51 R18 Rebuild

[dpaulson]

Look what followed me home Saturday

.

Ain't she ugly....

[kpm]

well the motor sounded alright in that 51....that's all the good i can say about that one.
                                                                                        kpm

[the old trucker]

   Can some one tell me what the difference is between Mike's 57 C18 & this 51 R18 ?? Would it be where one is a narrow gauge & the other is a wide gauge ??

                                                                                   A puzzled OT ??

[dpaulson]

I managed to get all the junk cut off, the windows and doors removed, and the floor pan cut out this weekend.

[kpm]

when i saw this machine when brad owned,it needed LOTS of attention looks like you have your hands full....and are on the right track..i'm sure it will be a totally different bombardier when your finished
                                                           kpm

[Cranman]

1951 metals are pretty rare. I've never seen one but talked to Ted and he has. The lights back near the windshield were different as were the front skiis. Ted says the front king pins had needle bearings and sure enough they are in the parts list for Serial with prefix 3A. Mine is an early 1953 (January) Serial prefix 2D. It has the shocks added, wooden doors and aluminum sprockets. All later 1953's were 3B's I think. I see some upgrades on this machine I think. Metal doors and and new style sprockets weren't around in 1951 to my knowlege. If there are shocks, they were added too. Is the maufacturers plate still readable in the engine bay.
      I'd like to know if anyone has a 1953 with serial above 2D4175.??

[dpaulson]

This weekend I welded the new floor pan in with a removable access plate for the engine compartment (thanks to Swamp Dawg for the idea)   It should come in handy when changing oil, any starter problems etc.  I built a new fuel tank (just like the original).  I robbed the filler spout and cap from the old tank.  Put a new sender in it.  I also installed the exhaust.  I used a couple of cherry bomb turbo mufflers with the exhaust  out the back.

Cranman,
The serial plate is readable.
Model R18
Chassis 1C3519
Motor    22120C, but it now has a 318
Command?   17653
Date Fabricated 22 12 51

[bluetoque]

Cut an access panel in the nose about the same size and configeration as your roof hatch while your doing your mods....you will find it makes working on things up front a lot easier down the way.

[Cranman]

Since there appears to be so few metals in 1951 and yours was made right at the end of the year, it may be the first metal. I suppose the bombardier museum has all the details.

[dpaulson]

Cranman, just for the heck of it I sent an email to the bombardier museum requesting some information on the first manufactured metals.  It would be interesting to see how close that it is to the first metal.  Another small difference on mine is that I have only one hole for the defrost, whereas Swamp Dawg's 52 has two.  I think that I will install another one to 'update' it.

[the old trucker]

  Dpaulson could you post the email address for the Bombardier museum. Thank you.    OT.

[dpaulson]

This is who I sent it to

collectionneurs@museebombardier.com

[dpaulson]

This is the reply that I received.

Dear Mr. Paulson,

In reply to your request:

First of all, according to your register, you snowmobile comes originally from this dealer - Industrial Engines (Alta) LTD, Edmonton.

Your vehicle was made the sixth snowmobile in 1951. Just only 13 units were produced for this first year of the R18.

Thank for your interest in the Musée J. Armand Bombardier. If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours sincerely,

Guy Pépin

[dpaulson]

This is what I accomplished in the last couple of weekends.
Remove and replaced the tin where the side panel and fenders meet.  Both sides were rusted out. New fender tops also added.

Built a tub liner out of aluminum checker-plate.

Built a counsel for the shifter.  I'm using a Hurst ratchet shifter.  I tell people that when I want to get to 30 mph, I want to get there right now.

Seats installed.

[kpm]

it is already looking like a totally different bombardier....nice job!!
                                                              kpm