A Snow Tractor?

[Verderer]

Hi guys, I am planning to run CoC Beyond the Mountains of Madness RPG campaign for my players, and I am also trying to collect some minis suitable for it. As many of you no doubt know, this campaign is huge book and it is based on Lovecraft's story At the Mountains of Madness. Basically the plot is that Miscatonic University sends an expedition to the Antarctic in 1930, and horror ensues. The actual RPG campaign starts when it is decided to send a another expedition in 1933 to find out what really happened.

Ok, so far I got a couple RAFM Antarctic expedition packs with some dog sleds and investigator in polar kit, and I also have Copplestone's polar investigators, pilots and a sled. So I got those covered. Much of long distance traveling is happening by aeroplanes, so I got one plane as a prop for those encounters where it might be handy. I also need to make some snow terrain, but that's not the problem really.

What I have trouble with is the snow tractors described in the BtMoM book. According to the book, the snow tractor is a Ford. It's a tracked vehicle with boxy cab. The tractor seats 5 passengers (so I assume driver + 5), and the engine and fuel tank are mounted in the back.

The engine is a 200 cubic inch Ford four cylinder gasoline Engine, producing 40HP at 2200 RPM. Sounds like a model A, does it? Tractor's empty weight is given as 1.450 lbs. I got dimensions and other info as well, but no pictures! Other vehicles (planes, ships etc.) are pictured though. I find it curious there's no picture, and suspect this might be fictional vehicle (purpose built custom job perhaps?) Anyways, can't find any info on a suitable vehicle.

Can anyone give any tips what sort thing I am looking for, please? The best I can come up with is Carden loyd type tankette with armour plates removed, and a cabin added. Why I think it might be something like this, is the light weight, and the fact the engine is in the back, which I think would be unusual for any sort of car or bulldozer based vehicle. And bulldozers would be much too heavy anyways.

I'd like to scratch build something like this, so is a tankette or universal carries my best bet? And are there any available in 28mm?

[Will Bailie]

This isn't a Ford, but would something like this be what HPL described?
http://www.tin-soldier.com/sg/rrw.htm

[JollyBob]

This is more modern (1960s) but might look the part with some stowage and the right paint job:




£19.00 from Copplestone's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang range:

http://www.copplestonecastings.co.uk/range.php?range=KKB


Other than that, could you stick some tracks on a Company B Ford?

[Cory]

I'd expect it to be a plywood box roughly in a car shape on a civilian chassis. In the 30's these things were custom modified from existing cars and were more along the lines of a half track with skis rather than an all tread vehicle.

[dampfpanzerwagon]

Check out this link;

http://townofstevenson.com/TOS_web/photogallery/Museum/Post%20Office%20Snowmobile.JPG

Or a Google image search for Snow Mobile Ford Model T.

Regards

Tony
http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.com/

[dampfpanzerwagon]

Or this;

http://patentpending.blogs.com/patent_pending_blog/2005/11/the_invention_o.html

Or this;

http://www.dvsm.org/Images/Amps/AMPS-HSTs.jpg

Tony
http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.com/

[Verderer]

Thanks for suggestion guys! JB, I did consider the Copplestone model, but decided against it in the end. Looks too modern (not to mention ugly!)

I was able to find this picture of fully tracked Ford car:
http://flickr.com/photos/39839593@N00/272518639

One additional detail from the description I didn't mention is that the vehicle steered with two steering brakes controlling a 'cletrac' geared differential. Searching with that word gives up lots interesting pics with google.

EDIT: the above would also suggest it wasn't a halftrack type solution, right?

[dampfpanzerwagon]

Not exactly what you were asking for - but it would be easy to scratch build - clear plastic card box with added detail;

http://diyfiles.com/snowmobile

Tony
http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.com/

[twrchtrwyth]

I think this is from the right time period and quite easy to get hold of.

[Cory]

I was able to find this picture of fully tracked Ford car:
http://flickr.com/photos/39839593@N00/272518639
EDIT: the above would also suggest it wasn't a halftrack type solution, right?

The one I was thinking of is in the same museum (and a great place it is!) Both were conversions done using kits, but the one pictured had turning problems.