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There may be no more overused name in motorsports than Grand Prix, but back in 1970 the term still seemed new and exciting. The name itself is rather grand and appropriate for this gorgeous sled that was the Cadillac of snowmobiles at the time, the Boatel Grand Prix. This particular model was made from 1970-'72 by Boatel. The Mora, Minn., firm created a number of sleds from 1965 until the early '70s before being taken over by Glarco Inc., which then made the GP Mark II through 1975. Word is there were some trademark issues with the Grand Prix name.
The findBut let's not get ahead of ourselves. First, there's the tale of owner, Steve Hamm, finding this pristine example of 1970s luxury sledding and excess. The story starts with an old school buddy of Hamm's telling him about a sled his uncle owned in Fridley, Minn. Hamm says the uncle, Stan Kaczer, bought the sled new and ran it just 94 miles, even though he registered the sled from 1974 through 1977.
The Grand Prix had been parked in Kaczer's heated garage since 1975 where it sat covered and idle, just a few odds and ends stacked atop the sled. This damaged its windshield, which Hamm was more than happy to replace once he acquired the sled from Kaczer's brother George, shortly after Kaczer passed away.
The Grand Prix cost Hamm just $1,000. He thought it a bargain at the time and still does, as the sled has won first place at a variety of shows in the past year or so, including Grantsburg, Wis., and Millbank, S.D.
Now, back to the sled itself.
The Grand Prix hit showrooms in 1970 with a whopping price tag of $1,850, about the price of a Plymouth Duster at the time. Ads for the Grand Prix, complete with a ruffled checker flag logo, state it's "for the uncommon man who appreciates fine machine performance." Pictures with the ad show Northwest Airlines pilot Pax Tirrell in his jet cockpit and another with the sled on a trailer behind a Jaguar XKE. Subtle marketing!
For that premium price you got a 744cc JLO air-cooled twin with a Donaldson "power tuned" muffler, a fiberglass hood and steel bumper. The lightweight Grand Prix had an all aluminum chassis and tipped the scales at 395 lbs. That 744 produced a strong 45 horsepower too. For $1,695 you could get the 434cc JLO twin model that made 28 hp and weighed just 364 lbs. This was said to be 60 lbs. lighter than the competition.
But there were special touches that set Grand Prix apart. For instance, it featured a butterfly style steering wheel instead of handlebars. And it ran on a giant 20-in. wide polyurethane track to give it major grip and better ride comfort.
On the padded dash you'll find a cigarette lighter, odometer, speedometer and tachometer. While under the seat you'll find two very un-PC whiskey flasks.
Yet there was more, including electric key start, nearly unheard of at the time, and even taillights built into the riser. Ski stance was 33 inches and stopping power came from a "quick-stop" brake, while up front was a torsion bar suspension.
To emphasize its premium status, Boatel offered a phenomenal unconditional parts replacement warranty. According to dealer brochures Boatel would replace "everything except wear bars, plugs, windshield, drive belt and engine." The later covered by a manufacturer warranty. In its come-on to lure dealers, the Boatel brochure says, "If your customer is racing or out in the woods and smashes up his machine, we will replace all the parts free." Wow!
If that wasn't enough, there was eye candy too. The Grand Prix's exterior was flashier than most sleds with its aluminum trim wrapping around the sled and under the seat cushion.
That's why, Hamm notes, ads for the Grand Prix stated it was "not for everyone." Without a doubt, exclusivity was its aim