For Sale: 1919 Ford Model T Touring Snowflyer in Volo, Illinois

From our Museum Collection, first time offered for sale. This is a rare opportunity to own one of the first snowmobiles ever built. Not only is it rare, it is quite the conversational and show piece for any collection, display or museum.

Virgil D. White was a clever inventor who sold and serviced Model T Fords, becoming an authorized Ford dealer in West Ossipee, New Hampshire. By 1913 he had patented a Snowmobile conversion kit for Model T Fords, which he sold for $400, and complete vehicles were sold for $750. 1923 seems to be the first year that he actively marketed the newly-invented "Snowmobile." The first year they sold only 75. Typical Snowmobile customers were doctors and rural mail carriers.

Besides the obvious additions of the tag axle, track and skis, there are more modifications made to the car as part of the Snowflyer conversion. The rear doors were cut, raising the bottom of the doors to allow clearance of the snow tracks. An auxiliary transmission was added for better performance in the snow and the rear axles were narrowed so the car could be driven through narrow trails. The fenders and running boards were also removed. The front wheels easily can be swapped between skis and tires for use on roads when there is no snow, the tracks remove easily as well.

This 5 passenger Touring Snowmobile was fully restored with new upholstery, including new two-man top and full side curtains, new body wood and new paint. It was last driven in the snow in 2015. Because of the harsh winters, most of the Snowflyer kits were destroyed. This kit on this car has been authentically restored right down to the "Snowmobile" tags on the skis.

Because this is not part of our normal "for sale" inventory and is from our museum display, we priced it to sell fast in order to gain room for a new museum item. Snowmobiles like this do not come for sale often; and when they do, they are not priced this aggressively!