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By 1965 Polaris Industries was the industry veteran. No other company could claim 10 years of production experience. After a tough first decade of manufacturing, Polaris was no longer building sleds one at a time in hopes of meeting the weekly payroll. As the mid-1960s rolled along, snowmobile sales were on an unprecedented upswing, and Polaris shifted its marketing to evolve from utility sleds to sport machines.
A new trailBulky, rear-engined Sno-Travelers were phased out as more modern sports sleds came off the line. The 1965 lineup still included Super Mountaineers with a 24-horsepower Kohler 4-stroke and multi-speed reversing transmission. Back then, there was a place for machines that weighed 1,400 lbs. and could tow an expedition's gear, but it was a small place compared to machines that could zip across lakes and fields carrying a guy and his girl on a Sunday afternoon trail ride with friends. The snowmobile world was changing.
Addressing the shift were new models from Polaris. Most significant was the Mustang, a frisky sport sled. But, right alongside it was a lighter weight, more portable model designed by Polaris engineer Andy Wells. The little sled was called "Lil Andy," in his honor.
Lil Andy livesThe Lil Andy series debuted in 1965 with a choice of two models, both dependent on horsepower. You could have a 6-horse Lauson, or for the adventurous, a JLO 8-horse motor. Either could drive the Lil Andy through most snow conditions as the sled weighed a mere 250 lbs. and was essentially designed as an engine with track! Years later, Polaris co-founder David Johnson fondly recalled the Lil Andy, calling it "a great little snowmobile." He remembers that it could go about anywhere, and if it didn't? Its 250-lb. bulk was easy to get unstuck - compared to a Super Mountaineer!
The 1965 Lil Andy was one of the first Polaris models with a tip-forward fiberglass cowl. It used leaf springs on the skis, had a sealed beam headlight, rear luggage compartment and a "positive action hand brake."
The Lil Andy could be used year-round if you bought the optional wheel kit comprised of low-pressure turf tires and fiberglass fenders. The Lil Andy series measured just over 70 inches long and was narrow enough to fit comfortably in the family station wagon.
You could buy an 8-horse Lil Andy for about $650 in the mid-1960s. While Polaris billed itself as "America's Leading Snow Vehicle Manufacturer," the Lil Andy was not a best seller and pretty much disappeared after a couple of seasons. The timing was a bit premature for a little lightweight like the Lil Andy. Many may have thought it more a kid's machine than a full-sized adult snowmobile.