Models 292, 340, 440, 640, 776

    The 1970 Blizzard line was comprised of two different body styles housing 5 different engines. It was Ski-Doo's first attempt at building a pure racer, to be raced by the factory racing team and available to a select group of privateers.

    The 15 inch track version housed the single cylinder 292 and 340 engines and was the only Blizzard ever to be styled in the traditional "black stripe" body. This body style was first introduced in the Olympic of 1966 and by 1970 was beginning to show its age.

    Note in the picture the central large air opening and two side openings, this is the easiest way to identify it as a Blizzard.  It utilized an aluminum frame with a steel front cross member.

    The second style housed the twin cylinder 436, 636 and 776 engines. It used the modern fiberglass hood,  high belly pan and large chrome bumper and was the same frame used with the all steel T'NT in 1970, both rode on 18 inch tracks.

    Interestingly both styles of Blizzard attempted to utilize poly carbonate plastic for their belly pans.  It was soon found that gasoline spillage ate the poly carbonate which required a fiberglass replacement to be supplied.

    All the Blizzards for that year came with a Bosch CDI ignition systems, a first for Ski-Doo. Unfortunately, the reliability of these ignitions was less than great and many were retrofitted with a more reliable points system.

    Suspension consisted of a jointed slide system with the rear axle attached to the frame via link plates.

Technical Highlights

    First use of Free Air cooling in a Ski-Doo.

    First use of a tuned muffler on a Ski-Doo

    First use of a poly carbonate belly pan in a Ski-Doo

    First application of CDI Ignition on a Ski-Doo

    First use of Teflon coated piston domes.
 
 

1970 Speed Machines *****

    One of the wildest things happening in the sport in the early seventies was the unabashed quest for speed.  The big factories spent significant amounts of money in developing machines to vie for the "World Speed Record" . The USSA sanctioned the events, which quickly became very dangerous and ultimately lasted but a few years.  The first free air machine introduced by Ski-Doo was called the Double Eagle and was powered by two 776 twin cylinder engines. Driven with great skill and daring by Duane Eck, it was capable of speeds in excess of 100 mph but captured no world records.