The Mercury from Pottstown, Pennsylvania • Page 9

he WINTER SCENE ercury WINTER SCENE PotHtown, Friday, 16, 1973 PAGE NINE Bombardier Produces 1 Millionth Snowmobile Valcourt, Quebec Bomhar- dier Limited produced its 1 millionth Ski a mark not even remotely approached by any other snowmobile manufacturer, at its assembly plant here Wednesday, August 29, amid salutes from Canadian and United States officials. Jean Marchand, minister of transport for Canada; Bernard Pinard, minister of transport for Quebec, and John L. Topping, U.S. coasul general, participated in ceremonies before more than 2,000 employees and guests. Hundreds of other employees were listening by conference telephone hookup at 1.1 Ski-Doo distributorships from Newfoundland to Alaska.

Laurent Beaudoin, president of Bombardier Limited and general manager of the Ski-Doo Division, pointed out that 1 million snowmobiles might be more graphically described as "75.000 tons or 150 million pounds of steel, 13,000 tons of raw rubber, 4,000 tons of fiberglass, and 5,000 tons of bonates, to mention some of the more extensively-used Final components, the skis, were placed on the 1 millionth Ski-Doo snowmobile, a 1974 Kverest model, by two production workers who also helped the late Joseph-Armand Bombardier assemble the first Ski-Doo snowmobile in 1959. The millionth machine was presented to Mrs. Yvonne Bombardier, widow of the Ski-Doo inventor and president of the Bombardier Foundation, for display in the J. A. Bombardier Museum here.

A replica of the millionth machine was presented to Dr. D. M. Baird, director of the National Museum of Science and Technology, for display in that museum at Ottawa. Ontario.

Among the special guests was Father Maurice Ouimet of sdowne House, a Northern Ontario mission, who acquired the first Ski-Doo snowmobile in April, 1959 That machine now is in the J. A Bombardier Museum, which houses originals of Mr inventions. President Beaudoin compared Father Ouimet's first Ski-Doo with the millionth machine in design features and noted they are so different that names Ski-Doo and Bombardier are about the only resemblances 1 millionth Ski-Doo snowmobile and others in our 1974 line are quieter, safer, more advanced than ever said Beaudoin, we are working on new design concepts which will further improve snowmobiling. "We are dedicated to making snowmobiling better for everyone within the framework of present and future requirements of the ecology and of the total populace, including snowmobilers and non-snowmobilers. "Snowmobiling serves such a great need for people in isolated areas in winter snow snowmobiling represents so much recreation for millions of people across the North American snowbelt snowmobiling is just so much fun for so many people that we at Bombardier and Ski-Doo are completely committed to the task of helping our snowmobiling yes, and snowmobilers everywhere enjoy the sport to the fullest extent Beaudoin continued.

He cited the Snoplan program working with snowmobile clubs and other on trail and use area development and its support of the North American 4-H snowmobile program as examples of this commitment. doubt that Father Ouimet. or the man who invented the Ski-Doo snowmobile. Joseph-Armand Bombardier, realized in 1959 that just 14 years later Bombardier would be producing its 1 millionth Ski-Doo machine," Beaudoin continued. '74 Suits 5 Models Offered In Compact Series The ultra-lightweight, compact Klan snowmobile series by Ski-Doo has been expanded from four to five models for with addition of the 294SS model which features a Bomhar- dier-Rotax twin cylinder 294cc engine with single carb, tuned muffler, and new clutch, track, and slide suspension.

The Klan 294SS, black with yellow, orange, and white highlights, is equipped with new lubrication-free square shaft clutch for fast torque response, new high-profile 15- inch-wide rubber track which is 15 percent lighter than previous tracks because of its super resilient reinforcing rods, and new ground levcler slide suspension. The entire series of Klan snowmobiles has exceptional flotation and maneuverability because the machines are 11 inches shorter than most full-size snowmobiles, yet have a track length on the ground that provides bearing surface comparable to most lull sue "It is unfortunate that Mr. Bombardier did not live to see the tremendous winter recreational surge, and the great economic benefits, his invention has brought to the North American The Bombardier president pointed out that Mr Bombardier died in 1964 and his Ski brand already was the largest selling snowmobile. Ski-Doo snowmobiles continue to be the largest selling brand today, lie said, "with no other snowmobile manufacturer in the world even close to the 1 million production mark which Ski-Doo has attained Mirhel Cloutier, vice president-marketing of Division, said the division will give away 11 new 1974 Klite side-by-side seating snowmobiles and 30 new 1974 Klan twin cylinder compact snowmobiles to say "thanks a million to our Ski-Doo One Elite and 5 Klan snowmobiles will be awarded in a separate contest in Idaho. The four-passenger Mirage II is a totally new concept in snowmobiles from Ski-Doo.

Designed to give passengers full view of scenic landscapes with modem conveniences and comfort, Mirage 1s a prototype with rear four-cycle engine, two 20-inch-wide high profile tracks, and speed up to 50 miles an hour. mrnmmmm TkeaA (fyi at A ank A mericard nnH machines. The result: The ground pressure of the new Klan 294SS is only .308 pounds per square inch and for the other four Klans it is even less: 266 on the 250 Deluxe. 294 on the elcctric-start. 266 on thr 2fi0T, and 262 on the 250.

The Klan 250 and 250K have single cylinder Bombar- dier-Rotax engines and dry weight of only 280 and 315 pounds, respectively. and 250 Deluxe have twin-cylinder, single carb engines and dry weight of 285 pounds. All four have bogie suspension and 15-inch wide rubber tracks reinforced with steel rods. All Klans have tinted windshields, padded handlebars with handy operating switches and controls, sturdy metal clutch guards, air intake silencers augmented by doubled wall Insulated mufflers on twins, and drum type brakes, except the Deluxe, which has disc brakes Frames are steel, cabs bonate. SHOE DEPARTMENT 4 STORI HOURS OPtN DAILY 10:00 A M.

to 9:00 P.M. 2 PAIR FOR THE PRICE OF ONE. BUY THE FIRST PAIR AT REGULAR PRICE, GET THE SECOND PAIR AT NO EXTRA COST! SELECT GROUPS NORCO MAU POTTSTOWN EXAMPLE: BUY FIRST PAIR AT $18.00, GET SECOND PAIR FOR $17.99 OR LESS AT NO EXTRA COST. YOUR CHOICE TO MIX: MEN WOMEN'S, CHILDREN'S.