DAVID'S VINTAGE
SNOWMOBILE PAGE.
RESTORING THE
SPORT ONE PIECE AT A TIME.
PAGE 21,565
1971
ARCTIC CAT PUMA 634 SNOWMOBILE
Hi
again David!
Please
find enclosed attachments of some of the old pics taken during the
restoration
of our 1971 Arctic Cat Puma 634 (1999-2001).
Some
background / history below:
Dad
and I were on the lookout for a "Piped Cat" since 1989, after I first heard
stories one
evening
after the conclusion of the Georgian Cup snowmobile races here in Owen
Sound.
I
was in Grade 10 at the time, and was memorized by my father's explanation
of such a
machine,
while friends were visiting our home. I thought it would be neat
to see if such a
machine
could be located. Dad knew of one machine, a 1970 760 Panther with
the Montana
Pipes
which had originally been for sale new here in Owen Sound back in the fall
of 1970.
It
was advertised as an Arctic Cat "King Kat".
With
no pictures for reference and having not been born at that time, I began
searching for the
wrong
machine - a King Kat! Eventually things began to get straightened
out, and I was on my way to
secure
what became better known as a "Big Mouth Cat
with Montana Pipes".
However,
efforts to locate such a machine took many years. I joined
the ACSCC, VSCA, as
well
as ASCA; but still no machine. It was when Roy Morrison and Bobby
Givens began the
Morrison
Flats event locally in 1995, that our search to locate a machine began
to come
together.
We passed the word onto other local enthusiasts. One local collector
who was into
Harley
Davidson sleds at the time got a lead for us, while at a Harley meet in
the fall of 1999.
During
social time, he was asked if he would like to have some info about a Harley
sled that
was
in a field. He asked about some details about the machine, and was
informed it was:
"Black,
old and has big chrome pipes along each side of the belly pan". He
knew then it
wasn't
a Harley, but most likely a Big mouth Cat, with the infamous Montana pipes
that
Dad
and I had been passing word of to our club members. He called me
up immediately, and
the
machine as you can see in pictures 2 &
3 was in a very sad state left forgotten.
Without
hesitation
I went to go and see the machine, and I made a offer. Luckily
I remembered to
bring
a camera that day, and got a few pics. I had no trailer, other than
dad's old
station
wagon. I didn't even tell him I was borrowing it, or even getting
the sled. To make
the
machine complete looking, I borrowed a black Cat fuel tank, which the previously
owner
wouldn't
even sell me to go with the Puma! Our buddy and I then proceeded
to partially take
the
Puma apart, so that it would fit partially into the station wagon; and
I drove the unit
back
to my parents that evening.
While
I was at work the next morning, my Dad made the discovery of what was in
the back of
his
station wagon, and was horrified. He knew it was an old Cat; but
thought it was actually a
Kitty
Cat-wreck. He almost took the thing to the local scrap yard.
It was my Mom who came
to
the rescue and stopped him as he was about to go out the drive way.
Crisis
avoided for now. When I returned home after work, we had a frank
discussion; and it
was
decided by both of us to see if the machine could be saved.
Restoration
proceeded right away in the October of 1999. The machine was completely
dismantled
in 1 weekend. Everything was labeled and bagged. There actually
wasn't much
that
could be saved in the end. Much of the machine was either destroyed,
unrepairable, or
even
missing. Only 11 original components of the machine could be saved.
Not the way one
would
like to do a restoration! Dad had worked on many a car in his day
and was afraid that
the
Puma would in the end either prove too expensive to restore, or wouldn't
be able to be
restored.
Using the internet at work, many a phone call, and connections through
various
vintage
clubs and fellow collectors; slowly parts were secured. Sadly the
Montana Pipes
could
not be restored as the bottom of the sweep sections were completely rotted
away.
We
decided to go ahead anyway and restore the rest of the machine until something
could
be
worked out with the exhausts. It was during Christmas of 1999, that
Dad made a
connection
with ACS who originally made the Montana Pipe exhaust units.
2
employees who had worked there back in the day, believed that parts or
portions of these
exhaust
units still existed at ACS. They even believed that original draft
drawings were still
in
existence with the company. The plan was for them to look around
during the Christmas
holidays
of 1999, and they would get back to us, with what they found.
Sadly
they soon discovered that what they believed was still in existence, was
sadly just
recently
at that time discarded and now lost forever. Back to the drawing
board!
Dad
and I had most of the machine finished up by the spring of 2001; when I
got news of a
fellow
collector; a nurse who had a pair of OEM original condition Montana pipes
for a
634
Cat, that hadn't been used since the early winter of 1970.
(Yes
there is a difference b/w 634 and 760 Montana pipes).
I
traveled to Traverse City Michigan to meet the collector, and see if a
deal could be made.
I
not only was able to secure the pipes at a very fair price, but they also
had an all
original
1971 Puma seat for me as well, that needed no work!
The
final 2 pieces of the puzzle were now complete.
The
Puma was unveiled at the 2001 Morrison Flats Show and Shine.
It
was featured on "Classic Sleds 2" with Phil Molto, as well as
Snowmobiler
Television during the winter of 2001/2002.
Dad
and I have been very fortunate over the years to have the old Cat at many
an event and
have
enjoyed meeting new friends and sharing a little snowmobile history along
the way.
Its
hard to believe I located that Puma 17 years ago this Thanksgiving.
How
time flies when your having fun!
Doug
& Jeff Carmichael / "Carmichael Sno Sports"
CLICK
HERE FOR MORE PICTURES OF
THIS
SLED AT EXPO SNO 2016.
THANKS DOUG &
JEFF FOR THE GREAT PICTURES !
