35b Snow-Trac Pre Pro?

[regularguyuk]

Gosh! Well done Antonin

[kwakers]

I see exactly what you mean Antonin! The picture shows the corner of a rear window right where you have pointed to. This 1965 Fred Bronner Dealer Catalog would have been printed in late 1964, as this Snow Trac was being released as a 'New Model' replacing the Horse Van. That model would have been part of a limited number of first castings sent to Bronner to picture in his catalog, and also to put in his displays to show customers who came shopping and ordering for Christmas 1964-65.
Your model clearly shows the two window outlines right where they were removed, but not yet filled correctly. What an unbelievable find! Now as Antonin has said, we will wait one week for Jason to show us his, or perhaps 2 weeks for Dan or Numi to find one right under our noses. LOL Then perhaps Antonin will show us his with three rear windows..... kwakers

[Idris]

When I examine the Fred Bronner catalogue 1965 in detail, it looks like that there could be a rear corner window.

I agree.
It's interesting that the FB catalgue shows a model earlier in the development process than the one used for the box artwork.

[Diecast]

When I examine the Fred Bronner catalogue 1965 in detail, it looks like that there could be a rear corner window.
Antonin

And when I examine the 1965 Fred Bronner Dealer Catalogue in more detail, it looks like that there are rather the grooves on the roof and not the ribs.
Antonin

[Idris]

[quote="Diecast]And when I examine the 1965 Fred Bronner Dealer Catalogue in more detail, it looks like that there are rather the grooves on the roof and not the ribs.[/quote]

I agree that it does look like that, although I'm not convinced that this isn't an optical illusion caused by the angle of the lighting.

[Diecast]

Maybe the Pre Pro 35b Snow Trac has undergo a turbulent evolution
1) at the very beginning it had a smooth roof
-three side protrusions for ski
-three rear windows
- clear windows
- the bogie wheels were a part of the body
2) the roof was reinforced with a flat elevation with grooves
-one side protrusion for ski was removed
-three rear windows remain
- bogie wheels are a part of the base plate
3) the roof was reinforced with the ribs on the flat elevation
-two rear windows were removed, only 1 windows remains
4) the final form of the roof with the flat elevation with ribs and lower stud with 4 ribs

Antonin

[Idris]

My thoughts:
- Obviously the third protrusion on the side was deleted because it would have necessitated a two-part decal. (fiddly, time-consuming, and therefore expensive to apply.)
- I think the bogie wheels were probably always part of the baseplate casting which was recoloured from red to silver, perhaps to give the model a more interesting two-tone colour scheme. Note how the bogie wheels went from a full 3D caterpillar-type design to a simple raised design on the baseplate sideplates.
- The roof changes might have been to give this element more strength by adding extra thickness, Possibly the elimination of the two outside rear windows, whilst enough to stop the roof supports collapsing, was not enough to stop the roof deforming, and this was countered by adding thickness and ribbing.

At the end of the day, who knows, but it's an intriguing possibility that some of those bodies with three rear windows might just have survived to the present day!

[mbox75]

Hi All

here my Snow Track comparison Version Pictures.





Cheers Mathias

[Brad Pittiful]

pics are too dark Mathias...i cant see the details

[mbox75]

a new Pictures with more Light.