197? Herter's Snowmobile
- Thread starter rozzy43
- Start date
I see you posted a month ago and no one has replied. The Herters is a cool old machine. We see one occasionally at vintage shows. From the pic this one appears to be all there. Does it have an engine? Does the engine roll over? Is the frame rusted through? What shape is the track and drivers? Most small parts from the old days were generic. If you can't find exact parts you can find or make something else work. If you don't care about a pristine restoration you can make a fun rider that not many have seen before for a modest investment. Old sleds are fun projects.
skiroule
Well-known member
I'd love to see that old beauty rescued and brought back to life. I've been on vintage rides in past years where a couple of guys always brought at least one Herter's.
I agree with uncletom that these are cool old sleds. Also agree that a lot of the parts are "off the shelf" things that were bought by the manufacturer (motors, clutches, bearings, and so on). It's surprising how much standard stuff these manufacturers used to get a sled on the market in the boom years of the 70's. For some parts, the trick is to find out what will work from another sled brand because there may not be a lot of parts sleds out there for some brands. Parts from another manufacturer may work (track, drivers, springs) but it can be a challenge to figure out what is interchangeable.
Someone can probably correct me on this but it's my understanding that these sleds were built specifically for marketing by the Herter's company via their catalog, as opposed to Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Wards that sub-contracted their sleds from manufacturers of other brands - Polaris, Gilson, etc. If true, this makes these sleds pretty special.
Like old abe said: "The stories this sled could tell". Think that's one of the reasons that the vintage world is so interesting. These old relics have a history that is unique to their place in snowmobiling history.
I agree with uncletom that these are cool old sleds. Also agree that a lot of the parts are "off the shelf" things that were bought by the manufacturer (motors, clutches, bearings, and so on). It's surprising how much standard stuff these manufacturers used to get a sled on the market in the boom years of the 70's. For some parts, the trick is to find out what will work from another sled brand because there may not be a lot of parts sleds out there for some brands. Parts from another manufacturer may work (track, drivers, springs) but it can be a challenge to figure out what is interchangeable.
Someone can probably correct me on this but it's my understanding that these sleds were built specifically for marketing by the Herter's company via their catalog, as opposed to Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Wards that sub-contracted their sleds from manufacturers of other brands - Polaris, Gilson, etc. If true, this makes these sleds pretty special.
Like old abe said: "The stories this sled could tell". Think that's one of the reasons that the vintage world is so interesting. These old relics have a history that is unique to their place in snowmobiling history.
uncletom: its all there but the windshield, motor turns over ( 440 Sachs engine), 18 inch track is complete no tears, all bogie wheels roll. amazingly the seat is still somewhat in tack, just the hood is cracked in places but i did find a salvage yard that has one on the lot and all the parts I need. so this will be a slow process with some sandblasting and sanding, hope to have it ready for a vintage ride by next winter?
and yes Old Abe, Southern KY!, surprisingly there are quite a few snowmobiles in Kentucky. this one, the owner has had since the 80's. said he tried to work on it about 18 years ago and just couldn't find parts for it anymore, so he put it out back where it sat till I picked it up last month.
and yes Old Abe, Southern KY!, surprisingly there are quite a few snowmobiles in Kentucky. this one, the owner has had since the 80's. said he tried to work on it about 18 years ago and just couldn't find parts for it anymore, so he put it out back where it sat till I picked it up last month.
Thanks for posting this. I did some research on the Herters and found that the first two digits on the Serial # will indicate the model year. Most likely you have a 72 as you have the squared off headlights. This old girl was built in Waseca, Minnesota. Herters discontinued snowmobiles in 1974.
skiroule
Well-known member
Very nice project - definitely some potential there.
Since it has a Sachs, here's a link to a factory engine manual that I downloaded for free for my Sachs 440 (if you don't already have one). It's helped me quite a bit. Most likely it applies to yours as well. Should be pretty snappy with that 440 in it.
http://www.vintagesnow.com/Engine_manuals_files/Sachs SA2-440 Engine Manual.pdf
Since it has a Sachs, here's a link to a factory engine manual that I downloaded for free for my Sachs 440 (if you don't already have one). It's helped me quite a bit. Most likely it applies to yours as well. Should be pretty snappy with that 440 in it.
http://www.vintagesnow.com/Engine_manuals_files/Sachs SA2-440 Engine Manual.pdf
High Country
Member
Heat gun and a plastic scraper that looks like aputty knife. After you remove the heavy stuff use googone on a rag.
skiroule, obviously you have used this product on fiberglass hoods, have you ever used this on painted aluminum? looking for a product that will remove adhesive without effecting the paint. Tried multiple products including one made for sign industry and ended up removing paint, other products very slow and take a lot of effort to make work and have a lot of adhesive to remove.
skiroule
Well-known member
I've removed stripes from painted tunnels with the product but they've always been painted eventually. I couldn't remember what the paint looked like after removing the decal so I went out today and tried it on a decal on a Cyclone tunnel that I had out back.
Didn't seem to affect the paint at all but it definitely takes several passes and some effort. Probably not the answer for a large area. I used a plastic body filler applicator to remove the decal, which is not particularly aggressive but is easy on the base material and paint.
rozzy43, I've also used a 3M adhesive remover to remove the adhesive residue after the decal is mostly removed. Seem to recall that it worked OK.
Didn't seem to affect the paint at all but it definitely takes several passes and some effort. Probably not the answer for a large area. I used a plastic body filler applicator to remove the decal, which is not particularly aggressive but is easy on the base material and paint.
rozzy43, I've also used a 3M adhesive remover to remove the adhesive residue after the decal is mostly removed. Seem to recall that it worked OK.
The Husky Herters!!
I had two back in about 1986, they were barn finds in the Green Bay, WI area I got from a farmer who had them stored in his hay mow.
They were quite nice and they rode like they were on 6 inches of powder.
Now the bad, they had steel bulkheads (most were aluminum by then or switching) and were heavy. I did love the black car speaker grills they put on each side of the hood though.
Back in 1986 Green Bay had a huge sled junkyard with lines worse then the motor-vehicle dept., guys were lined up 10 deep in 4 lines to fix what broke the week before. Anyway, Central Snowmobile is closed down.
Merrill, WI also had a huge sled junkyard but also closed down.
This one may help.. https://hudons.com/
I am sad to say, the paint thinner spent on this thing may be worth more than the sled itself. The Husky was never a beautiful machine and handled on all but a straight line like a tank.
Bear