Polaris co-founder, Edgar Hetteen, left Polaris in 1960 and opened Polar Manufacturing in January of 1961 in Thief River Falls, MN. He designed and built a portable steam cleaner, the Polar Model 24 and an insect killer, the Bug-O-Vac. These two products allowed him to work on a new snowmobile.
The first snowmobile, the Polar 500, was crude and heavy, weighing 590#.
By 1962, the company name was changed to Arctic Enterprises, Inc. and the name Arctic Cat was born.
This model 500 is serial number 7 and is powered by a 9.5hp Kohler engine.
Records for the number that were built vary from as few as 20 to a maximum of 100.
Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum
P.O. Box 2
W11660 US-2
Naubinway, MI 49762
Hours: 906 477-6298
Appointment: 906 477 6192
Copyright © 2009 - 2023 Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum. All rights reserved.