Here's a few pics. Not in to bad of shape for sitting outside for 16 years :banghead: What was the guy thinking. Interior is still good The naugahyde cover did a great job protecting it.

All I need to find now is a dash, and maybe the right engine. But that can come later. I bought this sled 19 years ago this fall. Sold it 16 years ago, got it back 3 weeks ago :banana:

Restoration will start end of May. Plan to ride it November this year :div20:

those things look pretty cool

Sweet.
make sure u post pics of the restoration process.

When we first starting riding back in the 70's, one of the families we rode with had a Rupp American and a Raider 44TT. The Raider was very unique but it always ran like crap so we nicknamed it 44 Triple Trouble.

Have fun restoring over the summer Beagle. I am planning on doing some work on my 1990 Prowler. Do I hear vintage ride in the plans for next year? :div20:

That is Great... I have a 73 that was my 2nd sled... I still have mine.... Keep us posted and take lots of pictures...

Karlin in February. There is a Vintage Show there. They had the 3rd annual this year with 130 sleds.

It's about 1/4 mile from our vacation home. So I will be there :banana:

Beagle,
The sled looks pretty nice. After seeing those pics of your Mustang I'm sure that sled will be MINT when you're done. Good luck and have fun, Jeff

Thanks Jeff...Haven't had any luck finding the parts I need. So it looks like I will have to buy a whole sled and get what I want then re-sell it with my take off parts :banghead:

Found a hood...$400 shipped Heck, I only paid $500 for the sled No dash ANYWHERE except on a complete sled.

-Ron

Ron,
Did you ever get in touch with Jerry Schmitt (the Raider guy)????? I know what you mean about parts costing the price of the sled. Some guys are making good money selling vintage parts to those of us who need them. I will keep my eyes open for any Raider parts in my travels and if anything turns up will let you know. Get that Raider finished but dont neglect that sweet Mustang. Jeff

Nice Raider Beagle. :div20:

thats awsome!!! :div20: my first sled was a 73' ski-doo elan!!! im thinking of finding one and restoring it also! try "Al's snowmobile parts" in Newport VT...they have alot ....and i mean ALOT! on vintage sleds and parts! give em a try!

ill get the website and phone number and post it soon! :div20:

heres the info on "al's"

Al's Parts Warehouse
World's largest in used snowmobile Parts, Rebuilt Cylinders and Cranks in stock. Antique snowmobiles on display.

3868 Pine Hill Rd
Newport, VT
(802) 487-1000
www.alssnowmobile.com
good luck!

NOTHING...Tried there 1st, but Thanks. They have a hood, but want $400 total with shipping :smilielol: I paid $500 for the whole sled, running.

Oh yeah, nothing there either.

But I found a guy today with plenty of NOS stuff :banana: I hit the Mother Lode for everything I need with one stop shopping :beerchug: :fluffy:

This thing is going to be swweeetttt when I am done. Probably to nice to use many places :banghead:

sled looks like it will be lots of fun beagle. now we need to see some picks of it with the misses over in the general forum. :div20:

SWEEEEET :div20: :div20: :div20: That will look nice when done.

As soon as I find an era correct swimsuit for her to wear :smilielol: :tease:

Swimsuits were too conservative back then, weren't they?

Anyway - Just wondering if you happened to check through the Girl pics on Dave's Vintage site to see if there's any Raiders.

Here's the link - I looked through a while back for my 77 Sno Jet, but didn't find any. Don't remember if there were any Double Eagles.

http://www.vintagesnowmobiles.50megs.com/INDEX.html

The only pics with girls I have ever seen with Raiders was from the sales brochure and they were in Raider Snow Suits.

Well, we all know SmileyT can do a much better job!

So, just curious - How's the handling on those sleds? I imagine the twin track would have a different feel - maybe better for some situations / not so good for others. And what about in powder? It's seems it would be more stable to have the 4 "legs", but being in the cockpit would limit the control. A very cool machine no matter what! :div20:

Purple

Still to this day I feel nothing will out turn a Raider. They turn so tight in a corner they can damn near turn around in their own tracks and go back the other way.

Which is fine on smooth snow. But if you add moguls, you are going to take a beating.

That was okay when I was 16 and stupid, but now I am spoiled.

The Raider Double Eagle had a rear suspension way ahead of it's time. Very similiar to the modern suspensions. Even had the adjustable rods like the Yamaha's.

Problem is you can not stand up to take big bumps. They go right up your spine

Oh yeah, powder....they advertised how great they could go through deep snow...I call it false advertisements. Sank easily IMO.

My dad had one when he was my age when he lived out in Western Montana. Rode it in the mountains all the time so it must have been decent in powder. He also said that it sidehilled like no other sled that he has ever ridden, including modern sleds. He said he could go for days on a sidehill with his Raider.

Yeah, somehow they did sidehill well. I was surprised. Figuring I bought mine when I was only 16 and never managed to put it on top of me. They are way more stable then their reputation made them out to be.

A lot of people screwed up and put Kalamazoo Ice Claws in the tracks, then if you started to slide sideways and they caught it would flip.

On another note, I just found pics of when I brought it home 20 years ago It was like BRAND NEW with only 175 miles on it. I remember the day I got it and the exact house where I picked it up. Paid $750...a lot of money in 1985 for a 16 year old. But I worked hard.

I also found the pics of when I broke it in 1/2 in 1987. Was jumping it and nosed it in. The frame held up, but the body broke. I have all the pics of it in a hundred pieces and all the glass and body work I did.

Now I see the work I have ahead of me :doh:

Well, a while back someone said this stuff could get addicting.

I wouldn't say I am at that point, as I still like the modern sleds, but I did pick up another Double Eagle today.

It would have been mint, but the guy's trailer got rear ended with the sled on it and the engine broke free from the mounts, it then flew back wards and ripped the engine cover from the body. I can fix all that no problem though.

I mainly wanted it for reference of stock appearance, as this sled is unmolested And the engine I needed. Now I will take my two Double Eagles and make a super duper show quality one and a "driver".

For reference I paid $350 for it. It's missing the snow flaps (very easy to find), windshield is cracked and the gas cap black cover is gone. That's the worst part. Those covers do not exist for Double Eagles. I will form one from aluminum I guess, just for the looks, and paint it black as it should be.

Beagle,
You're on your way to being hooked on vintage sleds. Yeah, I still got modern sleds too but something keeps me buying that old stuff. Well, get it done, start thinking about making room for the next one. Like I said earlier, after seeing your Mustang you'll make that Raider mint. Jeff