Posted by Gordon on August 16, 2000 at 06:38:30:
In Reply to: Calling all TUCKER experts ! Has anyone crossed and DODGE and a TUCKER?? posted by Snake River 4x4 on August 16, 2000 at 00:35:04:
Both my favourite subjects in one. I'll try and keep this short, for although it's Dodge powered no point in upsetting those that aren't into snow stuff.
Tucker have been making Sno-Cats since about 1945, in fact they did a lot of the development work on the snow tractor (T26 that was eventually produced by Allis Chalmers)before that.
First production was the 2 track 2 ski 443 type with a Mercury engine, later with the IND 6 version of the Chrysler flathead we all know and love. The four track wagon steer machines came along later in various types, mostly with Chrysler flathead sixes and later V8s for the big ones.
I had considered mixing Dodge and Tucker components and making a half-track, as I have a VC 3 cab and VC 1 chassis sitting spare here. The basic Tucker axle and pontoon assembly on the '50s and '60s machines is based on the Dodge 1/2 ton WC type axle so it should be possible to take a complete Tucker axle and just bolt it to the back of a Dodge chassis and go. You would have to make a 1/2 track though, as there's no way you could use the Tucker wagon steer - you wouldn't have the clearance or articulation that the Tucker chassis and steering gives.
For a Dodge halftrack take a 4 x 4 or 4 x 2 Dodge hard cab and chassis and just bolt a Tucker rear axle and pontoons on it, with a suitable dead Dodge front axle and steering gear. You might have to limit the pontoon travel to avoid them hitting the Dodge chassis (wider than the Tucker) when fully up or down, and might need to tinker with the Dodge rear body mounting for the same reason.
The end result would look a bit like a cross between a hard cab pickup and a Tucker 443 shown in the image, but it should be quite usable.
E-mail me off- forum if you need more info on parts availabilty, etc.
Gordon