1974 Blizzard ***********
Models 340, 440, 640

    The big news for the winter of 73-74 was the establishment of a professional drivers circuit in which the snowmobile manufacturers would pit their best hardware and drivers head to head. It would be called Sno-Pro and was anticipated to be the hottest thing ever to happen in snowmobile racing.  The big time had arrived.

    Ski-Doo unveiled their Sno-Pro sled, similar in concept to the '73 but built with the most exotic materials available at the time. As the pictures show, it was a sculpted work of art but alas it would never turn its track in anger. The energy crisis, precipitated by the middle east oil embargo made participating in motor sports very politically incorrect.

    Bombardier elected to withdraw their participation in Sno-Pro and concentrate their efforts into public education on saving gas while still enjoying the sport. It was a big disappointment for us rabid Ski-Doo supporters.

1974 Blizzard Triple

    I was most pleased to receive an E-Mail from Réal Larochelle.  Réal was one of the Ski-Doo factory mechanics who worked on the '74 Blizzard!   He was kind enough to share his memories and dig through his box of photo's and send me these very rare pictures of this most famous free air sled.

Ski-Doo Factory Team (1973)
Réal Larochelle with Headphones

74 Blizzard Sno-Pro 640

74 Blizzard Under Hood

Ski-Doo Factory Van

Réal writes:

"In November of 1973 we were ready to go testing at Yellowstone, our machines were pretty close to being ready.  Engines were tested on the dyno and I was pretty satisfied the power that we were getting.  Our 340 cc twin saw 80-85 hp at 9750 rpm, the 440 cc twin gave us 95-100 hp at 9750 rpm and the big 3 cylinder 640 had 115-120 hp at 9250 rpm.  All sleds were free-air cooled with big Mikuni carbs, magnesium clutch and engine cases and a thin track with titanium cleats

    One morning we heard from Bombardier directors that we would not go racing that season and the racing department will be closed! For the rest of the season my job was to assist with engine information and dyno testing for Ski-Doo distributors.

    In January the first SnoPro race was held in St. Lazare, Quebec. We couldn't compete, but went there with radar and timers and recorded all the classes during the weekend. The next day we rented the track and Yvon Duhamel , Mike Trapp and Claude Desrosiers did a lot of testing.  After adjustment of suspension, clutches and carburetors we were faster than everybody during that week end.

    I'm sure that with more testing and races the 1974 Blizzard could have been a very good racing machine.  They were more stable than 1973 Blizzard and lot more powerful and the power train was a lot lighter.

    After the testing session, we waited in the motel for the decision to go or not to go racing for the rest of the season. The decision was made to go back to Valcourt and destroy all of that splendid machinery except my two 640 triples.

    Yvon and Mike used them for publicity appearances at Ski-Doo dealers and at the end of the season they were supposed to send them back to Valcourt.  Mike Trapp returned his 640 but Yvon  didn't!  He kept it for his museum and I heard that he sometimes uses it for trail riding and old timer race in Valcourt.  I know that Mike kept the hood for his museum in Minocqua Wi.

    We used the same 340 cc and 440 cc engine in 1975 because Rotax hadn't done any racing development in Austria. Yvon Duhamel and his mechanic Larry Doyon, Mike Trapp and I went racing in the States with a new machine developed in the summer season. We raced Ironwood in December and did well but the big competitors were not there. We met the other teams the next weekend in Alexandria and found that they were too fast for us.  We didn't have a lot of success for the rest of the season

    A year without racing development made it very hard for Ski-Doo to come back to the winning circle after that and I believe today that this decision was an error and that it provided the chance for other companies to take the lead in racing for a lot of years after that."

74 Blizzard 340

All dressed up and no place to go!

Technical Highlights

    Last year of the triple Free-Air

    First use of Mikuni carbs on a Ski-Doo

    First use of titanium in a Ski-Doo

1974 T'NT Free Air ****

Models 340, 400, 440

    Based on the '73 but a much stronger trail sled it can be differentiated from the '73 by the extended scoop on the main cooling air duct. The aluminum cross member was replaced with a chrome-moly steel box section, greatly improving the sleds reliability. The hydraulic brake was replaced with a cable unit, and a full instrument panel was added. A 440 piston port twin was also added to the line. I own a '74 400 F/A and it has been one of my favorites. It’s been an outstanding machine, a solid 50 bhp in a 385lb frame.

    Anyone with a '74 out there knows that the flat black trim on the hood can quickly look shoddy. It doesn't take wax well, and shows scuff marks. Here's a tip, just put a small amount of your favourite 10W30 on a rag and rub it into the flat black and presto, the scuff marks disappear and your left with a semi gloss finish.

    The warnings regarding the HP clutch and piston skirt cracking found in the 1973 page still apply to '74 sleds.

1974 T'NT F/A 340

1974 T'NT F/A 400 (The Authors)

Under The Hood

1974 ROTAX Type 396

Technical Highlights

    Last year of the 400 engine

    Last year of the HP Clutch

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