Emerson Brantingham  along with a few newer ones of various makes.  As a kid growing up in Saskatchewan I always marvelled at the snowplanes and Bombardiers of the late 40's and early 50's but never even got to ride in one... I vowed that someday I would own one and now have both. I built my own snowplane ten years ago and got the Bombardier this summer.. Had a nice run with the Bombardier this afternoon, I'm hooked.........

[Swamp Dawg]

If you haven't already seen Cam McLean's wooden bombardier restoration pictures and write-up you should check them out here. In my opinion that is how a resto should look.
http://www.northerntracks.com/history/wooden-dinosaurs.html