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Post by mooreperformance on Jan 21, 2012 13:26:52 GMT -5
In the fall of 1969 I attended a Sno Barons grass race in Blaine Minnesota (in a hayfield next to Hwy 65). It was a typical cold and rainy day but a big event never-the-less. For most of us it was the first time we got to see the new 1970 models racing. A Scorpion dealer brought a 1970 Scorpion Stinger to the race still in a crate. We were told it had a special Sachs engine called the 340C. He uncrated it, installed the skis, windshield, tightened the polyurethane track and filled it with gas. After a few warm up trips through an empty hay field he pronounced it ready to race. He entered it into the 340 Stock class and blew everyone off the track through round after round of eliminations. He easily won first place in the 340 stock class. He pulled a tuned pipe (expansion chamber) out of the trunk of his car and installed it on the little Stinger. He entered it in the 340 Mod class and easily won first place in that class too! Later we found out that the Sachs 340C was rated at 30 horsepower! This was an incredible amout of horsepower for a stock 340 engine in the fall of 1969 (actually the engine displacement was 335cc) .
The engine/sled combination was a little rare because they were very expensive (almost as much as a 634).
The more popular Stinger was the one equipped with the Sachs 336 SS (Super Sachs) . This was also a great performer and was rated at 26 horsepower (the same as the 340 TNT Skidoo).
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Post by mooreperformance on Jan 27, 2012 19:48:14 GMT -5
In the summer of 1970 I attended a grass race in Buffalo Minnesota. There was a bubble nose Scorpion Stinger with a 793 Hirth Honker! Man that thing was scarey! It was one of the fastest sleds at the races. I don't know how that guy raced that thing! The sled must have been worthless for anything other than racing in a straight line. He was going over 90 MPH! I am sure he had to balance it like he was riding a motorcycle. Those Stingers had a 24 inch wide ski stance and that 793 Honker must weigh at least 115 pounds! Talk about top heavy! I wonder if any race track would even let him on the track these days. All I can remember about the hood was "Frenchy" painted on the side. I hope he survived his racing career, one of the bravest racers I've ever seen!
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Post by obj1 on Jan 27, 2012 21:44:10 GMT -5
Thats good stuff! We still have Roger Larson racing these bubble nose stingers. He also raced in 1970 and is still racing the same sleds today! Our 70' mod 634 is a former hay days winner. Its really great to watch him run that old 634 and his 340ss in the summer drag series. We are out classed now with that 634 mod but he does make some finals and has got a few wins this summer. With those megaphones it is a crowd pleaser but agravating to the competitors!
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Post by admin on Feb 3, 2012 22:19:20 GMT -5
The 1969 handbars do not have gussets and someone on this site mentioned they are more likely to break off the steering rod, Here's a pic of the 1969 handbar without the gussets welding it to the steering rod, Here's the 1970 handbar with the gussets!,
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Post by ddub on Feb 3, 2012 22:43:55 GMT -5
admin, The throttle and brake controls are also different.
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Post by admin on Feb 3, 2012 23:05:43 GMT -5
It looks like the 1969 controls bolt right through the handlebars whereas the 1970 controls clamp on.
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Post by admin on Feb 3, 2012 23:09:06 GMT -5
1969 hood has two red stripes without any pinstripes bordering on the red stripes, 1970 has the two red stripes with WHITE bordering pinstripes, The same difference exists on the rear compartment/backrest compartment stripes.
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Post by ddub on Feb 3, 2012 23:58:37 GMT -5
Question on the trunks.
Most I have seen were metal for the old black bubbles.
I have one that is fiberglass? Aftermarket or did Scorp use some fiberglass?
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Post by admin on Feb 4, 2012 3:41:12 GMT -5
Question on the trunks. Most I have seen were metal for the old black bubbles. I have one that is fiberglass? Aftermarket or did Scorp use some fiberglass? Well...this is another area of mystery to me as well. The 1969 and 1970 Parts Manuals list the "Toolbox (Metal)" as part number 933300 for Mark,II,III,IV models. Of course, there is no backrest-toolbox on the Mark I. The 1971 parts manual lists the same part number and ""Toolbox (Metal)" for the Mark II and III. The Mark IV sled is not even listed in the 1971 manual perhaps because there wasn't a Mark IV is 1971? With all that said, my 1969 Mark III has a Fiberglass toolbox like yours! The fiberglass toolbox is not listed in any of the three manuals I have from 69-71. Oddly enough, the rear toolbox is not even shown or listed in the 1968 parts book. I was thinking maybe the fiberglass model was used in 1968 and then the leftovers were used on your 69' and mine too! I do prefer the metal since the fiberglass tends to get more easily beat up. Perhaps Scorpion didn't even want to acknowledge the damage prone fiberglass model. Or maybe it was a temporary piece to overcome a supply or manufacturing gap. For whatever reason, the fiberglass model does not appear in the parts manuals.
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Post by mooreperformance on Feb 6, 2012 1:17:24 GMT -5
When we purchased our 1969 Mark II it came with a fiberglass trunk. We complained to the dealer that it was breaking up. He replaced it under warranty with a metal trunk. I wonder if you had to ask the dealer before he would change it under warranty? I don't think the dealer would have changed it if we hadn't complained about it!
Scorpion probably thought that the fiberglass trunk would work. I am sure it was easier for them to make the trunk out of fiberglass than stamping it out of steel. They manufactured there own fiberglass hoods.
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Post by admin on Mar 4, 2012 22:27:16 GMT -5
From another site, The teardrop or bubble nose was found in 1968 through 1971. In 1971 they came out with the wedge design. Glen Gutzman hated it, but because they were short on time to start manufacturing sleds for the upcoming season they had to hurry up and pick a design. The wedge design had a short life. Two models of Scorpion still had the wedge design in 1972... the Stingeroo, a Mark I sized sled, powered by a Sachs sa280, and the Stinger I, same as a 1971 Stinger with a few engineering updates, powered by a Sachs sa290. I have only seen one 1972 Stinger I in my life. When $$ is more disposable I'm going to buy it. www.vintagesledders.com/forums/index.php?topic=9670.0
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Post by ddub on May 23, 2012 19:38:31 GMT -5
I don't see this mentioned, but I found interesting.
1971 bubbles had a gas door on the hood, plastic gas tank and an aluminum bolt on chain case.
So, no one else go find the 71's for modding as I want them all. ;D
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Post by admin on Jun 9, 2012 12:04:49 GMT -5
I was just reviewing this thread and want to give big thanks for all the very cool and detailed info!
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Post by admin on Mar 12, 2013 19:33:48 GMT -5
This weekend I noticed my 1969 Mark III backrest cushion has a strap (leather?) on it that holds it to the trunk using a SNAP, like on your coat. No big deal, I know. But, I wanted to mention, the 1970 model backrest cushion is fastened to the trunk using a "ball stud" part number 129002 that looks something like this but it's a brass finish, The threads of the ball stud screw into the plywood on the backrest and the ball pushes into a retainer mounted in the trunk. And it's a tight fit! Therefore, the 1970 backrest does not have that leather strap with a snap on it like the 1969. This is another way to determine if you have a 1969 or 1970 (maybe even the 1971). Unless of course, some guy like me replaced his 1969 broken fiberglass trunk with a 1970 metal NOS version with the red stripe bordered by white pin stripes. As if it was not confusing enough already!
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Post by ddub on Jun 23, 2013 19:23:52 GMT -5
Well guys,
I hate to do it, but I am going to muddy stuff up big time!
I had come to the conclusion that all 71's had an aluminum chaincase, 70-71 bubble nose's had a hinged hood, etc.
Nope doesn't appear so. The Mark I is an exception. I don't think they changed a thing from 69-71 on the Mark I. Bolt on hood, welded in chaincase, etc.
I have a 70 that is this way, and found a 71 at St. Germain that was this way. I wish I could have purchased this little guy, but it wasn't in the cards.
Who else has some Mark I's they can verify this with?
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Post by ddub on Jan 18, 2015 22:48:40 GMT -5
I found another thing for the bubble nose.
Factory auxiliary gas tank! Designed for sleds with underseat storage.
A replacement backrest that also served to hold fuel.
I saw it listed in the back of a original Scorpion brochure!
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chapguy
L2 Scorpion - Above All
Posts: 32
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Post by chapguy on Mar 14, 2017 13:37:46 GMT -5
Just bought a 71 Mark II to restore. has aluminum chaincase, plastic fuel tank, hood with flip up door for gas tank access, round decals on hood. This sled has black handle bar grips like the 71 Stinger, the owner told me he never replaced those, who knows 340 CCW twin that runs great. Track is junk , have a 71 Stinger donor for a poly track. Hood is the worst part, the sled was rolled at one time and cracked the hood up. I could repair it but am hoping too find a better hood to use on the restoration.
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