I saw this video , And I have to say that I was shocked and amazed . I thought Matchbox toys were the only one of these ever made . You learn some thing new every day.

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

I’m looking for the matchbox toy now lol 😝 Thanks for the comment and I think the vehicle is great fun.

@bradpittiful7288

10 ай бұрын

all matchbox from the beginning to the early 71 or so were all modeled after real cars and trucks...i have a bunch of snow tracs matchboxes...very cool little toy!

@HotWheelssalgeyardcustoms

10 ай бұрын

Me too I collect matchbox toys I have two of these snow tracks in my collection I was amazed to see the real thing in this video I never knew that it was powered by a Volkswagen engine somehow I always thought it would be a straight Flathead 6. I wonder how much he paid for that thing in its present condition I sure would like to go out and find one and buy one.😊

@kanonkol

10 ай бұрын

Exactly what I thought. When I first saw it, I immediately lost about 50yrs and there I was with my Matchbox version. All red with grey or black tracks.

@anthonygregory3022

10 ай бұрын

Yup I had one. Sad really. I firmly believe all German stuff should be melted down. They are still on the march. Buying factory's and making weapons. Scrap it

That thing is in fantastic condition (not including the horrible amount of dirt and dust). Very little rust, body damage looks minimal and the fact you got the engine started is great. Very nice find.

We've had a restored Snow Trac ST4 for 12 years now. We have put over 600 hours on the meter. Most fun you can have on snow!

My grandfather worked in the factory in Sweden as a welder. he had one of the prototypes at home, we had a lot of fun with it when i was young :-)

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

He could have worked on this one 🙂🤙🏼

@patrikwisell9703

10 ай бұрын

@@VWFarm yes, probably :-)

Cracking find and video. I had a model toy one in Red (Matchbox I think?) back in the 60's. A very unique and versatile vehicle. Looking forward to seeing you getting it restored to its former self. 👍

@bunberrier

10 ай бұрын

That's what I came here to say as well. In the early 70s I had two of them, completely forgot until I saw the thumbnail. Now I know what they represented! They were red.

@DavidMartin-ym2te

8 ай бұрын

Still got mine somewhere upstairs! There were two of these (real ones!) in a field near Aberfeldy, Scotland just down the road from me up until a year or so ago. Wonder what the owner did with them?

@schristi69

8 ай бұрын

I had one also in the mid 60's

That is so cool! Never knew there was such a thing, what a find, I want one!

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

I had heard of them but never seen one

turns over really fast I wonder if it's a 6volt system old VW's were.

@lifuranph.d.9440

10 ай бұрын

Yes.

So, I'm 64, going on 65, and this has just bought back a long forgotten memory of one of my favourite matchbox cars.... I'd totally forgotten about it, and this was it.. Thanks for the memory..👍

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it😁🤙🏼

I owe a 1961Snow Trac with 864 miles on it. Live in the Yukon in Canada and it was used by phone company to get to their towers in the mountains. It is 6 volt .

Glad to see its having some work on it!! Cant wait to see the final product

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Yes can’t wait to get it done Just need to see how it drives and what it needs

Wow!!! Great find. I learned something. I’m a air cooled VW Owner and love them

Nice, I love those 40 horse engines . These gobs don't know diddly about awakening a long dormant engine if any typ but at least it's not seized . -Nate

Point of correction: Variators aren't particularly unique. They are used in a vast number of applications; as drive units for hydraulic garden tractors, and as steering units in Zero-turn mowers (both hydraulic and mechanical variators are used). This may be one of the earliest examples of using a variator in a winter vehicle though. Point of advice: invest in a set of left-twist drills. They will almost always remove a stuck machine screw without having to resort to using a chisel.

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Nice one thanks, The snow Trac was designed in 1954 not sure how many vehicles were using that type of mechanism to turn back then. It does really work well. tracked vehicles i am use to mini diggers etc use two sticks to control the tracks. Great that these ideas are used today for zero-turn mowers etc 🤙🏼😁

@gullreefclub

10 ай бұрын

Perhaps it would be better to say that until recently variators were fairly unique however in recent years they have become more common place and are often now used in zero-turn mowers and similar types of equipment/vehicles.

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

That does sound better 🤙🏼

I saw one of these hidden away in the woods in the Kootenays decades ago... Wish I could remember where it was...I was just a passenger on a trip into the woods....been kicking my ass for years for not paying enough attention.

early one 6v starter. look on forums forums, for info on these. I have a1971 ex military. VW gearbox is back to front, so is shift pattern. try not to brake anything as spares are hard to come by. have fun with your new toy.

That is a very nice find 😀👍… Can i give 1 advice… If a engine didn’t run for such a long time , first take out the spark plugs and squirt some oil in the cilinders… Turn it over by hand…. This way you avoid engine damage and huge costs.

@VWFarm

9 ай бұрын

Thanks for the great advice, and yes it was a great find . Thanks for your support. You may like our other video “VW Beetle scrapyard find Break up Will it run? “.

This snow cat was also made into an iconic Matchbox car…. It was always my favorite as a child ! ❤

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Yes it was I’ll have to get one aswell lol

WICKED COOL FIND. WHEN I WAS A BOY, I HAD A MATCHBOX VERSION OF THIS VEHICLE... I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS THE MOST KILLER-LOOKING' SNOW-TRACK VEHICLE EVER... HOPE TO SEE MORE OF YOU FIXIN' THIS OLE GIRL UP... STAY COOL... PEACE FROM CREEL CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO...

As a child I had a Matchbox model of this, so did all the other kids, it was a popular toy. Great find.

How cool is that! Runs and idles after all these years. Volkswagen reliability.

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Runs great 😁🤙🏼

My dad had an old Crosley pickup he used to run around in the woods back in the early 50's. It smelled of oil, dust, and old upholstery. He would have absolutely loved this little vehicle. Great find, great video. Have fun and thank you.

@VWFarm

9 ай бұрын

Thanks for your comment, this snow track probably smells the same as your dad,s pickup use to, sounds like he had fun in his vehicle driving around in the woods.

@mapleholler9800

9 ай бұрын

@@VWFarm He certainly did. His brother was always afraid to ride with him, because Dad ripped and tore. Once, Dad promised to go slow and Uncle Chuck gave in. Dad got it stuck between two trees in about 10 minutes. He sold that truck and it ended up being made into a mini firetruck by a local manufacturer.

What a great find. I would love to have one. Cool that you got it running.

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Thanks 👍

Brilliant design, nice and light easy to work on and maintain. nothing complicated. how it should be. Cannot get any better than a VW engine.😁

Yes I had a Matchbox example of this little beast back in the 60’s. I was my favorite Matchbox. I might try to find mine. But it take a month of Sundays to locate it! I was flabbergasted to see it had an aircooled motor!!! Thanks for featuring an old friend from my childhood 😃

@VWFarm

8 ай бұрын

Nice one hope it brought back some good memories of when you had your matchbox car 🚗 😁🤙🏼

@nhmtrhd

8 ай бұрын

I was a car & truck mechanic before I retired. I have worked on many air cooled VW’s and all other cars & trucks in America. Front wheel , rear wheel and four wheel drives, tractors,snow mobiles etc. But never have I seen a beetle motor in the front of any vehicle!! That is VERY COOL!!As your camera moved around I saw many more unconventional stand alone designs! The torque converter looking pulleys on top behind the engine, The leaf springs and the balance point where they were mounted on the frame. The idlers, the steering wheel for skid steer steering!?!? OMG I would love to own one of those. I could tinker on that for years!! Problem is, I am on a retiree’s income. So I will never own one. But I can afford KZread! I hope you post many vids on this little beast…. 🤓

@VWFarm

8 ай бұрын

Your right, I’m not sure I can think of another vw Aircooled engine in the front which was in production. I’m sure someone will have made a kit car 🚗 with it in the front. Hope your retirement is relaxing 😁🤙🏼

@nhmtrhd

8 ай бұрын

@@VWFarm Yea until I get my property tax bill in mid December 🤮. lol

Has a great shape to it. The front i like alot. Side on it has a landrover kinda look , Nice

Very cool find 😎

my mothers fathers best pal had one of these and we would be bobbin with excitement when we would visit at Christmas just to have a ride in it , he would come up and pick us up at the station and let me drive it home , that was of course in the seventies so Finland was a lot nicer then and a bit laid back

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

That’s great to here 🤙🏼😁

This is a really cool vehicle. Looking forward to next video.

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

we have got a short video of it running, now up :)

Very cool. I had a Beetle decades ago, so I find this to be very interesting. I wonder if this engine has 6 volt components (and vehicle lighting) or 12 volts. The cars changed to 12 volts for the '67 model year. I'm surprised that the rubber tracks haven't degraded so much that they would break. Replacements available?

@lifuranph.d.9440

10 ай бұрын

It turns like a 6v on 12v.

@VWNate1

10 ай бұрын

And it has a 12 volt generator and regulator....... -Nate @@lifuranph.d.9440

@lupus16309

8 ай бұрын

The battery @ 1:45 looks like a 12 volt…..

@johnnorman7708

8 ай бұрын

That was fun seeing the beast come alive and run.

Great little vehicle. Would love to have one, preferably the 85 model. Those battery cables look like shiesta.

It’s adorable what you consider a “big boy" trailer. 😂😉

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Haha thanks it was compared to mine 😁🤙🏼

@crf250lguy

9 ай бұрын

It has a hand crank to start this thing

I have only ever heard of these , i just have never seen one until now, and i would love to get my hands on one of these living here in central Canada i could use this in our winters, and have a friend who comes from a family of 3rd generation VW specialists who would get as much a good kick out of this was i would and all the powertrain parts i would ever need except when it comes to some of the unique items, those boogey wheels on the tracks can be retrofitted nowadays i'd think with so many track conversions on the market nowadays, I look forward to the next video on the BETTLE TANK, new sub 👍

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Thanks we will keep you posted and there are a few snow trac vehicles in Canada 🇨🇦🤙🏼

so cute. The bigger the treads are compared to overall vehicle size, the cuter they are, and this thing has a lot of track area for a beetle-based thingy.

@VWFarm

8 ай бұрын

They are quite wide it’s amazing the engine actually powers it. 😁🤙🏼

This is the first time I've ever seen one of these. Thank you.

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Hope you enjoyed it!

There is a snowtrac in the reme museum at RAF lyneham mainly used by rm units in Norway I believe 👍

Perisher Valley in the New South Wales Snowy Mountains in Australia had a few of these in the early 70's they were reliable and economical snow cats. Well worth restoration. Good luck with it.

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Thankyou 😁🤙🏼 we’re really enjoying it 😁

Awsome, for some reason Im absolutely facinated by things with tracks.

@VWFarm

9 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoy it!😁🤙🏼

Nice one Darren - get it ready just in time for Winter !

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Yes 100%

Thank you for sharing this. I want one!

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Our pleasure!

It was my favorite Matchbox toy when I was kid .

There used to be one of these at Port Penrhyn, Bangor in the late 80s/Early 90s. I had the job of changing the engine after it had been used in the ‘mud’ filled dock! …. It was that red colour. It belonged to the Harbour master, the late Ian Metcalf.

@VWFarm

8 ай бұрын

I wonder if it is still going 🤙🏼😁

@simonrose6880

8 ай бұрын

I’m pretty certain that it’s not anywhere in the area, but, it could be out there somewhere 😊

There was a show on TV years ago who restored one Can't mind o the programe They reversed the cogs so it would drive Cool beast 👍👍👍😜🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🦕🦄😁🤞✌️

Those were cool! Always wanted one. 🤔 Rebuilt those engines in high school.

Ahhh. I see my Snow-trac a few times in your video 👌 Some shots of it in Antarctica and some at my house. The footage from NFSA is my vehicle also.

@VWFarm

9 ай бұрын

Very cool! We are glad you have seen our video especially as your snow-trac is in it. 😁🤙🏼

All I think is Jack tampering with one just like that in the Shinning.

I had a Lesney toy of that vehicle back in the day (1960s).

I remember having a Match Box toy like this. It was deep red with white rubber tracks and I believe they called it a Unimoog. Don’t no if I’m right or if spelling is correct. 🐢 10-22-2023

@VWFarm

9 ай бұрын

Yes there was definitely a matchbox toy, seems a few people had them. 😁🤙🏼

That Snow-Trac ST4 is so cool I can't believe I never even heard about it. Then again, I live in the U.S. and a state that doesn't get snow. Nevertheless it is downright amazing.

I have this as a matchbox toy. I think it featured in a James Bond film in the 1960s.

It was only driven by a little old Eskimo lady to church on Sunday😂😂😂❤❤❤

Watch "The Shining", it features in the classic movie.

@williekern4883

10 ай бұрын

Lesney (Matchbox) also made a beautiful little red with white tracks model of it.

Air cooled engine is perfect for Arctic conditions. I know it's a snow vehicle but I would go Rommeling through North Africa in that thing. Nice exhaust note on that Range Rover, it sounds mint.

Now this is a real Barn find!

@VWFarm

9 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comment yes it defo is a real barn find lol 😁🤙🏼

Yup, starter works, turns over, see if you got sparkles, fuel to the fire make it happener then bring the Thunder.

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

We got there in the end lol, thanks for your comments 😁🤙🏼

Now that is an amazing machine! Can't wait to see this little beast driving! Brilliant use of a VW engine!

What a great find! Liked and subbed👍🏻

Outstanding love this machine

Good to hear the fox mentioned as a importer must be a few still round creiff area

I remember that it was in traffic still in 80' in Krkonoše mountains, Czechia. It strongly smelled of petrol 😁👍

@Adjunkt

10 ай бұрын

Maybe this one 😀 www.cs-chalupy.cz/data/katalog_chalupy/287-8004/chalupa-jasnenka-velka-upa-krkonose.jpg

Ey up ! As soon as it snows I’m coming over to yours…. Gotta have a go in this !! Love it !!

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Haha think I will need some new tyres first. Hopefully have it driving for when the snow comes, to have some fun in it . ⛄️

Shows just how tough the old VW engines are.

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

This one has worked out well for us 🤙🏼😃.

Looking forward to seeing it when you’ve done the restoration.

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Restoration videos coming soon

I thought it looked like it could be made by Citroën when i first saw it😂

Never known a flat 4 be engine not want to run. Use love One of these

Looks like fun.

There variator is gold. Take care of it first. Check trans fluid, door near the floor on passenger side for that. Grease gun mandatory. Two zerks on each side when hood is open. Top of shaft has a zerk as well as the trust bearing on the left side above the sheeve. Make sure the grease tube that goes under the passenger side is connected to the thrust bearing under the sheeves. Failure of the variator is very bad thing. It should run quiet. Don't drive it any more till you perform this maintenance. Seriously.

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Thanks for the advice we will be changing all oils, I have greased it up will check to make sure I’ve got them all. 😁🤙🏼

This thing is very cool. 👍👍

I owned one, all be it a Matchbox model. Loved it.

Very unique vehicle, I like it.

@VWFarm

9 ай бұрын

Glad you like it!

There used to be two of those lying derelict at an old garage in Cumbria many years ago

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Just wonder where that are now 😁🤙🏼

My father has one in his yard. He used it at the volunteer ski area in Ketchikan, Alaska in the 1970s. I rebuilt the engine in high school in the late 1980s but we never reinstalled it. I'm not sure if it would be in salvageable shape after sitting for over 40 years. Your Snow Trac Looks like a great project!

@VWFarm

9 ай бұрын

Sounds great, it defo needs saving there cannot be many left.

@gertjevanpoppel7270

9 ай бұрын

Restored ones go for 25.000 $ to 30.000 $… If i where you I would yank that thing out of the garden yesterday 🤣

@AntonDoiron

9 ай бұрын

Unfortunately I talked to dad and found out he dismantled it and took it to the landfill. I guess some body components weren't aluminum and rusted away so there wasn't much left to salvage. @@gertjevanpoppel7270

Nos brasileiros que crescemos andando de wv.nunca imaginava um veículo desses,achei muito top. parabéns pela relíquia!

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Thank you

I would tear down the engine to inspect it internally and make any repairs as needed. It looks as if the cylinders need honing and a piston ring replacement. Maybe new valve guides and seals are needed too. Take a look to see if the pushrod tubes are leaking oil. The seals normally go bad over time. An International Orange paint job would look nice on the body.😊

I NEED that!!! Just Subbed!!

I know where one just like that is at in a storage shed in Fairbanks Alaska it's got a Red paint job and hasn't run in 20+ years but it's all there and the engine isn't frozen up.

@VWFarm

9 ай бұрын

Sounds great I’d like to see it, just a shame it’s so far away or I’d be there lol 😂, sounds bloody cold 🥶 too. There great vehicles 🚗 🤙🏼

Even without an engine it would have been worth saving, and given indoor storage there is little to go bad. DO replace the generator drive belt and watch the generator light because it the light illuminates that normally indicates a thrown or broken belt and no fan cooling! Wise VW owners carried spare belts.

That crank start nut is worth a pretty penny. looks like they upgraded the motor at some point. probably originally a 36hp from the looks of the carb and such.

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Watched the cool split window hand crank video, not sure I’d trust doing that lol 😂🤙🏼 Thanks for your comment I’m made up 😃

Very cool and likely rare. We had on at work that was similar size. American made for our Hydrolagy guys it had basically a Ford Pinto motor 4 cylender.

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Yes there were not too many made, there’s are great vehicles 🚗 🤙🏼😁 thanks

Looks like the 40HP engine, and 6VOLTS System. that is why it turns over so fast.

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

I think it could be 6volts

Awesome vehicle. I want one for Yellowstone winters.

Great find and purchase 👍

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Seen you got a nice Karmann Ghia.

@vwcoco

10 ай бұрын

@@VWFarm yeah just pulled it out after 6 years stuck in back of workshop , lots of filler to deal with but glad I did pull it . Cheers

Geezz, the moment I saw the thumbnail, it came in mind that I had a Matchbox model like that 🙂

In my humble opinion, it is a unique finding these days. Some how, the body looks like Land Rover type 1. Just a little looks...

not a tank, it's a crawler. The most expensive part is usually the undercarriage though this one looks like you could make the bits except for the sprocket in your garage. Never heard a piss pot called bits and bobs but nice recovery there. A little pre-indoor plumbing relic.

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Haha 😂 thanks we are not scripted if you couldn’t tell lol 😂 🤙🏼

I just finished building a 1835cc that I would put in this great machine !

@VWFarm

8 ай бұрын

It would be a beast with a larger engine

Compression, fuel and spark, it should run!!

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

Watch till the end😎😏

I've got several of these. They just happen to be Matchbox!

@VWFarm

8 ай бұрын

Haha 😂 I bet there all red

Very cool ..

@VWFarm

10 ай бұрын

🤙🏼 thanks

It's called a snowmaster and made in sweeden. we had 2 in alaska

Nice find!

Quite the barn find ))

The grill reminds me of the old Citroën

Seriously reminds me of the snow vehicle from the shining (1980)

Super cool!

@VWFarm

9 ай бұрын

Thanks 🤙🏼😁

My favorite Match Box vehicle ever 😎

I didnt realize CVT was such an old tech.

It looks like variable drive pulleys behind the engine allowing each track to be run and different speeds by changing the size of each pulley for each side. It’s a great idea. Back during times of great engineering with what they had. Ya gotta remember it’s bro run off of a VW Bug engine supposedly. 🐢 10-22-2023

@VWFarm

9 ай бұрын

Think your right with that 😁🤙🏼

Its been awhile since I had the chance to be around one of these units but if I remember right they were French built units they were fairly comfortable riding inside and the rubber track was heads and tails above my Snowcat I was running an older Tucker with 4 tracks on it and my tracks were steel and extremely noisy and high maintenance. I was very outclassed by both the newer Tuckers and these french units and there were others very good units out there. I Would certainly consider one of these as a replacement to my Tucker!

@VWFarm

8 ай бұрын

Nice one yes these are a good machine this one needs a bit of work first 🤙🏼

I had this as a matchbox growing up

I appreciate the English subtitles 🙂