1974 massey ferguson ski whiz 440 wt
Amsnow
The first appearance of the Massey-Ferguson Ski Whiz production snowmobile came in the winter of 1968-1969. In the mid-1970s Massey-Ferguson struck a deal with Scorpion to produce its models. And by 1978 Massey-Ferguson was gone as a snowmobile brand.
One of the more interesting models was the 1974 Ski Whiz 440 WT (Wide Track). Massey-Ferguson designers thought inside the box. The original design was a series of boxes- squared and oblong. By the 1974 model year, the boxes had been angulated and softened, but styling was never a key point of the Massey-Ferguson legacy. Tractor-like durability was. The Ski Whiz lineup was stout and sturdy.
Power came from a variety of "standard" power sources of the day. JLO was the base engine in 1968. The 1974 WT came with a 438cc JLO twin that was rated at 40 horsepower at 6500 rpm. Its initial clutch engagement was a low 2500 revs. To further enhance the smooth take-off and backshift characteristics of the 1974 Ski Whiz, heavier springs were used in the clutch system versus the 1973 versions. Other than that, little changed from 1973 to 1974. Easy-pulling butterfly Walbro carburetion was the standard.
The WT acknowledged the 18-inch wide polyurethane track. It wrapped around a bogie suspension.
Uniquely the standard leaf springs limited ski travel, but were also capable of being set in one of three settings to control the amount of front weight sitting over the skis.
The 6.5-gallon gas tank was fairly generous for its time. An extra large snow flap kept trail debris from flying. And a wraparound bumper, emergency kill switch and H&H caliper disc brake were safety features.
As a performance sled, the Ski Whiz was no prizewinner. But for everyday longevity and reliable transportation, you could have done much worse. The sled was relatively quiet thanks to an effective silencer and intake baffling system.
Dual headlights were both effective and efficient. The high intensity beams used a voltage regulator to keep light shining in the event one of the lights burned out.
A bit hefty at 476 pounds, the Ski Whiz 440 WT was more than 30 pounds heavier than a Yamaha SL 433 of the same era.
In future years, the Ski Whiz and its box design disappeared as Massey contracted with Scorpion to build Massey-badged models of the more modern and rounded Scorpion line up.
Rumors in the early days held that Ski Whiz snowmobiles weren't sold as much as they were "throw-ins" to snow belt farmers who bought Massey-Ferguson agricultural equipment. Of course, those rumors were later applied to John Deere as well.
This story ran in the November 2004 issue of American Snowmobiler magazine