From the mid 1960s into early 1970s snowmobiling was a different experience. There were not as many trails as today and there were companies manufacturing snowmobiles that might surprise you. How about BOA-SKI, RUPP, JOHN DEERE, MERCURY and even HARLEY DAVIDSON just to name a few. At one time Montgomery Wards, Sears and J.C. Penney sold snowmobiles. Yep, it’s true. Wards and Sears sold snowmobiles from catalogs made by Polaris and Pennys did the same but Arctic Cat built theirs.

These old sleds did not have the suspension modern snowmobiles do. True Ski Carbides were not really added until 1973, so turning was an issue with the old machines. Vintage snowmobiles had limited horsepower, and reliability was not great either.  Those old sleds were not the warmest to ride either. So why did and why do people still ride vintage sleds today?

When people see a Model-T or any classic car driving down the street, everyone looks. Why? Their parents may have had a similar vehicle or that’s the car and model they wish they had when they were younger. Seeing old cars could bring back memories and has started many conversations because they stand out. If you are walking in a parking lot and see an old classic car, I guarantee no other car caught your eye.

Vintage snowmobiles do the same thing. People restore old cars as a hobby then putting that vehicle in a car show when it’s done. There are others that just like driving old or classic car around town. Well, people restore vintage snowmobiles for the exact same reasons. People join car clubs, go to car shows and even go to swap meets looking for parts for their old cars.

Same goes for old sleds. There are vintage snowmobile shows, swap meets, vintage rides. In the winter, stop at a resort or bar anywhere in the Northwoods and there could be 40 snowmobiles out front. Which one gets the most attention? Yep, the vintage snowmobile does, because just like old cars, they each have their own defined look.

I have been asked; how old does a snowmobile have to be before it is considered VINTAGE?  The answer is 25 years or older. That would mean a 2001 snowmobile would be considered a vintage. Now, how old does a sled have to be in order to be called an ANTIQUE? It has been written many times that any snowmobile manufactured before 1968 is an ANTIQUE.

But in Wisconsin, you can register a snowmobile as an antique if its 35-years-old. So, I guess a 1991 can be registered as antique in our state. Confused?  So, what to call an old snowmobile that would make people look twice. I came up with a new name VINTAGETIQUE for the sleds I rode. Back in the early to mid 1970s, my old snowmobiles didn’t have the suspension, horsepower, brake system, fuel injection or the storage a 1991 sled had, so I can’t bring myself to call a 35-year-old snowmobile an antique. But what do I know.

If you hear there is a vintage/ANTIQUE snowmobile show in your area, try to attend. Better yet, take a ride to one of the snowmobile museums in St. Germain (HALL OF FAME), Sayner (VILAS COUNTY MUSEUM) Eagle River (WORLD HEARQUATERS) or Naubinway Michigan (TOP OF THE LAKE ANTIQUE SNOWMOBLIE MUSEUM). Then I think you might understand why people love these old machines.
What would you consider vintage?