These two 1972 Ski-Doo T’NT’s have been stored in a barn since 1983! They can be found here on Craigslist with an asking price of only $1,000 for the pair. The ad says they are 100% complete but don’t run. However, the engines turn over and are not seized, which is great. Located in North Chesterfield, Virginia, these retro-rides would be a very cool project. Vintage machines like this can be found for sale, but to have a pair is pretty neat. Let’s check out more and thanks to Ian C. for the tip on these cool rides.
Here is an ad from 1972 showing the internals of the Ski-Doo T’NT. The ad touts the aluminum block Rotax engine with sizes from 292cc to 775cc! The two Ski-Doo’s being sold here measure 340cc and 440cc, which were new for ’72. “Tuned mufflers put out 20% more power with 25% less noise!”
Overall, these machines don’t look like bad projects at all! A bit of surface rust on some of the components, but they do look complete like the seller says and are retro-cool. What do you think? Are these projects worth an investment of time and money?
Finally, barn find sleds. I have owned 10 old snowmobiles since 2002. Bought a brand new Arctic Cat Puma in 72. Got into old cars, got tired of the scams, fake cars with switched trim tags etc and got back into snowmobiles. My brother and I bought two 72 T’NTa from orig owner for $500 in 02. Rode them trouble free 3 years, sold them for $1,500. Certainly better looking than a 2020 ugly praying mantis lookalike. And they cost $15,000 and break down all day long with complicated computerized fuel injection and turbos. New junk. Love the old stuff. Mix gas and oil. Drive. Parts can easily be found and you don’t need a laptop to tune.
Actually this is not a great deal, all respect to the seller of course. I’ve seen sleds at the dump in my town with the registration tags taped to the windshields. Nobody wants the common ones from the 70s. Folks want off brand nice shape 60s machines. Too bad, these old Ski-doos were the bread and butter of a growing sport back when and were great tough sleds. I got a ‘Shiny-Hiney’ doing lots of miles on these old birds. Good times.
Hey Gregg, well, hold on now. Got a chuckle about the dump finds,,,these aren’t quite dump material yet. Offer maybe $750, a good price for 2 usable sleds. Like you say, these were the 1st reliable sleds people put a lot of miles on. In the 70’s, a friend up north had a Nordic. Every farm had one. We ran all over the Northwoods, and aside from the standard “bent ski” it never failed. Not the fastest and bogie wheels, but like you say, turned a lot of people on to snowmobiling, still, what I consider, the most fun you can have with your clothes on.
The dump story is true. I’ve seen it more than once. There’s a section at our local dump for give away stuff. Guys drop off lots of stuff, I’ve seen sleds a few times and motorcycles too. Most are basket cases but I’ve even given a couple of them a Hmmm. You are right about every farm had one, they were actually valuable for getting around in winter, and big fun. I mostly had Polaris sleds but Ski-Doo’s were respected also. Jay E. is right about the smelling like 50-1 by the end of the day but we did it smiling. Here in southern Wisconsin you can look at garage sales or Craigs list and take your pick of old sleds. Some running, some not. For the cost of refurbishing involved you can have a newer more modern machine with heated grips and electric start………Now if it was a ‘Raider’ !!! that’s another story…….
I had a friend with a Raider. Never got to ride it, never ran right. There were over 220 makers of snowmobiles around this time. Did you know Honda made one? I think it was made in Greenfield, Wis. I read several prototypes survived. I always wanted a Merc Sno-Twister. My Yam Exciter was kind of a Sno-Twister knockoff.
https://polerstuff.tumblr.com/post/78106384972
Wow, this Honda I’ve seen before and looks really interesting. Maybe too light for trails? seems awful low to the ground, I’ve been in snow so deep that I was scared to stop. Honda always seems to have a reason for their design, I’ve never seen one of these in person though, but i’d sure like to try one, and it makes sense to have the rider and engine over the drive track. Never rode a Raider, but have seen lots of them mostly at races or get togethers as a novelty item. Usually when they fail or never make it to fruition there is a reason.
You’re in luck!! There’s a 73 Raider for sale on eBay right now!!
Thank you Dave C I’ll check it out.
I remember the fog of gas and two stroke oil emanating from the intake horns. You stunk like gas and your jacket was filthy and stained in the front. None of that mattered, I rode them every chance I could get. 35 MPH may have been a hundred. Bounced off trees to turn at speed.
I grew up riding a 1972 TNT 340. Great memories and boy did that take a beating!
1969 SkiDoo 320 Olympic…18 horse one lunger. Those were the days…lol
any body that is into arctic cat snow mobiles there is a business in this little town who has all kinds of parts for them if anybody is looking for that, he ships too he is in new brunswick canada in mcadam
I bought a 1972 Ski-Doo 775 TNT in the fall of ’73, with less than 100 mi on it for $800. About the only thing that could touch it was an Arctic Cat King Kat. I know that it would do over 120 MPH, but I quit before it did. Back then, they were simple, easy to work on, and fan cooled!!! A lot less things to go wrong then. I did develop quite a right arm from starting that 775 with a rope starter, though. I loved riding in the trails with pine trees just after a fresh snow. The headlights bouncing off the snow was just beautiful!
Grew up with Arctic Cats and Evinrudes in the 70’s. On the North Pond off Lake Ontario we could get them up to close to 100 on the ice wow what a rush. I’m back up in Buffalo now so jumping back in again for some more fun.
Oh yes, the good old days! I remember going out with my father on our brand new 1970 SkiDoo Olympic 12/3 on a Friday night. We would go by the local restaurants and watering holes, there would be 100 snow machines parked all around the building, and seldom were there two of the same! There must have been well over 50 companies making snowmobiles in the late 60’s early 70’s.
Anyway, I have been riding SkiDoos ever since. For the last ten years I have been looking for the machine a learned how to ride on but they are getting harder and harder to find. Does anyone out there know where I might find a rideable or near rideable 1970 Olympic 12/3 in the northeast? I don’t mind doing minor restoration but I don’t want something that isn’t worth saving!
Thanks, Joe