Canvas snowbird tracks
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Topic author - Posts: 10
- Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2019 6:39 pm
- First Name: Jared
- Last Name: Antonino
- Location: Utah
Canvas snowbird tracks
Does anyone have any history or knowledge on Snowbird Canvas snowmobile tracks? I can’t find anything about them. Thanks Jared
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- Posts: 6445
- Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2021 10:08 pm
- First Name: Pat
- Last Name: McNallen
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926-7 roadster
- Location: Graham, Texas
- MTFCA Number: 51486
- Board Member Since: 2021
Re: Canvas snowbird tracks
I don't know any specifics, but belting like that used to be in common use. I don't know if it's available anymore. Antique engine and thresher people may know of a source.
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- Posts: 5461
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:56 pm
- First Name: Frank
- Last Name: Brandi
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Speedster (1919 w 1926)
- Location: Moline IL
- Board Member Since: 2018
Re: Canvas snowbird tracks
https://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/3 ... 1359393743
by Bob McDonald, Federal Way, Wa. January 28, 2013
"The snowmobile units were made to fit all T so year of car will not date the picture or the year of assembly and use.#1 would be 1917 or earlier the tracks are canvas belt type that were used from 1916 to 1922 and then the steel tracks were used after that. Snowmobile Co. did buy some new cars (Mr. White also operated a Ford Dealership and the fenders and running boards and other parts that were changed were put in there parts stock for resale)."
few more links
https://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/4 ... 1400428163
https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=1036
by Bob McDonald, Federal Way, Wa. January 28, 2013
"The snowmobile units were made to fit all T so year of car will not date the picture or the year of assembly and use.#1 would be 1917 or earlier the tracks are canvas belt type that were used from 1916 to 1922 and then the steel tracks were used after that. Snowmobile Co. did buy some new cars (Mr. White also operated a Ford Dealership and the fenders and running boards and other parts that were changed were put in there parts stock for resale)."
few more links
https://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/4 ... 1400428163
https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=1036
The past is a great place and I don't want to erase it or to regret it, but I don't want to be its prisoner either.
Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
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- First Name: Glenn
- Last Name: Heim
- Location: Illinois
Re: Canvas snowbird tracks
in one of the sales brochures, Snowmobile referred to the material the belts were made of as ''Balaka''. I do not know if that is a special material, a type of heavy canvas or a name Virgil White made up for advertising purposes.
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- Posts: 5461
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:56 pm
- First Name: Frank
- Last Name: Brandi
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Speedster (1919 w 1926)
- Location: Moline IL
- Board Member Since: 2018
Re: Canvas snowbird tracks
Think "Balaka" is a typo and likely should be "Balata"TractorGlenn wrote: ↑Thu Nov 24, 2022 12:36 pmin one of the sales brochures, Snowmobile referred to the material the belts were made of as ''Balaka''. I do not know if that is a special material, a type of heavy canvas or a name Virgil White made up for advertising purposes.
Balata transmission belting is tough, durable, robust belt made from heavyweight cotton fabric impregnated with high quality rubber compound.
The skin on professional golf balls in the 50's-80's were covered with a balata skin, to provide back spin but cut easily when miss hit.
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balata, also called Gutta Balata, hard rubber like material made by drying the milky juice produced principally by the bully tree (species Manilkara bidentata) of Guyana and the West Indies.
The past is a great place and I don't want to erase it or to regret it, but I don't want to be its prisoner either.
Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger