1971 super snowbug trail a sled :wink_old:

 

According to a chart in May 1972 issue of Snow Goer Trade, (the insiders magazine at the time that went to dealers, manufacturers officials, aftermarket companies and others who worked in the snowmobile industry) the Bombardier Corporation produced 262,500 snowmobiles for the 1971 season. That's right, a cool quarter-million.

And remember, that's one company (and two brands) in a time when it seemed like every little company that could source engines was finding a way to build chassis and create snowmobile brands. And to lend more perspective, the entire worldwide snowmobile market for 2012 was 129,087.

Aside from Bombardier's incredible production numbers and commitment, there's a lot of interesting information in the chart, including production numbers for brands like Sno Jet, Rupp, Chaparral and AMK's Ski-Daddler and Harley-Davidson brands.

So here they are, the numbers reported in Snow Goer Trade in 1972, as compiled by a financial analyst who studied public company records for some of the largest snowmobile producing companies. If you have trouble reading the chart, or if ads or other stories are partially covering it due to your browser settings, simply click on the chart and it will enlarge on your screen like a photo.

 

I was told that the Caribou was made in Jay maine. I saw one for sale on a snow bank in Jay 30 years ago.Need to look it up now...

 

Does not look to be true..

 

Here is a Sled I never heard of Alpina, made in Italy.

http://www.alpina-snowmobiles.com/

 

Lots of those sleds were regionally manufactured and stayed close to home, Quebec was the hotbed for many of them.Lots of them were really simular with one plant doing the tubs and shipping them over to another plant to be finished off with different components.Many were really cobbed together. Our first sled was a1968 boa ski ,bad choice for first year first ever sled. They were supposedly built by a company that broke away from sno jet so they were supposed to be similar. We switched to ski doo in 1969 and had a better experience although I'll always remember the shinny red Boa Ski with the two head lights.

 

I found this post of 250 Manufactures of Sleds at one time. Any more? Know the Sled Manufactures location, please post.

I couple of days ago I found an old list that my brother and I had compiled of all of the Snowmobile Brands that we could think of and had found from various sources. Let me know if you know of any more. I'll list them alphabetically. Here goes.......

MANUFACTURE Location Brand Name of Engine used
Aktiv
Aktiebolaget
Alaskan
Alaska-Ski
Albar
Alko
Allied
Allouette
Alsport
Alpina
AMF
Amrec
Amuret
Apollo
Arbe
Arctic Owl
Arctic Cat
Argo
Ariens
Arlberg
Attex
AutoBoggan
Auto Neige
Auto Pente
Auto-Ski
Bear Cat
Big Boss
Blade
Blue Goose
Boa-Ski
Boatel
Bob-O-Link
Boganna
Bolens
Bonanza
Bonham
Bosak
Broncco
Brut
Buran
Buzz
Caribou
Champion
Chaparral
Chimo
Chrysler
Clinton
Clipper
CMX
Coleco
Coleman
Columbia
Cycle
Dauphin
Diplomat & Rascal
Eaton's
Eliason
Es-Kee-Mo
Eskimo
Eskimobile
Eskimotor
Evinrude
Fiberez
Finncat
Foremost
Fox Trac
Fram King
Frederick-Willys
Galaxy
Gilson
Glarco
Gorski
Go Ski
Grand Prix
Harley-Davidson
Herters
Hiawatha Hurricane
Homelite
Hu-Skee
Husqvarna
Hustler & Rustler
Ice Cat
Ice Skeeter
Ingham
Intrepid
Invader
ISO
Jac-Trac
J.C.Penney
Jet Dynamics
Jet Star
John Deere
Johnson
Kaiser
Kalamazoo
KAWASAKI
Kebec
Kometik
Larson
Leisure Design
Leisure Vehicles, Inc.
Lil' Skipper
Lohnerwerke
Lorch
Luger
Lynx
Mallard
Manhandler
Manta
Marshall Wells
Massey Ferguson
Master Jet
Mavrik
Maxi-Ski
Mc Culloch
Mercury
Moleba-Ski
Montagnais
Montgomery Ward
Moto-Jet
Moto-Kometik
Moto-Loo
Moto-Ski
Muscaro
Muscateer
Nanuk
New Frontier
Northway
Ockelbo
OMC
Ookpit
Otter
Phantom
Pocket-Rocket
Polar
Polar Bear
Polaris
Polecat
Poloron
Pow-R-Sled
Power King
Pro Am
Raider
Ranger V
Redline
RM
Roamer
Rolba
Roll-O-Flex
Roy Skimobile
Rupp
Sabre
Safari
Scanton
Scorpion
Sears
Shark
Sherpa
Silverline
Ski-Bec
Ski-Bee
Ski-Condor
Ski-Daddler
Ski-Doo
Ski-Jet
Ski-Kat
Ski-King
Ski-Lark
Skimobile
Ski-Pony
Ski-Ram
Ski-Rec
Skiroule
Ski-Star
Ski-Zoom
Smith-Roles
Sno-Bird
Sno-Blazer
Sno-Boss
Sno-Chief
Sno-Clipper
Sno-Commander
Sno-Craft
Sno-Cub
Sno-Dart
Sno-Flite
Sno-Fury
Sno-Ghia
Sno-Glide
Sno-Hawk
Sno Job
Sno-Jet
Sno-King
Sno-Pac
Sno-Phantom
Sno-Pony
Sno-Prince
Sno-Ro
Sno-Rover
Sno Scoot
Sno-Shoo
Sno-Skat
Sno-Skoot
Sno-Squire
Sno-Star
Sno-Sport
Sno-Trac
Sno-Trek
Sno-Tric
Sno-Wolf
Snow Birdie
Snowbug = Made is Sudbury Ontario
Snow-Cat
Snow Cruiser
Snow Flake
Snow King
Snow-Mite
Snow-Sprite
Snow Tamer
Spartan
Speedway
Sports Jet
Starcraft
Superstar
Suzuki
Swinger
Tajga
T-Bird
Thunderbolt
Tour-A-Sport
Trade Winds
Trail-A-Sled
Trail-Blazer
Trail-King
Trailmaker
Trans-Ski
Tundra
Valmet
Varg
Viking
Voyageur
Wee Lark
Wee-Ski
Wheel Horse
Witch-Craft
Whip-It
Wildcat
Wolverine
Yamaha
Yukon King

What Manufactures are we missing?

Ski-Whiz

 

Snow Cruiser --- Peterborough Ontario Canada

 

The Snow Cruiser was built by Outboard Marine Corporation of Peterborough, Ontario and this little snow machine was basically the same as the Johnson/Evinrude models in the USA

 

Also keep in mind that is more a list of brands not manufactures. Many were manufactured by one company and rebranded as another comany. For example In 1967, Sears Roebuck had 2 models of snowmobiles made by Trail-A-Sled. In 1968, they changed suppliers and the Snowcruiser was made by Polaris at their Manitoba factory.

 

The Snow Cruiser was built by Outboard Marine Corporation of Peterborough, Ontario and this little snow machine was basically the same as the Johnson/Evinrude models in the USA
Was there 2 brands the same ??

 

Monster, Red Bull and Rock Star. See a few of those ones around still.

 

This web page can be tough to navigate but David has the most comprehensive list for sleds produces. Amazing site once you dig into it.

DAVID'S VINTAGE SNOWMOBILE PAGE. RESTORING THE SPORT ONE PIECE AT A TIME.

 

Ok, can't wait as many decades as this list to look at a list of e-bike brands lol. All going through the 'mine is best' routine right now. I would also guess the number of 'brands' of e-bikes is at least as extensive. Every time someone asks me about e-bikes (I own 3), they ask for a recommendation. I ask if they remember the 70's and the snowmobile brand choices. In the end, I tell them to buy what fits closest to their needs/budget and assume it will be obsolete In the next few years. All that said, thanks for this very extensive list. As a side note, in Canada, I do not recall the Sno-Cruiser (Snow Crusher as it was nicknamed) being produced during the same period as the Johnson and Evinrude machines and it was a much older 'design'.