Bridging the gap between two collector ‘car’ hobbies

“Cruising speed is 25-30 MPH.  Top speed is about 45 MPH.  To reach these speeds, you have to be riding over a well groomed trail.”
– Jim Waterbury, Mexico, NY.

I am a ‘car guy’ who has come to know a little bit about and appreciate the hobby of vintage snowmobiles. This all started when I wrote a story a few years ago about a 1920 Model T Ford, with a Virgil White snowmobile kit attached to it.

As I turned into the driveway of Jim Waterbury’s Mexico, NY home, I saw his two Bombardier snow buses parked in the freshly fallen snow in front of his red barn.  The blending of the collector car and vintage snowmobile hobbies came together, as these two expertly restored vehicles glistened in the early morning sunshine.  They looked as if they were on display in a dealer’s lot back in the good ole days when they were manufactured.

Jim is standing next to a Bombardier B-12.  He and his brother Doug own it, and they are the ‘cream of the crop’ in a collection of vintage sleds that Jim owns.  Jim said, “I own 30-35 snowmobiles, and I really like the old ‘muscle’ (performance) machines.”

Jim has acquired his collection over the past 19 years.  It includes some other big stuff too, like a 1950 4-seat Tucker and a 6-seat Tucker.  These are aluminum bodied sleds that are powered by Chrysler engines.

The other big machine owned by these brothers is a Bombardier 1952 R-12.   The 12 designation for both sleds refers to the number of passengers these buses will carry.  The B-12 is a wood bodied sled.  The blue R-12 has a tin body.

Jim and Doug bought these two snowmobiles (and one other) in Canada, just north of Detroit, MI.  They found them on eBay.  The person selling them owned a total of six.  It took the brothers three trips to bring them all home.  Trailering sleds of this size is like transporting a car.

These are big vehicles.  The R-12 weighs 4,500 pounds, and the weight is evenly distributed across the sled to aid in floatation over the snow.  It is 17-feet, 8-inches long and 59-inches wide.  Its endless rubber and steel track is 17.5-inches wide and 22.5-feet long.  The track rides on eight 4.5 x 16-inch rubber tires (4 per side).  The front skis are 60-inches long and 12-inches wide.  The front suspension is a set of coil springs.  The carrying capacity of the bus is 2,000 pounds or twelve 166.6-pound people.

The R-12 and B-12 have similar specifications.  To move them across the snow, they are powered by 251-cubic-inch Chrysler industrial engines.  The transmissions are 3-speed manual (on the column).  They also have a reverse gear.  Jim said, “Cruising speed is 25-30 MPH.  Top speed is about 45 MPH.  To reach these speeds, you have to be riding over a well groomed trail.”

Both sleds were in ‘acceptable’ condition when purchased by Jim and Doug.  They did, however, need some work.  The wood doors on the B-12 had to be rebuilt.  Wood trim on the inside of both buses was  replaced.  Both buses have had their electrical system upgraded to 12-volt.

When Jim asked if I wanted to take a spin, my immediate reaction was “Let’s go.”  But first, like any finely restored classic vehicle, we had to protect the new upholstery with clean blankets before we could slide in.

We ‘tooled around’ on the few hundred acres behind Jim’s barn.  We reached nothing close to cruising or top speeds, because we were ‘breaking trail’ through fresh snow.  This was still a great experience for me.  It was not unlike that of riding in an antique car.  There is skill required to pilot these vehicles.

In addition to snow travel, the R-12 has a conversion kit where wheels can replace the front skis.  This allows it to be driven where there is no snow on either soft or rough terrain.

I think Jim got the better end of the deal in his partnership with his brother on these two Bombardiers, because Jim gets to store them in his barn.  As such, he gets to use them more often than Doug.

Both buses provide a lot of enjoyment at family gatherings.  They are also a huge draw at snowmobile events, too.  At a vintage snowmobile event in 2003, the R12 took the Best of Show award.  The award was well deserved.

There are not many of these big sleds around.  Seeing them is a rare event.  I am lucky to have not only seen these buses, but to have actually ridden in one of these great machines?  All this fun in the snow, and I was in the comfort of a heated cabin.  Does it get any better than this?