1971 Moto Ski Mini Sno R-Code Factory 340 Hirth Restoration

[Phillie]

Hi there this is my first time posting, I am a new member so please bare with me. I would like to post some pictures of a very rare little race sled that I am restoring. I picked this sled up in Thunder Bay ON. About three years ago knowing exactly what it was. The identification number reads IFR3H which breaks down to:
I=1971,
F=Mini Sno,
R=Racer,
3=340ccm,
H=Hirth,
Approximately as few as fifty sleds were produced, only 4 sleds have been listed on www.motoskisnowmobiles.com and i have been told that only a couple more are left out there. I have seen pictures of these sleds lined up ready to race at Woodbine Race Track in Toronto ON. The R-Code Mini Sno's have about 20 more horse power then the standard 1970/1971 Mini Sno's which sport a small 225ccm Jlo Rockwell motor. I would be interested in knowing as much info as possible on these little demons. Also looking and willing to pay top dollar for any N.O.S. Mini Sno parts. I will be sure to post more pics as restoration progresses. Thanks for a great site.

Jason Phillips
Greenbank ON.
phillipspetroleum@gmail.com

[SuperMod]

MiniSno R-sled

Wow on having one of the MiniSno R-sleds!
I know the MiniSnos lined up racing pic you're referring to and always thought it may be mistakenly labeled as it sure looks like Peterboro'?

~ {;o)

[Phillie]

1971 Moto Ski Mini Sno R-Code Factory 340 hirth restoration

Thank you very much, I got very lucky finding this machine on Kijiji and having my parents coming back from Saskatoon with a 1964 ford Galaxie 500 XL on the car trailer and an empty pick up truck bed and them being one hour from Thunder Bay ON. It worked out for me (free shipping).

The photo does resemble Peterborough a lot now that you mentioned it. I'll try and post that picture later, maybe someone can verify it for us.

Do you know of any other R-Code Mini Sno's? Have you seen any? I have heard a rumor of a collector out in western Canada (Calgary) that may have six or seven, but haven't seen any of them. I had somebody contact me last year from Vermont area, asking if I wanted to purchase a rusty old R-Code carcass that had the V.I.N. Still intact but he wanted $1,000.00 U.S. I offered to by the V.I.N. But he refused, I don't blame him.

Jason Phillips
Greenbank ON.
phillipspetroleum@gmail.com

[oldjunk]

Had a regular Mini sno as a kid cool little sled.Some body on Kijiji's been looking for 1 of these 340s for a couple of years now. Great find.

Gord

[SuperMod]

MotoSki MiniSnos

I've never seen a real MiniSno R-sled, they're more rare than a '71 Bullet!
Here's a try at the MiniSno race picture below, sorry if it doesn't work.
As a side note, the Peterboro' Grandstands are slated for demolition within the next few months.

~ {;o)

[JH622]

Nice find, I never heard of one before. Many years ago a local guy had a Mini Sno with a 399 twin in it.

[Phillie]

1971 Moto Ski Mini Sno R-Code Factory 340 hirth restoration

Just would like to post some more pictures of the Mini Sno R-code. Should get the chassis back from the paint shop this week.

Jason Phillips
Greenbank ON.
phillipspetroleum@gmail.com

[JH622]

Who is doing the sandblasting? My local guy closed down.

[750-h2]

[QUOTE=SuperMod;36604]I've never seen a real MiniSno R-sled, they're more rare than a '71 Bullet!
Here's a try at the MiniSno race picture below, sorry if it doesn't work.
As a side note, the Peterboro' Grandstands are slated for demolition within the next few months.


Neat picture, however none of these sleds are R codes, they are all 1970 223cc powered sleds. The R codes were only in 1971 and you can tell these are 1970's as they have an aluminum strip instead of a steel rectangular tube front bumper. In 1971 my local Moto Ski dealer had an R code Mini Sno in his showroom. No idea what happened to it.

[dcgrant]

I'm the Moto-Ski collector from Calgary, and yes I have a number of Mini-Snos as part of my collection.
I do not have an R coded one though. I also know another collector out of BC with a large number in his collection but no "R" coded ones.
The Mini-Sno came with engines right up to 340CC and would really go.
There is no mention of any differences in all of the manuals, so it would be interesting to know exactly what the real difference was in the"R" sled and engine as compared to the Std model.
Nice one to include in any collection, look forward to seeing pictureswhen you're all done.

[Phillie]

1971 Moto Ski Mini Sno R-Code Factory 340 hirth restoration

Had a regular Mini sno as a kid cool little sled.Some body on Kijiji's been looking for 1 of these 340s for a couple of years now. Great find.

Gord

Never had one has a kid but my neighbor did, it took 30 years then I bought it from him, I guess I was always a little jealous. I have since collected 12 mini sno's in various conditions and a number of other mini sleds. I talked to that guy who has the add on Kijiji, he told me that he saw one has a kid in a dealership in Sudbury ON. I think he said he got to ride it but not sure.

Jason Phillips
Greenbank ON

[Phillie]

I Did my own at a friends shop, but Steve's Sand Blasting LTD in Port Perry ON 905-985-0877 is really good. He has an indoor blast facility and a mobile unit.

Jason Phillips
Greenbank ON

[Phillie]

1971 Moto Ski Mini Sno R-Code Factory 340 hirth restoration

I'm the Moto-Ski collector from Calgary, and yes I have a number of Mini-Snos as part of my collection.
I do not have an R coded one though. I also know another collector out of BC with a large number in his collection but no "R" coded ones.

The Mini-Sno came with engines right up to 340CC and would really go.
There is no mention of any differences in all of the manuals, so it would be interesting to know exactly what the real difference was in the"R" sled and engine as compared to the Std model.
Nice one to include in any collection, look forward to seeing pictureswhen you're all done.

That's to bad I thought there may be more of the R-Code models left out there. So far I know of a total of five. Four of them are listed on www.motoskisnowmobiles.com and one is a basket case in the eastern states. Jayson Bryant who runs the motoski website has a picture of his R-Code. We have talked about the differences between the regular mini sno and the R-Code mini sno and they are:

1) 340cc hirth instead of the 223 jlo.
2) Donaldson power tuned mufller. Tunnel brace where your foot goes has been modified and there is a special curved bracket and clamp system to hold the muffler in place.
3) Orange muffler cover that is riveted to the tunnel running board and bolted to the hood.
4) The black clutch cover with moto ski emblem on it (very common).Has a moto ski speedometer.
5) The hood is cut differently to allow clutch cover, speedometer and muffler to fit in.
6) No engine cover and tool box is the same but ignition switch is in the tool box on the right side.
7) Vin tag is the same but model #IFR3H and serial number are five digits instead of four.

If I missed anything I will let you know. I'll try and post some more pics later.

Jason Phillips
Greenbank ON

[750-h2]

Jason I am the guy from Sudbury you talked to at the show. Yes in 1971 the Moto Ski dealership [Uniroyal Tire Dealer] had a brand new one in the showroom but I never rode it. No idea what happened to it. I do however own a Mini Sno with a TNT single cylinder engine and it is a crazy sled.

[Phillie]

nice chatting with you again. It would be cool to find out who owned that dealership back in the 70's. It's to bad you never got the chance to ride it, I've officially never talked to anyone who has ridden one. I bet it's a crazy mini sno, I would like to see a picture of it. Did you ever find any R-code info or sleds?