THIOKOL AND LMC TRACKED VEHICLES

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1 - THE BEGINNINGS

Thiokol Chemical Company, Birgham City, Utah, founded in 1929 is known since 2007 under the name of ATK Launch Systems Group. Originally, two chemists, J. C. Patrick and N. Mnookin invented a synthetic rubber they called 'Thiokol' (from Greek). This polymer proved to be an excellent fuel for rocket propulsion. The company specialized later in propellants for American solid rocket launchers and missiles.

Meanwhile, since 1948, Utah Scientific Research Foundation in association with Utah State University (USU) of Agriculture and Applied Science, Logan, Utah, conducted research, like many scientists of that time as Tucker, Bombardier, Nodwell and many others, on the travel on areas without roads. Thus, several tracked vehicles were created at USU : the first Frandee 1948 (3 axis), the Frandee Snoshu 1949 (with 4 axes) (photo 1), the Cab-over Frandee Snoshu 1949 (photo 2), the Trackmaster from 1956. The designers were Edward Roy France (still alive in 2009 in Smithfield, Utah), Emmet Devine, the combination of two names giving the name of the vehicle 'Frandee' and Ross Eskelson, the latter having previously developed with USU the 'Eskalsled', a one tracked and one steering skied snow-cat. Thiokol used the vehicles 'Frandee' not far away in the salt marshes for its rocket tests. Some prototypes were sent to Alaska.

Note that a tracked vehicle Frandee served as a model in the 50's to Popular Mechanics magazine which published the construction plans.

Patent No. 2,878,883, asked in 1956 by USRF, Utah Scientific Research Foundation, and granted in 1959, involved a rigid 4-track version made in 1957, the Frandee the Sea Wolf (photo 3). Hydraulic steering system was based on the Tucker Sno-Cat, but the four tracks could rotate (wagon steer).

USU produced the Trackmaster 4VS around 1958 and the most successful, the 4VL.

2 – THIOKOL AND TRACKED VEHICLES

2.1 - Trackmaster

Meanwhile, Thiokol, like all of the 60’s aviation companies, sought to diversify into off-road vehicles. They bought the rights to the Trackmaster to the State University of Utah in 1959, kept the site of Logan, Utah, and proposed to U.S. Air Force its tracked vehicles. USU had probably already contacted Army about 1958.

In 1959 the Thiokol Trackmaster 4VL Snow Machine (photo 4), still studied by USU and planned for eight passengers, had a 6-cylinder Ford engine 3.7 l. All mechanical components were available on the market. The Thiokol 4VL is rare nowadays (photo 5) and also this 4T10 (photo 6).

The Thiokoll Model 1101 (photo 7) and Model 105 (photo 8) produced in small series led to the Trackmaster 601 marketed from 1962 and built for U.S. Forces, particularly the Air Force (photo 9) as a general purpose and recovery vehicle on the airfields of Alaska during the construction of the Dew Line.

2.2 - Imp

Prototype of Thiokol 1401, 1963 (photo10 to 12), designed by Ross Eskelson, and known as the Imp was an early design of Thiokol. It could carry two passengers and 450 kg for a total mass of 700 kg on any terrain for hunters, fishermen, ranchers and explorers of the week-end for a small fee of $ 3,500 at the time. The fashion of small recreational vehicle ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle) in North America was only beginning in 1963 and will last until the first oil crisis in 1973. A multitude of models were sold.

The Imp 1402, 1964 (photo 13) used for off-road transport at maximum speed of 40 km / h, was available with an amphibious closed hull at extra cost.

The Imp 1404 (photo 14) was produced from 1969 and launched a new concept of damage with very large tracks of 1.2 and 1.8 m wide.

The Super Imp 1450 (photo 15) from 1979, a little longer with a raised rear sprocket for a payload of 1080 kg, will be sold under the name DMC 1450 from 1980.

2.3 - Spryte

The Swamp Spryte (photo 16 to 19), larger, powered by a 101 hp Ford Falcon was amphibious without preparation.

The Series 1300 Amphibious Swamp Sprype All-Terrain Vehicle (photo 20), scheduled to travel in wetlands was launched in 1966.

The Model 1200 Series Spryte or Snow-Spryte (photo 21) designed for surveillance of power lines, the fight against mosquitoes and especially the ski slopes grooming proved to the world at the Olympic Games of Innsbruck in 1964.

The Thiokol Spryte 1200 B, 1967 (photo 22) and Spryte 1200 C, 1974 (photo 23) were expected to carry 10 people.

2.4 - The Juggernaut

 In 1966 the range of Thiokol Juggernaut was introduced , impressive rigid chassis and four-track steering (wagon-steer) vehicles designed to carry heavy loads on soft ground for construction, pipelines and oil industry. The Juggernaut 4T (photo 24 and 25) had four lines carrying wheels, the Juggernaut 6T (photo 26 to 28) and had five rows of bearing rollers. Finally, the Model 30T Juggernaut (photo 29 and 30), a real mammoth, had eight axles carrying wheels (+ 2 axes for the sprockets). All the 'Juggernaut' were studied by Foremost Developments Ltd., Calgary, Alberta, but it seems that the 4T and 6T have been built to Logan, since these two models were only sold under the brand name Thiokol. The T 30, also sold by Foremost, is still in catalog of this later, though modified, under the name Husky 8

2.5 - The Packmaster and Hydromaster

Thiokol introduced the Packmaster 2100 (photo 31) very wide tracked (1.5 m) in 1969 resulting in a ground pressure of 0,035 kg / cm ², a powerful Ford engine to choose from 107 to 165 hp, grooming accessories, a blade and a snow compactor. Thiokol proclaimed that its price was the same as the Spryte.

 In 1970 Thiokol 2500 Hydromaster was commercialized, 3700 Hydromaster in 1976 (photo 32) with Allis Chalmers 200 hp engine, a two-speed hydrostatic transmission, 6 tons force at the helm, forward or rear moving at high speed, pressure on the ground 0039 kg / cm ², mass 4.5 t, 7.5 m² surface of the track, tilt cabin for one person, slope reached 100% on firm ground, on soft snow, 75% max side slope.

Ratrac, Zurich, importer for Europe of Thiokol sold in the years 60 to 90 the Thiokol range whose this model ST (photo 33), in fact a Packmaster.

3 - JOHN DELOREAN

The great period of diversification of 60-70 years business ended with the first oil crisis in 1973 and forced companies to tighten the purse strings. They separated themselves little by little from their subsidiaries of all-terrain vehicles to focus on their primitive products.

In 1978, Thiokol was already seeking to sell its subsidiary of Snow-Cats. John DeLorean won the case that he renamed DeLorean Manufacturing Company, DMC. Quickly in 1982, it became Logan Manufacturing Company, LMC, to avoid the association with the name John DeLorean.

Indeed, DeLorean, former director of General Motors, had already launched the sports cars of that company and then took its independence. It launched in Ireland in 1979 DMCL DeLorean Motor Cars Ltd with the help of public funds, in order to create jobs, and manufactured a completely new sports car with gull wing doors, the DMC-12 which appeared even in films. 8500 cars were built between 1981 and 1983 for DMC, but reliability was not at the top. Sales lowered and it was soon charged by public opinion to squander public funds.

Meanwhile, LMC maintained its production of transport and grooming Snow-cats, that was the old range handed to the style of the day and modernized, except for the Juggernaut, abandoned : Hydromaster for example, became the DMC 3700. But in 1988 J. DeLorean was trained in a case of drug traffic, trap set by the FBI which he was later cleared. Short of money, he tried to sell his business to his employees but in 1996 an investor, NYC, resumed all. The business was already declining in the 90s, due to lack of investment, competition from Bombardier, Tucker and Pisten Bully of Kässbohrer. Unfortunately, the factory closed in 2000 as before other competitors like Snow-Trac or Kristi.