Arctic Cat

[Wirehair]

Yea sad sad deal.
Step dad had a 71 800 king kat growing up, thought it was the coolest thing ever back then with the cylinders sticking out the hood!

Burk Implement in Cooperstown sponsored an Artic Cat racing team (Burks Kats) in the late 60's & early 70's. They had a 1971 800 King Kat with the 800cc Hirth engine. Had a chance to ride it around a 1/2 mile oval track in Cooper and it was unbelievably fast & loud! JLO single bangers were common at that time and AC was marketing their 399's & 440's. I think AC also made a 4 cylinder 800cc by Kawasaki if I recall.

 

[lunkerslayer]

Dad and I would go to drag races on frozen lakes that were put on by local dealers, back in the 80s almost every town had a dealership. Lots of air cooled short studded sleds screaming down tbe ice. There were so many snowmobile companies back then where a person could get a decent sled for a few hundred, that the owner could WORK on himself. I grew up riding FA and FC Rupps

 

[Wirehair]

Dad was a close friend of the AC dealer in town so we only had AC sleds. Neighbor had a Sno Jet that was crazy fast for the day. Seems like we worked on those old sleds as much or more than we rode them. Dad & I would go for Sunday rides and success was defined as getting back home with both sleds running after a 40 mile ride. Think top speed on our first 19 HP JLO powered sled was around 30mph if I recall.