1971 Ext Special was the first Cat with a 15 inch track. Standard Ext used the 17 inch of the Pumas. 1972 EXT racer used a 15 also. Also not many folks know that the 1972 AMF Ski-Daddler XX race sled used Cats 15 inch EXT Special track and suspension in the smaller chassis for the 440 and smaller XX model racers. I interviewed the guy who ran the XX race team many years ago and found that one out.
Welcome. The thing with track width/length in Arctic at the time was they were learning how to make a sled turn verses how to get the power down as the engines got stronger. The 120 something by 17 inch original Panther track was great for traction, at the time, but boy did you get arm pump racing on a snow oval. I've done some oval running on snow at track days and it's a real workout. Suspension and traction tweaks on the skis, and studs helped, but the sled beat you up. The 1970 Puma racer took the Panther and chopped off about a foot. Now the sled turned easier. Far less dead weight and drag meant more speed. However they quickly found out that 50hp and under the sled was a good racer. Put anything above a 650 in it and the thing wanted to spin out in the corners. That's why the 793 Hirth triple was a failure in the Puma chassis. No traction and tail happy. The race team worked up King Kat prototypes before the snow melted in the 1970 season and split the difference in track length between the Puma and Panther. Still using the 17 inch width. They got some stability back with the big bore triples. Meanwhile they parallel pathed the 15 inch wide track in a longer than Puma length chassis for the Special, and that gave more traction than the Puma with less weight than the KK. This worked out better for the 440 and under twins for the 1971/72 Season and led to the development of the 1973 El-Tigre sport sled. The 1971 KK sized track wasn't dumped after a season. Instead those dimensions were used on the 1972 Cheetah cruiser/sport sled. However the skid frame swing arm locations were changed to be softer riding and better in deep snow for trail use. That's why a 1972 Cheetah track will fit a 1971 KK, but a 1972 Cheetah skid frame will not.
Arctic cat only had the 17.5 track, all others had 15 inch narrow, 18 in wide But not the Cat one size fit all. I'm sure that kept their cost down too!! I never thought much of Sachs power back then. At the local 1/2 mile oval at the local bar, the Pumas with the Kawasaki motor & 5000 rpm clutch could pick the skis up about 18 inches & carry them about 50 feet when the start flag was. Dropped. The Polaris 400 Tx could carry them all the way to the curve of the banked oval track. He'd have to let off to stear into the curve.
The Puma platform worked great no matter what engine it had. Mine had the Kawasaki 340, I put over 5000 miles on it.
The 1971 puma with the rare daul Carb super sport fancooled kawasaki z engine was a 70+hp beast!!!!
The old cats had class!
I agree!
1971 Ext Special was the first Cat with a 15 inch track. Standard Ext used the 17 inch of the Pumas. 1972 EXT racer used a 15 also. Also not many folks know that the 1972 AMF Ski-Daddler XX race sled used Cats 15 inch EXT Special track and suspension in the smaller chassis for the 440 and smaller XX model racers. I interviewed the guy who ran the XX race team many years ago and found that one out.
Thanks. Thats good info. Thanks for looking.!
Welcome. The thing with track width/length in Arctic at the time was they were learning how to make a sled turn verses how to get the power down as the engines got stronger. The 120 something by 17 inch original Panther track was great for traction, at the time, but boy did you get arm pump racing on a snow oval. I've done some oval running on snow at track days and it's a real workout. Suspension and traction tweaks on the skis, and studs helped, but the sled beat you up. The 1970 Puma racer took the Panther and chopped off about a foot. Now the sled turned easier. Far less dead weight and drag meant more speed. However they quickly found out that 50hp and under the sled was a good racer. Put anything above a 650 in it and the thing wanted to spin out in the corners. That's why the 793 Hirth triple was a failure in the Puma chassis. No traction and tail happy. The race team worked up King Kat prototypes before the snow melted in the 1970 season and split the difference in track length between the Puma and Panther. Still using the 17 inch width. They got some stability back with the big bore triples. Meanwhile they parallel pathed the 15 inch wide track in a longer than Puma length chassis for the Special, and that gave more traction than the Puma with less weight than the KK. This worked out better for the 440 and under twins for the 1971/72 Season and led to the development of the 1973 El-Tigre sport sled. The 1971 KK sized track wasn't dumped after a season. Instead those dimensions were used on the 1972 Cheetah cruiser/sport sled. However the skid frame swing arm locations were changed to be softer riding and better in deep snow for trail use. That's why a 1972 Cheetah track will fit a 1971 KK, but a 1972 Cheetah skid frame will not.
I love your vids, brings a lot of memories.@@travistml
I really love your videos. Thank you for taking the time and sharing your wonderful old sleds with us.
Glad you like them!
Sweet sled!
Always appreciate your videos. Glad you spend the time to film and share your vintage sled collection!
Arctic cat only had the 17.5 track, all others had 15 inch narrow, 18 in wide But not the Cat one size fit all. I'm sure that kept their cost down too!! I never thought much of Sachs power back then. At the local 1/2 mile oval at the local bar, the Pumas with the Kawasaki motor & 5000 rpm clutch could pick the skis up about 18 inches & carry them about 50 feet when the start flag was. Dropped. The Polaris 400 Tx could carry them all the way to the curve of the banked oval track. He'd have to let off to stear into the curve.
Thanks for the info!! Thanks for looking!! Back then I was riding a snow jet with a single cylinder 372 cc hirth engine
They were all 17- inch track back then . I started to snowmobile in 1972 . Bought a 1972 Arctic cat 440 Puma . The Track was 17 inches wide .,
Great machines!
THAT MACHINE WAS MY FIRST SNOWMOBILE. IT IS COOL. IF YOU EVER CONSIDER SELLING IT KINDLY LET ME KNOW! GOOD DAY
I'm in Wisconsin- have 2 of them - might sell for right $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ - one of them I've owned for 0ver 50 years
PLUSIEUR MOTEUR KASAKIE SACHS JLO HURTH KOLEUR ANNÉE 1971 ENT 1972 TOUTES DES KASAKIE 1976 MOTEUR SUZOKI TOUTS
Is this for sale this was my dads sled and if u still have it I'm intrested
ChuckNorris would look good on this machine
Yes i agree. A lot better than me!
I think the timing is OFF