JANUARY
15 / 2009
David
- I wanted to thank you for such a fantastic web site.
I
am new to this great hobby (quickly became a disease) of
vintage
snowmobile restoring.
I
can't tell you how many enjoyable hours I get out of your site.
Thanks
for all of your hard work that you put into your site.
I
have a 1972 Arctic Cat Puma 340. Photo page 11,245
on your site.
My
first show was the A1 Show in Michigan. I bought the sled in
late
August 2008 from the original owner. He is 82 years old and lives in
Dayton
Ohio. The sled was stored in his garage he said for 35 years.
He
had bought it for his wife in 1972 and she sadly passed away the
following
year. He was very attached to the sled and I gave him my
promise
that I would take very good care it. The sled was in pristine
shape
but he had wrapped it in a army canvas, old quilt and a
bed
sheet like a cocoon.
Being
wrapped up for 35 years the summer heat was not a very good
friend
to some of the plastic and hood but there was not a spec of
rust
on any of the chrome bumpers, chrome handle bars or skis.
I
restored it taking the sled completely apart drilling out every rivet and
completely disassembling the sled. I was lucky with a little TLC
I was
able
to bring back all of the plastic with the exception of the
grab
handles which I bought reproduction pieces.
The
reason I picked a Puma to restore was when I was younger that
was
my dream sled and I knew some day I would have one.
It
just took 37 years to get it.
I
have included a funny picture of what a great wife I have.
Not
every wife would let there husband put
reconditioned
parts in her dinning room.
Thank
you / Jody Robison
SEE
BELOW .....
UN-RESTORED
RESTORED
I
have included a couple more pictures the un-restored and the restored.
I
did install a different set of ski's only because the new
updated
steel ones help dramatically in the handling.
I
can always put the old ski's back on to make the sled correct.
It
is a driver and I will be going to the Twin Lakes,
Michigan
Vintage show this weekend.
Hopefully
I can get a few miles on her.
Thank
you / Jody Robison
THANKS
JODY FOR THE GREAT PICTURES!
