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DRIVE PAGE 209B
RETO
IS THE THE NEW OWNER OF A JET DYNAMICS HORNET SNOWMOBILE FOUND
IN FRANCE.
TOP
PICTURE IS WHEN THE HORNET WAS FRANCE.
RETO
WITH HORNET
HERE IS THE STORY ABOUT THE
HORNET......
I
WAS CONTACTED BY PATRICK IN FRANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING EMAIL.
Hi David, I am writing to
you because I have found in an abandoned barn in a remote part of France
a
Hornet
snowmobile, without windshield and skis. I
will try to find them. Not sure to be successful.
It
looks like a 1969 or 1970 model.
If
we want to sell it, do you know people in Europe who could be interested
in buying it? Regards. Patrick
I PUT PATRICK IN TOUCH WITH
RETO AND THE DEAL WAS MADE.
RETO
SENT ME THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION.....
1969
Hornet snowmobile
AmSnow.com
is now SnoWest.com
In
1969 snowmobile manufacturers were starting up everywhere.
Sales
were rising fast,with 278,000 snowmobiles being made in 1969 alone.
Most
snowmobile makers were setting up dealerships, only requiring the dealers
to purchase three sleds and
a
minimal spare parts package. It seemed like you could always find a friend
or relative who wanted to buy a
snowmobile,
so dealerships sprung up everywhere.
This
was a market that stirred creativity and encouraged many small manufacturers
to jump in
with
their latest creation. That's why sleds like the unique Hornet saw the
light of day.
It
has wheels!
I
first saw a Hornet while attending a vintage snowmobile show.
Its
owner was John Pearson out of central Minnesota.
Realizing
it was a manufactured snowmobile, I was fascinated and wanted to find out
more about its history.
You can learn a lot from talking to other owners at these
shows and I picked the brains of
Kevin
Lahse, Kevin Albers and TJ Henriksen. Both Lahse and Henriksen own Hornets.
They
said about 20 were built, with one being shipped overseas to see if there
was a market for a sled like this.
Apparently
European riders were not ready yet, and that's
not
surprising because in a lot of ways the Hornet was way ahead of its time.
Of
the 20 Hornets built, it appears there are about 7 or 8 still around,
which
is an amazing percentage for such a rare sled.
The Hornet was built in St. Cloud, Minn., by a company
called Jet Dynamics Inc., and listed for $1,295.
This
was the firm's first model and Jet was trying to do
something
different than the numerous other manufacturers.
It
was selling the snowmobile with a wheel kit, for year-round use.
Hornet
snowmobile literature says you could switch from snow to wheels in less
than
6 minutes and then back again when the snow flies.
Hornet made it possible to scale a mountain with greenery
at the bottom and snow at the top,
the
literature claims. Or, it says you could take the Hornet to the beach or
a backwoods fishing spot that was
inaccessible
until now. It was an all-in-one do-everything sled and off-road vehicle.
Putting
miles on during the summer sounds great, doesn't it?
The sled
Hornet
featured a rear suspension with outboard rear shocks and a transmission
with two forward speeds and
reverse.
This was a different type of transmission setup, the unit being made by
Apex Gear Co. and hung on
top
of the chaincase, which also was built by Apex.
Not
unusual for the time, the engine was a fan-cooled single-cylinder German-made
JLO 297cc creating 18horsepower at 5,000 rpm.However, it also featured
electric start with no regular starter recoil, a unique feature.
The
brakes also were unique in that they were located on the front driveshaft,
opposite the chaincase.
The
brake unit here consisted of a small brake drum with small brake shoes
inside.
This
was no lightweight sled. Hornet was a long, heavy snowmobile with an
overall
length, with skis, of 9 feet 3 inches.
It weighed in more like a modern-day sled too, at about
490 lbs.
But
remember, it also had wheels. And here's where you see some of the good
ideas that went into the Hornet.
When changing over from the snow setup to wheels the front
steering
arms had springs holding the wheels in place.
And those wheels came with L-shaped spindles to slip right
into where the ski spindles normally were located.
Additionally,
the rear suspension's rear shaft is splined on both sides so the wheel
hubs would slip right on.
A
long bolt holds the wheels on. Simple!
When running with the wheels setup, the track, which was
a 15-inch wide rubber number,
would
run just like it would on snow.
Plus there is a kit with a set of rear fenders that fasten
onto the rear of the tunnel.
Hornet also had a dual-face speedometer that would properly
measure
your speed when you changed over to the wheel kit.
Jet called the sled's steering a high torque universal
system with the steering column going over
the
motor to a universal joint, then down to the sled's tie rod ends.
The Hornet's fuel tank held 5 gallons, with gas consumption
rated at 2/3 gal. per hour, giving this plenty of
riding
distance before needing a fill-up. Speed was estimated at 40 mph with skis,
and about 48 mph with its
wheels
in place.
Who knows, there may be a few more Hornets out there somewhere.
Two
of the Hornets that were found had very few miles on them,
one
at 111 and the other at 320 miles. So keep your eyes open.
THANKS
RETO FOR THE GREAT PICTURES !
