NOVEMBER
29 / 2009
1971
VIKING VIGILANTE - 295cc KOHLER.
Back
in my younger days while I was still in high school I worked at
a
dealership that sold Viking snowmobiles, Ariens L&G and
miscellaneous
things like mini bikes, Scrambler 6 wheelers and
Tri
Cart three wheelers.
The
name of the store was Feather and Roub Service Center, in
Martinsburg,
PA. We were also a Texaco gas station.
We
sold Viking from 1970-1975 before switching to Ski Doo in 76.
The
name also changed to Roub Service Center shortly after the switch in
1977
or 78. I rode many different sleds in those years starting with the
1972
399cc red Vagabond that I bought.
In
73 it was a 340 purple Vigilante and in
74
a purple Viglante 440 SS which I rode for 2 years.
The
story changes in 76 with the arrival of the Ski Doos.
I
left the snowmobile scene in 1986 with a change of jobs and new career
of
coaching
high school boy's volleyball which consume most of my spare time until
around 2002 when I quit coaching. Another change in careers came when I
partnered
with some friends in a forklift dealership. Also, I was growing my
AMSOIL
dealership on the side which I started back in 1979.
A
couple years ago I found David's Vintage Snowmobiles web site which
peaked
my interests in the old sleds. After getting to know David
via the internet,
I
took the plunge and located a purple 1971 Viking Vigilante, 295cc Kohler.
It
was in need of some tender loving care.
I
brought it to the shop and with the help of the guys in the shop we went
all
over
the sled and did a nice clean and restore job. It's not an all out
show sled but
just
a nice cleaned up original looking sled. I often thought that I possibly
was the
one
who originally assembled this sled at the dealership. I can still
remember the
day
we got a load of these 1971 Vigilante one lungers, along
with
some leftover 1970 399cc Peacock colored Viglantes.
It
was a special deal that the distributor wanted to clear out of inventory.
I'm
still looking for some more Vikings in the area.
There
would have to be many hiding in
garages
and barns just begging to be rescued.
I
would also be interested in finding a 1976 Viking being we
never
sold any and that was the last year of production. Jerre Bassler
THANKS
JERRE FOR THE GREAT PICTURES AND HISTORY !
