Thread: Fordson Snow Motor

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Here's a concept vehicle built in 1924; pretty cool stuff. I wonder if there are any out there that still operate?

Snow vehicle concept from 1924. [VIDEO]

They use the brakes for steering same as my Ford 8N wish I could find parts.

I’ve seen that video on and off for several years and always get a kick out of it.

If I lived back in the mid-west I would probably build a downsized one as a winter project. Kind of thinking something along the line of old water heater tanks, a garden tractor chassis and a V4 Wisconsin engine for power.

Yeah I have way too much time on my hands this morning.

That would be fun!
Mike P, I think water pressure tanks would be a better idea than water heater tanks, they're considerably heavier walled, and there would be a lot of tourque on the driven end of those drums.
Heater tanks would too easily distort I would think.

Mike, I think you should build a hemi powered one out of your 37!

Falcon it's just a bit early to be hitting the eggnog isn't it.

Originally Posted by johnboy

That would be fun!
Mike P, I think water pressure tanks would be a better idea than water heater tanks, they're considerably heavier walled, and there would be a lot of tourque on the driven end of those drums.
Heater tanks would too easily distort I would think.

A water heater tank is a pressure tank, designed for around 150psig working pressure, and something like 300psig design pressure. I would think a pair of matched water heater tanks with a pair of strap steel "blades" welded to the outside in a spiral would work just fine. Build it, Mike, build it!! If you get one built and post some pictures of it cruising around in the deep snow I bet we'll have several more following. Build it!!

I saw one of those in Butte, Montana.

OK so I looked at some pictures and a diagram or 2






And I came to a couple of conclusions:

THIS IS DOABLE!!!!!!!!!


THIS WOULD NOT WORK WITH THE 1” or SO OF SNOW WE GET HERE EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS

Originally Posted by Mike P

OK so I looked at some pictures and a diagram or 2
And I came to a couple of conclusions:

THIS IS DOABLE!!!!!!!!!

THIS WOULD NOT WORK WITH THE 1” or SO OF SNOW WE GET HERE EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS

BUT!! They will also go through SAND!!! Build it, and attack the Great Sand Dunes National Park!!

Originally Posted by rspears

A water heater tank is a pressure tank, designed for around 150psig working pressure, and something like 300psig design pressure...

Oops!
Mea culpa!
We're talking at cross purposes here...here in New Zealand water heater tanks are thin-walled copper tanks with a pressure reducing valve between them and the mains system, designed for quite low pressures.
What you call a water heater tank is what we refer to as a water pressure cylinder, a different beast entirely.
I wasn't meaning to denigrate Mike P; the different names for different style things had me fooled.

Originally Posted by johnboy

Oops!
Mea culpa!
We're talking at cross purposes here...here in New Zealand water heater tanks are thin-walled copper tanks with a pressure reducing valve between them and the mains system, designed for quite low pressures.
What you call a water heater tank is what we refer to as a water pressure cylinder, a different beast entirely.
I wasn't meaning to denigrate Mike P; the different names for different style things had me fooled.

Not a problem Johnboy, just a difference in terminology due to what's "normal". Your "water tank" is what we call an on-demand water heater, or a point of use water heater. Most of ours are still the upright tanks surrounded by insulation, etc. I did not intend to generate any bad feelings in my response, either - all in fun.