Picked up this sled in unknown condition, but when the price is right you don't ask questions! Turned out to be a 1985 Formula MX, and it's actually in pretty decent condition. The 470 rotary valve engine needed a little bit of loving.
Great job bringing that barn find sled back to life! I've done the same with sleds, boats and cars. Something very satisfying about restoring something vintage that has good bones but doesn't look great and bringing it back to life! Well done! Love you're style.
My uncle bought this sled in 86 and I grew up ripping around our ice traps. In 96 I bought it and rebuilt the engine I was 16 then won my first trophy at a 1000 radar run. Beat a 500 by 1 mile an hour. Lucky my friend's 84 Phazer had a can and couldn't run in stock class he beat me by 6mph. Went to cats from there.
You are awesome, thanks dude, sure do like your videos. I had a Formula SP, 440 rotary valve. gosh ,after awhile being so proud of my snowmobile, i sank it. Back now in 2021, I returned to my Triple Thunder Cat 900.
@@toocheaptosmoke just saying you're holding the camera in one hand and you're doing a really good job with the other. I could never do that due to the fact I need both hands-free to do a job. :))
I love the comment about the Bombardier snoflap on the Polaris driving people crazy...I. can totally see that ..hahahHa.. great vid..and what a great find and great old school sled...👍👍🏁🏁🐝🐝🐝🔥🔥❄❄
The Blizzard MX was still in production for 83/84. Doubt many were sold by then though. 83s looked just like the 82s, but the 84s were black like the 9700s. I actually have an 81 Moto Ski Grand Prix Special MX, which became the Sonic MX for 82. I’ve seen some others around on the internet, but supposedly not many of them were built. They didn’t even show up in the 81 advertisements.
Interesting, never knew they kept them in production that long. Had read some articles about the formula mx release being delayed, I think in '84 they had the SS25 or something that had this engine but leaf springs up front?
the formula mx was 2nd in line for top of the line for ski doo. they were actually fairly fast snowmobile back in the day. ive owned a ton of ski doos along with others to. but i always come back to ski doo. good sleds. also, thank you for saving her. check your carb boots, that piston melt down look like a air leak.
I consider you an expert in vintage snowmobiling. My first sled experience was with an Allied. I think made in Minnesota. Then Polaris mustang. Then a Wildcat. It was the top in my opinion. Have we had a tour of your fleet? Thanks for your videos!! My favorite of all time was a Yamaha with oil injection. Quite. Smooth.
Not sure about expert, just try to learn a bit about stuff when you find it. Doing a tour of the entire fleet would be quite the endeavor, there's stuff scattered all over, haha.
Cool, Man! Can't beat free. I have what's left of a 1986 Formula SP. Liquid cooled 470, leaf springs, and dual outboard shock rear skid. Great on groomed trails but hang on tight when you get in the rough stuff. Also have an '85 Safari with the same rear skid; basically the same chassis with a 377 and no tunnel coolers. And both my '89 Mercury Grand Marquis and '04 Chevy Express 3500 have functioning factory tape decks.
That’s a hole lotta piston. Looks like a Yamaha piston transfer port. Best part you didn’t wait till next winter. Isn’t 85 kinda new for you? Now all we need is some freakin snow!!
"Gotta make things worse, before you make things better." *toocheaptosmoke 2021.* and beer does help. 😎 Words to live by. I also kind of want to know how do you find such great "Barn Fresh" stuff? Also, too bad it's a snow sled. At first startup it'd make a fantastic mosquito control device. Stay safe as you can out there man. 😎👍
That’s about the nicest sled I’ve ever seen - for FREE ! Do you have old Johnson or Evinrude sleds from the 70’s ? I’d like to see some of them running !
@@toocheaptosmoke I have watched that one before but was wondering if you had a good fuel tank for the 1970 Evinrude e2000 ? It sits in front of the seat .
She cleaned up well. Did you find any other debris in the bottom end? Seems to run pretty good, just need to get it out and run her for awhile to clean it out good. But that takes that miraculous white stuff that they're getting in Texas, go figure.
That sled brings back memories but not of the good kind. My buddy had an 87 MX that he went through the ice on in a blizzard. Found him 3 days later. Feb. 26 will be 20 years, RIP Gerry. Sorry for being a downer
Would start by making sure the kill switch circuit isn't shorted out, or have a bad switch or key. Next up look for loose connections or grounds from the CDI
i remember brand new 1979 blizzard 7500 plus all you had to do is put something on the emergence kill switch unplug the key switch pull and off you go! definetly buy insurance for those.
It's a shorter 114" w/ 1.97 pitch track, can use 15" or 16.5" wide versions. There were blizzards and citations that used a similar track, a newer 121" track would need suspension and track driver mods.
I always liked those sleds. Never owned a running one but I always thought they’d be fun on a hard groomed trail railing around the corners. I also had a 5500 MX and it did suck. It was in no way, shape or form comparable to an Indy of the same vintage.
@@toocheaptosmoke it was an old Ski doo dealer in harlansburg PA. He used to have a ton of old skidoo parts and a Mint 9500 blizzard sitting under a sheet in front of the parts counter.
