Model T Snowmobile found in Labrador

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2013: Model T Snowmobile found in Labrador
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Enos Wiseman on Thursday, November 07, 2013 - 11:41 am:

http://www.cbc.ca/labradormorning/episodes/2013/10/18/model-t-ford---snowmobile- in-nain/

I hope this link opens.If not you can copy and paste in your search engine
Here is Jamie Brake's email if anyone would like to assist him in any way.


E-Mail Address: Jamie_Brake at nunatsiavut.com Replace at with @ with no space between. I have some pictures but to large to post so I'm working at re-sizing them.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Enos Wiseman on Thursday, November 07, 2013 - 12:03 pm:

Here are some pictures.

Labrador Model T

Labrador Model T

Labrador Model T


(Message edited by admin on November 07, 2013)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob McDonald-Federal Way, Wa. on Thursday, November 07, 2013 - 12:28 pm:

Enos
Have sent PM, thanks for the info. will try and contact Mr. Blake.

Bob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob McDonald-Federal Way, Wa. on Thursday, November 07, 2013 - 02:40 pm:

Enos
There may be a chance that I can Identify the
person that owned and took that car there. He was an explorer that had a snowmobile of that year that he carried on board his ship in 1927. I have
some information and picture that I'll need to find, I know that he explored Newfoundland and Labrador in those years.

Bob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Howard D. Dennis on Thursday, November 07, 2013 - 03:52 pm:

Here it is in better times:

snowmobile


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Enos Wiseman on Thursday, November 07, 2013 - 05:06 pm:

That's great:
I'm sure he will appreciate all the help he can get.
Thanks


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Eubanks, Powell, TN on Thursday, November 07, 2013 - 05:12 pm:

That rear axle is interesting, a two speed but does not appear to be a car Ruckstel, wonder if it was a truck rear end?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Tomaso - Milton,WA on Thursday, November 07, 2013 - 05:54 pm:

TT Ruckstell.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob McDonald-Federal Way, Wa. on Thursday, November 07, 2013 - 06:24 pm:

Steve is Correct,it is a TT rear end with ruckstell, It also has been narrowed to 44" gage.

Howard is that the same unit as the one in peace's
that Enos posted pictures of? and do you know the year your pictures was taken?

Bob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Howard D. Dennis on Thursday, November 07, 2013 - 07:11 pm:

Bob, That picture is from the link that Enos posted and appears to be the same machine.

Howard Dennis


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob McDonald-Federal Way, Wa. on Thursday, November 07, 2013 - 08:10 pm:

Here is a picture of the car I believe he has found. Com. MacMillan sailed to Labrador on this Schooner "Bowdoin" on Sept 1926 taking this snow unit with him ( he would have been 52 at that time)and was in the Nain Labrador area in 1927. Hopefully by comparing the serial no.(if I can get it) to factory shipping info.
that Benson Research may have we might tie them together.

Bob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Enos Wiseman on Thursday, November 07, 2013 - 08:14 pm:

Thanks Bob;
I've forwarded all the info and as well a link to this forum.
I'm sure he'll be thrilled to get this info.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James A. Golden on Friday, November 08, 2013 - 10:07 am:

Great Research Bob!!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James A. Golden on Friday, November 08, 2013 - 10:22 am:

By the way, I lived with walking distance of Bowdoin College and the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum there for six years.

I visited the museum a few times, but don't recall seeing a snowmobile photo there.

The Bowdoin schooner is still in Maine and in good repair, so it sails often.

MacMillian's home in nearby Freeport, Maine is a bed and breakfast now. Their website has more history data.

Click http://www.whitecedarinn.com/history/ if you are into history.

This information is from the Maine state website.

1874-1970. Explorer Donald B. MacMillan attended high school in Freeport and graduated from Bowdoin College in 1898 with a degree in geology. MacMillan accompanied explorer Robert E. Peary to the North Pole in 1908, turning back before reaching the pole because of frozen heels.

He commanded his own expedition to Greenland in 1913 and was stranded until 1917 due to icy waters - his motivation for designing a ship made for Arctic travel. When he returned home he joined the Navy and served in World War I. When the war ended, MacMillan raised money and built his ship. In 1921 the schooner Bowdoin was launched from East Boothbay, Maine. He made two dozen expeditions to the Arctic.

MacMillan joined the Navy again during World War II and transferred the Bowdoin to the Navy for the duration of the war, where she worked in Greenland waters. After the war, MacMillan continued his trips to the Arctic, taking researchers north and carrying supplies for the MacMillan-Moravian School he established in 1929.

In 1954 MacMillan was awarded the Bowdoin Prize. The schooner Bowdoin is now part of Maine Maritime Academy’s fleet, moored in Castine, Maine. In 1989, the Bowdoin was designated as a National Historic Landmark.

I may find this history more exciting than most, as I spent some time in the Antarctic when I was young.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Enos Wiseman on Friday, November 08, 2013 - 11:01 am:

This is a copy of the email I just rec'd from Jamie Brake: Hopefully we can get him on this link:

Hi again,
Yep, this is Commander Donald B. MacMillan, and this has to be the very machine. The first Rawson-MacMillan Expedition took place in 1926, and it was the second one, which started in June of 1927, that brought the snowmobile to Labrador. The other historic photo that someone posted on the forum was taken at the expedition station (where we were working in October). It was taken just before a trip, over the sea ice, to the Inuit community of Nain.
I don't believe I've seen this image before - was it taken in Wiscasset, Maine? The pictures and footage we have are all from after it arrived in Labrador.

Jamie


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By A. J. "Art" Bell on Friday, November 08, 2013 - 02:07 pm:

Here is another view from the museum’s collection


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Wightman on Friday, November 08, 2013 - 03:40 pm:

What a great find. Look at the damage to that hogshead. What happened? Looks to have have exploded?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jamie Brake on Friday, November 08, 2013 - 04:06 pm:

Hi there,

Bob, you asked if the picture Howard posted was the same unit as the one in the photos that Enos had put up - yes it is. And the picture was taken in late December of 1927. The one posted by Bell is also the same machine.

We're looking at the possibility of restoring the snowmobile and so we'll have lots of questions as we move forward - if that's ok. This site is fantastic!

Jamie


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Hatch on Friday, November 08, 2013 - 04:55 pm:

May be an aftermarket Hogshead. Made that way. Dan


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob McDonald-Federal Way, Wa. on Friday, November 08, 2013 - 06:49 pm:

Dan
You might correct, there was a Bennett brand that had a removable side (I have one) but it was the driver side that came off, that looks like the passenger side is broken off.

Jamie
I'll be glad to help in getting it back together in any way I can. First not knowing where your located ( at the sight or elsewhere) I would like to suggest a couple of things to do first.

1. On the left side of the engine block just above the water outlet, clean and look for a serial No. also do the same on the of the frame
where the floor boards would be for a no. also.
They may be the same I hope.

2.If you haven't moved the parts take pictures of all the metal parts laying around the sight and number each photo so I can identify them so you
would not miss any of the need parts for restoration.

There are some new parts being made for the snow units like tracks and Skis. The unit looks like it was well used. Do any of the elders living in the area know when they stopped using it?
There were snow units taken with Byrd to the Antarctic also,they were both on Model A Fords, the first was the Snow Flyer brand and the second being of the Snow Bird brand. I don't think any of these were ever recovered. Looking forward to helping with this project.

Bob McDonald
from the left coast


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tony Bowker on Friday, November 08, 2013 - 09:23 pm:

The hogs head may have been modified to allow easy access to the bands. The original head is cut on the right side and then patches bolted to "Seal" the patch back on. I don't have one right now but I have seen at least two. Someone may have pictures.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mack Cole ---- Earth on Friday, November 08, 2013 - 10:09 pm:

Take a magnet and pic up every little peice.
Wow,that is a project.Glad it will be saved.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob McDonald-Federal Way, Wa. on Friday, November 08, 2013 - 11:11 pm:

From looking at maps of the area I believe that it will need to be box and palletize and bring it out by sled and ship. It would make a great piece in the museum to go along with Com. MacMillan's ship "Bowdoin" that is still seaworthy and used.
I hope that from pictures we can Identify parts that aren't worth salvaging, like the one wheel that looks like it gown through a fire. If it can be done it would be worth it for the car (27 Ford T)the Snowmobile attachment and its history.

Bob


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