Top Three Most Rare Scorpion Models

[macandg]

Greetings from central Iowa. I'm new to this site, but not new to Scorpion. I love the style and how Scoprion seemed to market their product with so many options- especially 1972-1973.

I'd like to know what the least made models are (most rare). Just the trail sleds that you could get from dealers- not racers or prototypes.

My guess is: '77 Bullwhip (200 made) and '73 YellowTK...is this right? What others had few made from the 1970s?

I've got a '73 White SS440 with added hood louvers and '73 Yellow 400TK without added louvers. They are both very clean and very cool style. However, riding them is like wrestling a gorilla on Red Bull- you gotta pay attention.

Thanks for the consideration.

Mac

[scorp11]

The bullwhip was a race sled, so that doesn't really meet your criteria. No race sleds would also mean no 71 Super Stingers either I would think.

Those are probably the two most sought after, and some versions pretty rare.

I'd guess a Mark IV was probably pretty rare for consumer models.

[scorpionlilwhip]

what about wide track '73's or '74's with the '74 Stinger hood

as far as i remember the brochures indicated that there would be no more 18 inch tracks, we do have the remains of a 73 or 74 Stinger WT 400, it was White

I also seen on one of the forums the picture of a '77 Whip with a 300 displayed on the tunnel decal, instead of a 340 or 440 (this could easily be a machine where someone had the decals made up, but if not, it would certainly be quite rare, or could it be a 78 made to order Whip TK, as i remember they advertised you could get it any way you wanted..give me a TK, blue hood with 77 decals and a 300 cuyuna and a 300 decal package..who ever had the sled would know)

also in the video from 75 that displayed the whole line up, i seen to remember Chuck Connors saying you could get the Brut in engines sizes all the way up to 500cc's, those would be a bit scarcer than the 340's and 440's

[macandg]

Good point scorpionlilwhip. I never thought of the "sub-models" and wide tracks. I guess I was just thinking in straight run numbers from the prodution line. But I guess that is harder to know than I thought. For me, and my gathering of info, I thought it was '77 Bullwhip- only 200 made and onely one year. Then I thought '73 SS 400TK with yellow hood- only one year made in yellow. In fact, I found a news article that seemed to suggest this was Scorpion's way of getting into the face of Ski Doo- by taking their color.

Obviously in the late 60s, just because of low production numbers, several other models are likely more rare or unusual. I'm just thinking of the "glory days" from early 70s to late70s when production was most overall.

Another way to guess is by simply counting how many times you see certain models over the course of a year in looking. Or by how many models you see at a big show like Waconia or something. If you look at it that way- I still say the '77 B'whip and '73 Yellow hood rises to the top as least seen. But the widetracks are on that list too for sure.

[scorpionlilwhip]

the yellow sled is featured in one of the photo's at trail a sled's web site, but it is a black and white photo, but it clearly made the point it was a yellow hood

of all the production sleds, the yellow has to be close to one of the rarest

[ddub]

Sometimes "rare" doesn't mean extremely sought after.

64's would have to be about the rarest. 38 produced. Who knows how many are left? I see and have a 65, with just over 500 built.

I have a 72 Stinger I 440WT. Talking with someone in the know, he said that he didn't think that sled had actually been built. I basically think they were left over 71 parts. I have no idea how many were built, but never seen another?

Does anyone know how many stingerette's or stingeroo's were built?

Mark IV's I would agree with Scorp11 as being pretty rare.

70 Stingers with large engines would definitely fit the bill as desirable, but it would be interesting to know how many were built as consumer versions.

It's too bad that there doesn't seem to be much Scorpion production information out there.

[scorp11]

Guess the questions to start with are:

1) Race or Consumer - Remember Bullwhip was a race sled
2) Models only or customizations within a model. eg. Yellow hood on a super stinger. Certain engine in a Stinger.

If we are including race stuff, I'd guess a 70 Stinger free air might be pretty rare. And they had a different hood. Wonder how many even know what they look like ?

I have seen Many, many more bull whips than 70 stinger free airs or 71 Supers with a 793 hirth. Or Mark IV's for that matter :-)

Although, what I've seen doesn't necessarily correlate to what was produced either. Scorpion was quite poor at documenting what they did.

[ddub]

Kevin,
I agree with the 70 Stinger Free Air's, but were they available to the consumer?
Or were they a race sled? I guess I thought that they were a race sled so I didn't mention them. They sure are COOL with a capital C. ;D They are probably the only "old school" Scorpion built cooler than a 71 Super Stinger in my book.

Anyone know how many sidewinders were built? Being a "cat" maybe they don't count with us Scorp guys anyway? ;D I see them around occasionally. Nice looking sleds.

[scorp11]

Mar 30, 2013 16:30:02 GMT -5 ddub said:

Kevin,
I agree with the 70 Stinger Free Air's, but were they available to the consumer?
Or were they a race sled? I guess I thought that they were a race sled so I didn't mention them. They sure are COOL with a capital C. ;D They are probably the only "old school" Scorpion built cooler than a 71 Super Stinger in my book.

Anyone know how many sidewinders were built? Being a "cat" maybe they don't count with us Scorp guys anyway? ;D I see them around occasionally. Nice looking sleds.

As far as I know the Stinger free airs were race only. That's why I said have to decide whether race counts. Bull Whip keeps getting brought up and that was race only.

I've always heard 1200 Sidewinders. On that note, if you go here, this is what a sidewinder was "supposed" to look like. In the promotional literature, this is the colors you see. Word was that Cat didn't want them to look better than the Tigre's so they made them change to "grey"

vintagesleds.com/bs/index.php/topic,75494.0.html

[macandg]

Great list of sleds indeed. I guess I didn't know the Bullwhip was a racer- I knew it was a cross country sled...but I didn't put 2 and 2 together. So, I guess I was just thinking of the sleds my Dad would have got at the dealer. Just production sleds to the average trail rider.

Also, I didn't think the Yellow hood was a customization as it was listed as a Two-Kolor model (hence the TK) as I've read from Scorpion literature found on the vintage brochure website.

Also, I agree the Sidewinder was not a Scorpion as it was all Arctic Cat but the name.

And, I'd like to stay in the 70s as to avoid the obvious rarities of the 60s before the great fire and before top production years in numbers and models.

So, how does that narrow the list? Among that criteria, what was the top most rare (least made); or what is the least found among collectors...?

Scoprion certainly was all about style. In my book, the '72-'73 hoods are the best. I like the sqaured off bull nose look.

Maybe this discussion has been had, but I sure appreciate it. Thanks for the consideration.

[scorpionlilwhip]

Sidewinders count, they have the name Scorpion on them, and we feel justified as everyone here should know by now, in turning Cats into Scorpions (not true Scorpions of course)

and I had heard the black to grey story as well, they did look better in black, but look good in dark grey as well

[scorp11]

lol. . I never have heard of TK meaning Two-Kolor before. Good one !! now that we have the rules, I guess the speculating can begin. . .

How about a light blue 76 Range whip perhaps. It was an option, I've only ever seen 1.

I had to chuckle about the 72 - 73 Scorps. They are my least favorite look. Never did like that look. But a lot of people seem to like them and there are lots around.

[macandg]

I'm new to vintage sleds, and to details about the Scorpion brand- one of my family's early sleds and my personal favorite in style. I don't pretend to be very knowledgable, which is why I'm on this site asking questions. You folks are doing great in that regard, thank you.

...I found the "TK" reference at this link. www.vintagesnowmobiles.50megs.com/PP2880.html

Yes- it is a strecth to call it "two kolor", but it fits. What else does it stand for...? It is a designation that resurfaced in the late 70s also. But I don't know what it stood for then either.

Anyway- of the many color options, the White and Yellow seems the least used, then maybe gold and blue; and red the obvious "Scorpion color".

Either way, Scorpion was a great style and unique that they offered so many colors and customizations from the factory- not special order. I guess that is why this discussion is hard to pin down...

www.vintagesnowmobiles.50megs.com/PP7764.html

Notice the White '73 SS440 was the only hood with pinstripes...

Last question: I looked into the '70 Stinger- I agree a nice looking sled. I see they could be ordered with larger engines. Can anyone tell me other models through the 70s that could be "custom ordered" with larger engines?

[obj1]

well than, here is some pics of a rare mark4 from this weekend

[macandg]

I love it- a rare sled that is being used for play.

Hey obj1: "SUPPORT LOCAL HOOKER" - you must be a rugger, or at least hang around some... Me too 1989-2006.

For those who do not know- a rugger is a person who played Rugby. And, the Hooker is a key position in the game.

...anyway- back to collector sleds being used for play...

[scorpionlilwhip]

hooker at that time referred to exhaust parts (aside from many other things, rugby among them) and assuming of course the decal is not more recent and from the era the sled was build and first run and owned

you could get hooker headers for cars and they also made a variety or decals for car bumpers, i do not remember if they made snowmobile parts but it seems reasonable that they did, i would have to dig up some of the older magazines

[obj1]

Ddub, is this what you have also?

[obj1]

Here is another "rare" one.

[ddub]

Apr 1, 2013 11:34:55 GMT -5 obj1 said:

Ddub, is this what you have also?

OBJ,
No, mine is a 71 style wedge. I can post a pic tonight.

[macandg]

Holy Cow- this discussion keeps getting better. I am a novice- not nearly as well versed as most of you, which again, is why I'm here at this site- to learn.

I have NEVER seen a '74 hood that is yellow- this was the year they made a gold for only one year, right? Is this yellow hood a "custom" order, I know Scorpion catered to that type of ordering. I did not think yellow was "standard" option except for '73.

Also- the '74 style fiberglass hood with '73 style windshield and light- that looks like a mid-year change in hood style between '73 & '74. It's a blend of both hood styles. Was that WT models only, or was there other "hybrid" hoods out there?

At any rate, it looks like between sub-models (WT) and custom orders, the "rare" list is going to be hard to pin down. In the meantime, I sure do appreciate learning more.

Thanks again folks. I'm enjoying this.