Ken B 3,164 #1 Posted July 14, 2013 I have been kickin around the idea of pickin up a vintage sled for awhile now. Does anyone own one of these or have any experience with one? Parts availability and reliability are some of my biggest concerns. Were they a decent sled? What are they worth? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 37,127 #2 Posted July 14, 2013 PM sent Ken. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebo-(Moderator) 8,330 #3 Posted July 14, 2013 Oh boy .............................. lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wheel Horse Kid 105 #4 Posted July 14, 2013 I always thought they looked cool and it would be neat to have one! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,164 #5 Posted July 15, 2013 The guy is looking to get 700 for the one I posted. It is supposed to be in very good condition and runs excellent with a like new track belt. Only thing is it has only the single cylinder under the hood. Just wish I could try before I buy! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebo-(Moderator) 8,330 #6 Posted July 15, 2013 And where were you headed to today with trailer in tow?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fireman 1,021 #7 Posted July 15, 2013 I think parts are gonna be hard to find for that Ken. Personally i'd stay away from it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,164 #8 Posted July 15, 2013 And where were you headed to today with trailer in tow?? I was on my way to pickup a tread mill..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,164 #9 Posted July 15, 2013 I think parts are gonna be hard to find for that Ken. Personally i'd stay away from it. I agree with you there Jeff. Here are my thoughts, the owner says it is 100% get on it and go with it needing absolutely nothing at the moment. I plan to hit him in the knees with an offer of 350.00 for it..... I have been lurking on some of the vintage sled sights for a while now and it seems most of them guys have never seen one in the flesh. Most of them do say it is obviously rare but not so much desirable..... There are a few other vintage sleds I have my eye on....I could drop 850 bucks for a much newer and faster sled but for some reason or another my interests have always been on older junque. If I were you Steve, (living up there on the Ponderosa and all) I would have had a sled a long time ago! There, the seed has been planted.....now its just a matter of time... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fireman 1,021 #10 Posted July 15, 2013 I can see how it's gonna play out: Kens gonna buy it and do a nice restore on it. Bring it to Zagray and Kent in the fall. Then the winter hit's and that little seed you planted is going to grow and next thing you know, you and Steve are going to strike some kind of deal/trade and that will be that. Then next spring, Steve will flip it for double the money! I think I have seen this before 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebo-(Moderator) 8,330 #11 Posted July 15, 2013 Wow..... you guys have it all figured out... lol I really have no interest in a sled. They take up too much room and you can only use them for a short period of time. I would rather put my funds into getting my tractors under proper cover. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MaineDad 85 #12 Posted July 15, 2013 Is that the one posted in Carmel, NY? There's a Toro/WH dealer here in Maine that's has a bunch of WH snowmobile parts in stock still, so I have been thinking about the sled too Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,164 #13 Posted July 15, 2013 Yes it is the one. I'm going to look at it this week end. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SALTYWRIGHT 859 #14 Posted July 15, 2013 I HAD ONE ALONG TIME AGO. IT IS FINE IF YOU GO ALONE, BUT IF YOU ARE WITH OTHER PEOPLE IT IS TOO SLOW. THEY RIDE GOOD BUT SLOW. RUSS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,164 #15 Posted July 16, 2013 What is the top speed Russ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
decksetter 50 #16 Posted July 16, 2013 That's kinda cool looking. Any info on them? What kind of engine/drive system do these things have? Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4 Beta Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,164 #17 Posted July 16, 2013 (edited) All that I THINK I know about it is that it has a 16 hp 2 stroke single lunger Kohler in it. From what I've heard it sounds as though my little Hot Rod Suburban might outrun it! I'm still gonna take a peek at it, I've been looking for a winter time hobby.....Only problem is....NO SNOW=NO GO. Edited July 16, 2013 by Ken B Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CasualObserver 3,408 #18 Posted July 16, 2013 That pic that you posted appears to be a 335. The 335 was the biggest of the single cylinder models Wheel Horse offered, coming in at 23 hp per the brochure. The one I had, had "Made in Switzerland" on the Kohler two-cycle. The HP ratings for all per the brochure are: 295 - 18HP 309 - 20HP 335 - 23HP 399 - 26HP 440 - not given, but per the engine manual it is 28HP The 399 and the 440 were two cylinder models. There is no top speed mentioned anywhere that I've ever found, but FWIW...the optional speedometer kit topped out at 80 mph. (My guess would be to be anywhere near that you also needed the optional Remote Hi Speed Jet Adjustment Kit!) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,701 #19 Posted July 16, 2013 Ken, you do not need snow if you have good ice... The old Palarus models of the late 1960's had a front wheel kit that attached to the skis...just a thought. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C-85 681 #20 Posted July 16, 2013 I have piloted a couple of these and they were okay. The ones I drove had tracks on them that were near smooth and so they spun all the time, so if this has a new track on it that might be for the better. This sled has all the disadvantages that all the sleds had from that time period. The new snow machines are much more reliable now due to better carbs, solid state ignitions, much better suspensions and so on. I'm sure the parts are very rare and hard to find if at all. But I'd buy this, more for being a museum or conservation piece than anything else! This sled is sure pretty! C-85 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Challenger 27 #21 Posted July 16, 2013 Did Wheel Horse engineer and build these "in house" or did another company build them for them? If built in house, is it an original Wheel Horse design or did Wheel Horse purchase an existing snowmobile company and just re-label the model a Wheel Horse? (That was not uncommon back in the early go - go days of snowmobiles) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CasualObserver 3,408 #22 Posted July 16, 2013 They bought Sno-Flite from C.E. Erickson. They operated the factory in Des Moines Iowa for the remaining production of the 1969 models and 1970 models. They moved production to South Bend for the 1972 models and then discontinued the snowmobile line. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jrod Safari 295 7 #23 Posted September 30, 2014 Is that the one posted in Carmel, NY? There's a Toro/WH dealer here in Maine that's has a bunch of WH snowmobile parts in stock still, so I have been thinking about the sled too What is the name of the dealer in Maine that has these wheel horse snowmobile parts? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
