Kristi KT-3 snowcat restomod

I can see there being a market for these for those big homes in ski country.

NOHOME wrote: I cant get over how this little VW engine is expected to pull turn those huge tracks over deep powder snow. What kind of final drive ratio do these things have? 30:1? And what is top speed on a flat stretch where you are just making miles?

This should make it seem possible.

I finally watched the Kristi dvd's last night and although It's never going to impress anyone like a turbo snowmobile, they can claw up a pretty steep and deep hill at a reasonable pace believe it or not and I bet I'll get the best economy out of anything up there!

The key to the Kristi design seems to be weight savings. The early and later models (not including the kt3) were amphibious. I don't think any other cats have made such a claim. I, along with plenty of you I'm sure are anxious to see what it reads across the scales. Part of my effort on the track rebuild has been to shed weight. Lots of rotating mass in those cleats with their longer bolts and steel top plate.

This is a direct quote from the previous owner who drove mine last. "With as many gears as that thing has. . . . It'd probably go up anything"

We have corner weight scales :)

In reply to Keith Tanner: I completely agree. Like that house parked at treeline on top of telluride. But I don't have the slightest idea how to find a buyer like that. Autotrader? GRM classifieds? My brain says auction it but where and when I have no clue.
Putting it on corner scales would be interesting. Never been done I bet!

More news, I don't think I can cheapskate the heads this time corrosion on 2 of the valve seats is deep enough that simply lapping them back in might take a few years.

of course it's one per head, not just the one cylinder

Forums Forums has a pretty active snowcat section, im sure buyers are out there, but they would be far few and far between than say weird used (GRM type) cars

If I was aiming for the high dollar crowd, I'd try to find a way to get a feature in one of the Telluride lifestyle magazines they give out. You know, quirky Colorado-built snowcats, how awesome are they? Snowcat supplied by 2K4Kcsq Restoration Services, 1-555-SNOWCAT.

Ralph Lauren doesn't read Autotrader or GRM.

In reply to Keith Tanner: very well said, as always. Those magazines are popular enough around here. Also a good way to get on the coffee table in the type of house that would have a real use for the machine. Honestly that's who I need to reach. Oprah don't wanna ride in an old noisy machine from the 60s but the more average home owner up there who grew up in the mountains might want one.

After asking around I decided to send the heads off to painters grinding in denver. Should have them back in a week or so.

Stage it with a generic family Crest on the door or something along those lines. The butler will need something to make the Chardonnay and Caviar runs down the mountain.

2K4Kcsq wrote: Yessir, original tilt trailer. They also sold them with a Ford flatbed hauler option. Wouldn't that be cool to have! Finished drilling the float belts today. All that's left on the tracks is to wait for powder coating, then final assembly/splicing. Time to shift my effort back to the engine

So um, I saw this today on our local craigslist... SC

https://greenville.craigslist.org/cto/5411973137.html

JUuuust in case you were interested.

In reply to Mad_Ratel: sweet! It's even got my favorite ford engine! I can't remember if the Kristi ones had a tilt bed or not.

In reply to mbruneaux: hahaha "ye olde snowmeister"

I don't think the bed would need to tilt if you had the ramps. It's not like it can get high centered with tracks. Awesome build, by the way!

In reply to 2K4Kcsq: Offer back country tours on the weekends? Skiing or just sightseeing, I would pay for a ride in that thing with a Champagne brunch at 12,000 feet . Now officially in day dream mode.

In reply to RossD: good point. Or a nice plowed snowbank you could back into.

In reply to TRoglodyte: I've had the same thought for sure. Call it poor man's pow tours or something to that effect. Offer backcountry ski/snowboarding laps or just scenic tours. It's a tight fit but you could do 5 people including driver or maybe even a tow behind sleigh for more capacity if the weather was nice. Still beats a tow rope behind a snowmobile as far as I'm concerned

Not much new to report. I may clean up the cylinder tin today but after that I'll be playing the waiting game. Those Texas aircooled parts guys must have the worst communication policy in history. I ordered parts on January 7th and though 2/3 of my order already arrived, I have called and emailed them multiple times and only got one reply that warented a follow up. . . Which I never got. They said they drop ship from the manufacturer and they would look into it and call me back. Haven't heard from them since.

Sounds like they need a "come to Jesus meeting" phone call. You are a paying customer, there's no reason you should have to take time out of your day to figure out where your parts are.

Hey There, just wondering if you ever considered lining the aluminum angle with hickory slats, maybe extend the hickory 3/8 or 1/2" above the aluminum for wear, replace as necessary as they wear. Just a thought. Ben

Hemmings Motor News. Old, restored/updated/niche market that isn't racing...Hemmings.

DuPont Register, cuz thats how I roll.

mountainben wrote: Hey There, just wondering if you ever considered lining the aluminum angle with hickory slats, maybe extend the hickory 3/8 or 1/2" above the aluminum for wear, replace as necessary as they wear. Just a thought. Ben

My dad actually suggested that exactly. After watching the Kristi dvd's I can see why they used wood. A good chunk of that footage was showing them drive over land. My only problem now is I invested in 1200+ bolts at a specific length. But if the aluminum can't hang I may step up to steel or something different.

You would need to pre drill the wood anyway. Just use a countersink bit and then use the bolts that you have.

In reply to Woody:

it would leave me with a thin wood wall that's for sure. bolts are juuuust long enough to get thru the angle and nyloc . but the thought has crossed my mind. its definitely a better idea for durability over mixed terrain. you guys obviously wont stop till I put another 80 hrs of work into these tracks hahaha

oh the Craigslist Kristi guy posted pics! he has 2 KT-3's. running one is #129 with a Porsche engine option. the other is #119 neither of which is in the Kristi snowcat registry

Now I just need to talk java230 into going halves with me. I'll take the basket case, you can have the running driving Porsche powered one

Will the fastener supply place take your 1200 bolts back?

I got them on a wholesale closeout from fastenal.com I'm guessing they were trying to get rid of them. Wouldn't be that bad of a hit to just buy longer bolts. Not sure what I'd ever do with all the extras

I better stop whining about my parts. Loaded cylinders showed up today. Even came with new wrist pins.

In reply to 2K4Kcsq:

Stop it. If you get it to WA I'd think about it...