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| All images courtesy of ClassicCars.com |
Last year when the snow came and caused travel chaos I recalled a 1920s solution to snow-covered roads - the Ford Model T snowmobile conversion.
This year when the snow came and caused travel chaos (d'you think there might be a pattern emerging here, Britain...?) I was once again reminded of this novel and effective vehicle - or rather this time its successor, the Model A snowmobile.
In the same way the the standard A improved upon the T, so the newer snowmobile conversion continued to be refined and updated. Companies such as Arps offered conversions like the "Snow Bird" (top) for the likes of farmers, rural doctors, the U.S. Mail and anyone else who frequently travelled through heavy snowfall.As the Model A was not built in as large a number as the T, and as conversion kits remained expensive, there are actually fewer A snowmobiles left than there are Ts. If you look at the video clip in last year's post you'll notice only one or two As compared to a dozen or so Ts. Still, I'll bet the closed-cab A was slightly warmer than the open/convertible T!
Nevertheless provided one is wrapped up properly a Ford snowmobile is still for my money the best way to beat the snow. As the country is once again brought to a standstill I sit indoors looking out on a crisp white mantle and imagine zooming along in a "Snow Bird":
