78 SSR Race Team info wanted

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Yamaholic

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I recently received a factory SSR hood (#34) and would like to know if anyone can help me ID the original driver. I know Frans Rosenquist rode the #35 sled and Ed Schubitzke rode the #6. Morio Ito was on the team but I don't know what number he raced. I've seen lots of photos from back in the day but haven't seen the #34 hood in any of them. I suspect it's the original lettering since it's almost exactly the same as the #35 sled.

Thanks in advance!
 

That is pretty cool! Want to sell it? I have some very old testing photos from Alaska if I can find them. They were on another site.
 
The 1977-78 SSR's:

The #107 was Fredrik Holmgren of Sweden,

The #170 was Morio Ito,

The#6 was Ed Shubitzke,

The #35 was Frans Rosenquist,

There was also a #127, #110, #71, #216, from what I've seen in the Best of SnowPro 1973-1978 collector's edition book.
There was no official Yamaha SnoPro team in 76-77, but Morio Ito, Dick Trickle, Bobby Donahue, and Kirk Boyer raced the SRX's that year.
 
Nice that you rember Fredrik Holmgren. I just live neibor to him and he just give me his Ski boots to his SSR
 
I have been trying to find race info on the 78SSR for a while. I own one with a lot of "unusual stuff". Engine cases, recoil bell-housing, cylinders, chain case & cover all in magnesium. Ohlin shocks, off-ste steering. Two hoods, one with #1 on it. I was told the factory sleds often used the last 3 (or just two sometimes) digits of the serial number to determine the race number. I bought the SSR 15 or 20 years ago in Minneapolis from a friend in Forest lake.
I have run out of connections to figure out where, what, who raced this sled.
 
SNOWMOBILER'S RACE & RALLY NOV/DEC 1978

I've got a mint RACE & RALLY magazine with #170 Morio Ito racing the SSR on the cover! ;)!
 
8HO

I had quit at the end of 76. Larry Ohmans had just left the West team as he struggled with the SSR. Yamaha called and asked if I wanted to race the factory SSR at the Toronto race – put on by my old friend – Ed Hankinson (Choko) .

I was told to tell the engineers – I was trying to get used to it. The fact is –it was horribly set up and had a ton of potential. We raced the factory 440 SSR and stock SSR and a special 340 SSR. #71.

The steering was terrible – the clutching was leading and poor….the jetting and engine was magnificent. I had to let off way before the turn – in order to get it settled.

Two years ago we got to drive a Doo 440 MXZX and really – the Yamaha factory SSR440 had more pull.

The factory sleds had about 55mm Mikuni carbs …. specials – float bowl and butterfly. The factory sleds also had the steering – under the chassis.

VMAXDAD

In 76 Yamaha sponsored the late Jim Adema who was killed just before Peterborough. They also sponsored Lynn Trapp. Larry Ohmans ran the Canadian West coast, central and some US races. I , Bob Hogg, raced Ontario only for Yamaha East. We all had the same sleds. We won most races in Ontario …but I never made that book – Canadian ay….did not race in the US.
 
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Never made what book? Do you know anything about the motor that was in the 340 SSR?
 
Best of SnowPro 1973-1978 collector's edition book - vmaxdad


It was the factory early 340 (srx 340 standard) from previuous years.

Bob Work only made that as the circuit had 250, 340 and 440 mod - just wanted more track time -it was never planned for production.

They left the following Monday - heading back to BC - I should have visited the office and asked the engineers for the 340 - to keep in the east for the season. :o|

Instead - I went back to my boring job of the time. :o|

One statement that rings in my head....."wow - did Andy ever make a good move on you coming out of 4"......ya think..... :dunno:

Like the 77 - the skid was not balanced.

On another topic...We got the 77 to work by adding extended springs to the front of the skid - mounted mid way....in addition ....we moved the caster up about 3 to 4 degrees - wow - what a difference.
 
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RJH, sounds like you have been around this sport a while. Great info. I have driven my SSR only a couple of times. I raced it at Hayward Winterfest in the vintage 440 class once. It ran 99mph, was sooo pig fat (had 700 mains, cc-5's in it), didn't want to take a chance on damaging the cylinders, being unusual and without casting numbers... When it finally cleared out and went, it was pretty fast. I moth-balled it right after that event. That's the picture from that day on my icon (or whatever they call them). I would like to bend your ear some more on the SSR stuff. Mine is vin number 0000117 if memory serves correctly. Mark
 
8HO-21910-00-00 said:
RJH, sounds like you have been around this sport a while. Great info. I have driven my SSR only a couple of times. I raced it at Hayward Winterfest in the vintage 440 class once. It ran 99mph, was sooo pig fat (had 700 mains, cc-5's in it), didn't want to take a chance on damaging the cylinders, being unusual and without casting numbers... When it finally cleared out and went, it was pretty fast. I moth-balled it right after that event. That's the picture from that day on my icon (or whatever they call them). I would like to bend your ear some more on the SSR stuff. Mine is vin number 0000117 if memory serves correctly. Mark
Click to expand...

That should be 000117 which would be the 17th one built. What is the 8H0-21910 number? Do you have any pictures of it that you could e mail to me?
 
I was only exposed to it for 3 days Fri – Sat and Sunday.

They did not let me do anything to it – (so frustrating) the carbs were monster Mikuni prototypes with a butterfly and float bowl.

The 440 stocker I drove was jetted awesome as well – but I have no clue what jets.

99 mph is pretty slow for an SSR - back then – the black SRX (was that 78 or 79) did well over 100 mph at radar runs.

The SSR is a good showpiece - about 1 to 2 weeks with that sled – we could make a winner on vintage ovals. All the stuff is there – its just bolted together wrong. As long as the engine is stock.

The skid needs total re-engineering ….for a start.

Your mains sound OK - the midrange is what ..bogged...you
 
The 8HO-21900... is the chassis part # as someone stated. And the vin, I guess I aded 1 to many "0's". I wasn't really trying to set a record or anything. Would have been to go faster but... Just wanted to make a pass before I parked it long term. I am fairly handy with the 44mm Mikuni carb, I just wanted to make sure it was pig fat instead of hurting it. I am owed a set of 50mm Mikuni butterfly carbs (I think they were Mikuni's) but, the guy who has them has fallen off the face of the earth... Fun to talk about the old stuff. Thank's for the input.
 
I'm trying to think of a way to desribe how much faster the factory SSR was over a normal one.

I can't - well..running the normal one down the striaght of a 1/2 mile ice oval - you could think - and look...lets go faster...the pro - you just looked stright ahead - didn't dare move on the seat - what a rush.

The only sick feeling was how early you had to let off to keep it off the plywood walls.
 
That is interesting. Gordy told me back in about 1980 that the 1978 Ski Doo SM 440 made about 118 HP and they were getting with in a couple of that. (app. 115-116) He said that at the time, there was nothing they could do to get more HP from that engine design.
 
RJH said:
8HO

I had quit at the end of 76. Larry Ohmans had just left the West team as he struggled with the SSR. Yamaha called and asked if I wanted to race the factory SSR at the Toronto race – put on by my old friend – Ed Hankinson (Choko) .

I was told to tell the engineers – I was trying to get used to it. The fact is –it was horribly set up and had a ton of potential. We raced the factory 440 SSR and stock SSR and a special 340 SSR. #71.

The steering was terrible – the clutching was leading and poor….the jetting and engine was magnificent. I had to let off way before the turn – in order to get it settled.

Two years ago we got to drive a Doo 440 MXZX and really – the Yamaha factory SSR440 had more pull.

The factory sleds had about 55mm Mikuni carbs …. specials – float bowl and butterfly. The factory sleds also had the steering – under the chassis.

VMAXDAD

In 76 Yamaha sponsored the late Jim Adema who was killed just before Peterborough. They also sponsored Lynn Trapp. Larry Ohmans ran the Canadian West coast, central and some US races. I , Bob Hogg, raced Ontario only for Yamaha East. We all had the same sleds. We won most races in Ontario …but I never made that book – Canadian ay….did not race in the US.
Click to expand...
Lynn Trapp was on a Cat for the 75/76 season,i beleive he led the first lap at the championship in Eagle River and then 'fast eddie" blew by him
 
thunderjet440 said:
Lynn Trapp was on a Cat for the 75/76 season,i beleive he led the first lap at the championship in Eagle River and then 'fast eddie" blew by him
Click to expand...

ooops - old age setting in...it was Ed Schubitzke who won. Non the less - I wasn't there.
 
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