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The Drive
30-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Putting Wheels on a Snowmobile Makes for a Rowdy All-Terrain Trike
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Ever find yourself wondering just what sort of trouble you could get into with a snowmobile in the summertime? If you live in one of many parts of the country that winter has seemingly abandoned, you may find yourself pondering this more often these days. But what would it take to have some real fun on a sled when there's not a snowflake in sight? How about sticking a set of wheels on it? That's exactly what the YouTubers behind mycustomgokart did with this beat-up, 600cc Ski-Doo Formula III. As builds go, this one's actually fairly simple. The bulk of the fabrication work involved removing the snowmobile's track and creating a new axle setup for the rear wheel. A set of wheels with nice, knobby tires went over a set of custom bearings designed for the front end, mounting where the skis were removed. It made for a simple swap, but it makes the Ski-Doo look a bit like a demonically possessed landscaping cart, especially once they fit the 12-inch-wide slick to the new rear axle. With that all squared away, the Ski-Doo needed some mechanical attention. For starters, the engine was experiencing some sort of fueling issue that kept fouling the spark plugs, so a carburetor service was in order. The guys also suspected that the snowmobile's stock cooling system wouldn't be up to the task, so a new radiator was fabbed up and installed in the rear of the engine bay—not the best spot, granted, but it's what they had to work with. And with that, it's time for some testing. Sure enough, it works. Their fearless test driver (hardhat and all) needs a little time to get acclimated to this squirrelly snowmobile-turned-street-rod, but after some trial and nearly spectacular error, he manages to string together a few five-star donuts. Fearing that they may be drawing unwanted attention, they retreat to private property for some more playtime. After some off-pavement foolishness, the gang reconvenes to see how the sled is holding up. While it drives better than the team expected, the Ski-Doo is showing signs of distress after its first shakedown run. The mounting plates for the rear axle were welded to the rear tunnel of the Ski-Doo, which was clearly not designed to handle the kinds of load being thrown at it by sticky rubber on pavement. The entire structure has started to deform, so the guys set about shoring up their mounting plates with some lateral support, which they fab up from a piece of pipe. With a new, more terrain-friendly tire on the rear, it's time for some proper three-wheelin'. Believe it or not, it handles a lot like a snowmobile. Getting power down with the single rear wheel is a challenge, and each test driver spends about as much time getting the Ski-Doo's nose pointed someplace that won't kill him as he does actually putting any power down. It looks like a laugh, but certainly not the most effective way to get around off pavement. As the guys point out, a rear suspension would go a long way—that and a longer battery cable. Got a tip? Send it in: tips@
Motor 1
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
The Baja Bug Is Back, Baby
The Volkswagen Beetle might be dead, but there's still plenty of love out there for the iconic Bug. There's so much love out there that UK-based tuner company Twisted has shifted some attention away from building Defenders and Jimnys to launch a new special project. It's called the TBug, and it's more than a retromodded Volkswagen Beetle. Each is a one-off, ground-up custom build emphasizing old-school Beetle fun. Twisted will take a vintage Beetle, sourced from the 1960s through the 1980s, and add a long-travel suspension with BF Goodrich all-terrain tires for extra grip. There's a strengthened chassis and upgraded brakes to improve handling. The specialist also doubles the Beetle's power output... to just under 80 horses. This thing is light, and it's not light straight-line speed is a priority. Photo by: Twisted Photo by: Twisted The VW has modern touches, too, like LED lighting, but it doesn't distract from the retro aesthetic that Twisted recreates. The baja-inspired body is easily recognizable, even with Twisted's custom face. The company wanted to 'capture the honest simplicity of the original Baja Bugs.' We love it. Each TBug is custom-built to the buyer's preferred spec, which includes trim, color, and optional equipment. No two will be alike, according to the company. Twisted will officially unveil the car on May 29 at its new showroom in London. It might be the best way to enjoy the Bug life in 2025, seeing as how VW has no plans to launch a new one . The Beetle is Cool: Watch Classic Air-Cooled VW Beetle With Supercharger Get Dyno Tested 1979 Volkwagen Beetle Cabrio With 2 Miles Brings Over $60k At Auction Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Source: Twisted Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
