Yahoo Autos Ford Model T Snowmobiles Were Actually The Original Snowmobiles
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Most people have no idea how the snowmobile came about. The fact is its history is incontrovertibly tied to the car which got America motoring down roadways in big numbers, the ubiquitous Ford Model T. That might sound like a stretch, but the first snowmobiles were modified Model Ts as people wanted to use their newfound freedom even when snowpack made it otherwise impossible. Thus, the snowmobile was born out of necessity, as are many inventions.
Liquid Tire Chain was a real invention briefly offered by GM.
The idea for the Ford Model T snowmobile was dreamt up by a Ford dealer named Virgil D. White. Selling cars in Ossippee, New Hampshire came with a few challenges, including customers who couldn’t drive their prized vehicle in the winter since the many rural roads weren’t plowed.
White realized the most sensible thing to do was to modify the Model T instead of trying to invent a whole new vehicle. He figured with skis replacing the front tires and powered treads in the rear the car could glide right along snow-packed roadways and he was right.
Back in 1917 White patented his unique kit as well as the term “snowmobile.” But as is the case with many completely new inventions, he had to work out some kinks in the setup. Public sales commenced in 1922, with quite a few devotees to the new way of getting around calling it a “Ford on snowshoes.”
To make this work, a third axle with a wheel at each end had to be added to the rear of the car. The four wheels would help keep the tracks in rotation. Early track designs used heavy-duty fabric keeping metal cleats which would dig into the snow. However, problems with the fabric’s durability led White to go with stamped steel shoes connected together by metal chains.
Many assume these Model Ts had to be beefed up big time to deal with the rigors of snow travel and the extra load put on them by the snowmobile modifications. If you have much experience with these classic Fords you know they’re tough as nails. After all, back when they were in high use many roads weren’t paved, so owners would take them off-roading constantly with relatively few problems. In a way, the Model T was the early predecessor to the SUV.
