Friday, May 24, 2013

Phil's Toys

Some of Phil's custom snowmobiles over the years...

Click the images for a larger view.
Custom 340 RV Ski-Doo I got really carried away with this project. Even launched into my first big piece fiberglass hood mold. I cleaned up the sled and made a custom seat. I put twist grips on all my sleds because I'm a bike guy. They give better gripping, the thumb doesn't get cold and all the little pinkies stay warmer. Never had a single problem with them-ever. I still have the three molds (hood and two scoops) if you want to build one like this. Note it's an involved fitting project and the three fiberglass parts will not be cheap-I suppose something on the order of 500 bucks. This sled made SnowWeek magazine back then.
Custom 500 Indy I selected the fan cooled 500 Polaris because it's one of the lightest full sized IFS sled at the time. This is a bunch of junk yard parts painted and polished with a custom seat, my own Velocity hood and a paint job which was created before Polaris introduced a similar RMK paint scheme in 1999. Featured in American Snowmobiling and Michigan Snowmobiling.
Custom 340 Snojet Astro The original 340 fan cooled Astro was designed as a trail sled. I selected it to meet racing rules for VOLS racing in Minnesota. It met the class requirements of 'older than 1985-fan cooled engine-under 400ccs'. It was extremely light at something like 330 lbs and was/is probably the lightest sled available for that class. I blew a total wad on it and discovered in its first race (as we were lapped quickly) that you can't build a nice stock sled and expect to win. My competitors were really dialed in on clutching etc. or they were cheating like mad. I never went back and sold the sled at a huge loss (what's new.) Here is what I did to it. Chassis Polished the aluminum. Added giant non-boot grabbing aluminum foot stirrups. I had stainless steel spreaders made. And we deleted the ski shocks as they were not needed for oval racing. Suspension/track New track with hard-to-find old style short pick studs were used for traction without being so long they would destroy the tunnel. The suspension was thoroughly rebuilt. I used the best new bearings, new slide material, cleaned and painted aluminum pieces. Small idler wheels were added to compensate for low snow conditions and to take pressure off the slides. Gas tank My business is making fiberglass tanks and fenders for motorcycles so making a custom tank to replace the broken plastic tank was not all that difficult although it took a ton of time. I had the top covered in carbon fiber and the sides were painted to match the seat. It was coated on the inside to withstand the leeching effects of ethanol. A quick-read site gauge was added for racing. (The team AARP sticker is a tongue-in-cheek adornment as my racing brother and I are old.) Seat I custom made the entire seat; wood, foam and trick custom cover. Dashboard I made a carbon fiber dash board to match the tank and added graphics to give it and the sled a professional look. Customized hood The stock hood had some great lines but was hidden buy an ugly windshield and a protruding headlight. I did extensive glass work to mask the old hood. I made a super low black windshield and painted a three-color scheme. Handlebars Since I am a motorcycle guy I used a twist grip and motorcycle style brake lever on broomstick bars. I have used twist grips on all my snowmobiles to and never had one problem with them. Engine Engine was professionally built to my specs. Porting and all internals were bone stock to comply with the rules. The engine's exterior is coated in Swain's BBE-a black body emitter which draws heat out of the engine. I used the stock exhaust chamber. The engine was painted so the under hood looked as good as the exterior.
Ski-Doo 340 TNT Custom In 2001 my brother Ric and I decided to go back to snowmobile racing, something we both dropped 29 years ago in 1972. With vintage sled racing coming on strong, we built these racers. His was a 399 stock, mine is a '70 292 TNT fan cooled. My engine was modified to the max. Suspension was Yamaha. Custom seat, paint and graphics. Featured in Snowtech, October 2001.
1993 Ski-Doo Formula MX This was one of Ski-Doo's best looking sleds. I had to have one. In 2007 I found a 462 MX, the one with the white pearl hood. We rebuild all the steering and replaced the entire power system with a 617cc Rotax. While that was happening, I redesigned the rear portion of the seat so it had a more rounded profile. It was covered with vinyl colors to match my hood design. I had decals made which name it an MXR so I could have guys scratching their heads outside the restaurants..."I didn't know Ski-Doo made an MXR". The project was finished in late January 2008. As a spin off to this project I am offering a low black windshield, vent screens and belly pan boots because these items are so hard to find. I always do a drawing prior to starting a project as a visual guide.
2001 500 L/C Edge We can have umpteen vintage and custom sleds but when it come to daily riding you gotta have a sled that you can pull the rope and ride without worrying about this and that. This Liberty 500 Edge is my trail sled. Fast enough for me and it handles okay with high zoot suspension and C&A skis but it's on the heavy side. I did my own retro graphics, paint job and cut down the shield because I hate anything stock

Click the images for a larger view.

Custom 340 RV Ski-Doo

I got really carried away with this project. Even launched into my first big piece fiberglass hood mold. I cleaned up the sled and made a custom seat.

I put twist grips on all my sleds because I'm a bike guy. They give better gripping, the thumb doesn't get cold and all the little pinkies stay warmer. Never had a single problem with them-ever.

I still have the three molds (hood and two scoops) if you want to build one like this. Note it's an involved fitting project and the three fiberglass parts will not be cheap-I suppose something on the order of 500 bucks. This sled made SnowWeek magazine back then.

Custom 500 Indy

I selected the fan cooled 500 Polaris because it's one of the lightest full sized IFS sled at the time. This is a bunch of junk yard parts painted and polished with a custom seat, my own Velocity hood and a paint job which was created before Polaris introduced a similar RMK paint scheme in 1999.

Featured in American Snowmobiling and Michigan Snowmobiling.

Custom 340 Snojet Astro

The original 340 fan cooled Astro was designed as a trail sled. I selected it to meet racing rules for VOLS racing in Minnesota. It met the class requirements of 'older than 1985-fan cooled engine-under 400ccs'. It was extremely light at something like 330 lbs and was/is probably the lightest sled available for that class.

I blew a total wad on it and discovered in its first race (as we were lapped quickly) that you can't build a nice stock sled and expect to win. My competitors were really dialed in on clutching etc. or they were cheating like mad. I never went back and sold the sled at a huge loss (what's new.) Here is what I did to it.

Chassis

Polished the aluminum. Added giant non-boot grabbing aluminum foot stirrups. I had stainless steel spreaders made. And we deleted the ski shocks as they were not needed for oval racing.

Suspension/track

New track with hard-to-find old style short pick studs were used for traction without being so long they would destroy the tunnel. The suspension was thoroughly rebuilt. I used the best new bearings, new slide material, cleaned and painted aluminum pieces. Small idler wheels were added to compensate for low snow conditions and to take pressure off the slides.

Gas tank

My business is making fiberglass tanks and fenders for motorcycles so making a custom tank to replace the broken plastic tank was not all that difficult although it took a ton of time. I had the top covered in carbon fiber and the sides were painted to match the seat. It was coated on the inside to withstand the leeching effects of ethanol. A quick-read site gauge was added for racing. (The team AARP sticker is a tongue-in-cheek adornment as my racing brother and I are old.)

Seat

I custom made the entire seat; wood, foam and trick custom cover.

Dashboard

I made a carbon fiber dash board to match the tank and added graphics to give it and the sled a professional look.

Customized hood

The stock hood had some great lines but was hidden buy an ugly windshield and a protruding headlight. I did extensive glass work to mask the old hood. I made a super low black windshield and painted a three-color scheme.

Handlebars

Since I am a motorcycle guy I used a twist grip and motorcycle style brake lever on broomstick bars. I have used twist grips on all my snowmobiles to and never had one problem with them.

Engine

Engine was professionally built to my specs. Porting and all internals were bone stock to comply with the rules. The engine's exterior is coated in Swain's BBE-a black body emitter which draws heat out of the engine. I used the stock exhaust chamber. The engine was painted so the under hood looked as good as the exterior.

Ski-Doo 340 TNT Custom

In 2001 my brother Ric and I decided to go back to snowmobile racing, something we both dropped 29 years ago in 1972. With vintage sled racing coming on strong, we built these racers.

His was a 399 stock, mine is a '70 292 TNT fan cooled. My engine was modified to the max. Suspension was Yamaha. Custom seat, paint and graphics.

Featured in Snowtech, October 2001.

1993 Ski-Doo Formula MX

This was one of Ski-Doo's best looking sleds. I had to have one. In 2007 I found a 462 MX, the one with the white pearl hood. We rebuild all the steering and replaced the entire power system with a 617cc Rotax.

While that was happening, I redesigned the rear portion of the seat so it had a more rounded profile. It was covered with vinyl colors to match my hood design. I had decals made which name it an MXR so I could have guys scratching their heads outside the restaurants..."I didn't know Ski-Doo made an MXR".

The project was finished in late January 2008. As a spin off to this project I am offering a low black windshield, vent screens and belly pan boots because these items are so hard to find.

I always do a drawing prior to starting a project as a visual guide.

2001 500 L/C Edge

We can have umpteen vintage and custom sleds but when it come to daily riding you gotta have a sled that you can pull the rope and ride without worrying about this and that.

This Liberty 500 Edge is my trail sled. Fast enough for me and it handles okay with high zoot suspension and C&A skis but it's on the heavy side. I did my own retro graphics, paint job and cut down the shield because I hate anything stock

Snowmobile Products

(952) 935-8833