soupdragon

ChlngrII. Well, thanks to your photo, I can safely remove the "?" from the thread title... Stopped off at a ATV/Snowmobile store yesterday to show them the pic and they were very interested. Turns out your "Generic" was spot on, made by Ski-Doo, it's a modified 'Skandic' SWT (for Super Wide Track). Update - may be made by 'Lynx' from Norway - also a 'Bombardier' company hence shared components... They actually had one there, in for service - owned by the local snomobile club for maintaining the trails. It's a bit of a plug - kind of the 4x4 tractor of the over snow world - deffinately not a sports car or racer. It has reverse and Hi/lo transmission and is used in "the back country" for cutting trails, pulling groomers or working hard yanking firewood etc. There are quite a few Youtube clips of them - inc crossing water! There is a french (Canadian) vid which shows a 1997 model which seems to be the nearest age wise going by the subtle changes manufacturers make from year to year. Now to find a decent second hand one... Thanks again for your help.

Try Pat Egan at fv433105mm@tulsaconnect.com , he is a big Brit armour fan, collector and importer in the States. I know him from when he was in the 101 club and see him or his business partner occasionally at the Aberdeen MD show. "Good people". There is also: Penbroke Marine Services 975 E Linden Avenue Linden NJ 07036 USA ... friends of mine in the UK have used these people, (sorry no contact person or email address), they did a decent job and have UK associates. I have done my own containers in the past, not too much bother. There is also the RoRo option if no accompanied kit and it's much cheaper. Kit could go seperate in a crate as a LTL (Lessthan truck load). Hope this helps. Howard

Challenger2 thanks for the cropped pic. Strange that the No Plate is on the front. I wonder what the hole above is for - ex head light maybe - the pop studs must be a soft cover or something. Yes - a high res pic would be great. Is it a "Skidoo" as in the manufacturer or are you useing it as the generic term for such?, like "hoover" the carpet sonny before yer mother gets home! Cheers Howard

challengertwo, thanks for the pic. I'll be able to show it to the local snowmobile shop dude to see if he recognises the manufacturer/year. Then I can work on the Supacat UK spec mods when I find one and see what it is missing. Do you remember if it had a motorcycle size/type numberplate or a Union Jack? If anyone sees this at any of this years shows, I'd appreciate owner contact info or more pics. Thanks.

Gordon/Dave - no, I meant the small motorcycle sized things, single or two seat, single track at the rear and two skis up front...

Does anyone know what make/model of snowmobile was/is used by our guys? I am guessing either Marines, Paras or Special forces. I was recently in a book store and saw an Equipment/catalog type non fiction book which included a snowmobile - in all white naturally, but I don't remember any of the details. Doubt I'll ever see one up for sale - especially now living in the states, but there are loads for sale here, so I should be able to find one that could be painted as a "replica"... Thanks in advance for any info. Howard

Just to add my tuppence worth, when using one of these - the recovery points have to be proportionately much more secure than for direct pulls, since the force applied may be the same - subject to all the usuall ground reaction forces, load, incline etc, but it is over a much shorter duration. Also the pulling vehicle needs to come to a stop and apply brakes. Oh- I'd never do this in a canvas topped vehicle or with passengers in it for ballast just incase that front bumper or tow hook comes adrift. Happy hooking.

A couple of pics of the last 2 Recovery Trucks that 2 PARA had. Not exactly heavy trucks - but wreckers none the less. 73 FL 42 is now in the REME Museum - Vehicle Collection at Borden. The crane is a Dixon-Bate TuckAway. The third truck in the lower pic is one of a pair of "Challenger" fitters trucks. Hard truck cab + Hiab for pack lifts. Pics taken in '93, they were already on the short list for demobing, but troubles with the RB44 meant that they had to wait 'till (I believe) the Pinzgauers came along. I will try to find some more pics for the album section - when I can work out how to! Howard

Hi Steve - welcome from me too, I just joined recently and look forward to much banter. I have an Ex 2 PARA, 5th Airborne Bgd - 1 Tonne Rover recovery truck, the pic below was taken in Aldershot late '93. Howard

Discussion. Are the Americans are going away from the wreckers being used for repair duties - lifting etc., using them for recovery only - both wheeled (medium - MTVR and Heavy - M984__) and armoured (M88), by replacing the 'motor pool shop sets' with the M7FRS (Forward Repair System), which is a portable palletized shop set, "with its on-board crane, air compressor, 30 kilowatt (TQG) tactical quiet generator, welder and full compliment of diagnostic and hand tools"...(tools alone estimated at $250000 - and yes, mostly 'Snap-on') Up and running in 5 minutes off the back of a PLS HEMTT (DROPS), is it possible that we'll go the same way? Will this increase the divide between VM's and RecyMech's... The new M.A.N SV® has a bigger capacity crane than the HEMTT but if the crane isn't needed for pack changes.... I'll leave the speculation to the pro's in the field, though I can't see all jobs waiting for the DROPS truck to show up to get a repair done. I guess all the spare/servie parts are in another palletized unit, but what about metalsmithing equipment etc. I'll stand corrected by anyone more 'up on things' and 'in the know'.

OK - so I have to say 'Hello'... "Well Hello then", from me. Looking forward to catching up with old 101 friends in the UK, Rover friends in the States and anyone wanting to talk to me about my "shopping/dream" list. 101 Club, EMLRA and host of "Guy Fawkes" Rover event, but I 'play' with the big stuff with hooks when back in the UK.

Wayne - didn't quite pick up if you still have a thermostat housing AND a space with the long bolts... but from what I remember of my winterised LtWt, was that the standard thermostat housing was retained and fitted to the top of the fitting you are looking for, which was in effect an open 'T', always taking priority of block coolant, subject to the gate valve behind the passengers right ankle, being open... up untill the 'stat opened, then sharing coolant with the radiator. Wish I still had my set up but I went the V8 route instead...