1965 Snow Cruiser (OMC)

1965 Snow Cruiser: The Snow Cruiser was manufactured by Outboard Marine Corp. (OMC), in Peterborough, Ont. OMC made three brands of snowmobiles, Snow Cruiser, Evinrude & Johnson, which were introduced in winter of 1965. The Snow Cruiser was powered by a 2 cylinder 362cc 14 hp OMC engine (OMC made their own engines). OMC was the first manufacturer to use a 2 stroke engine with opposite twin cylinders operating simultaneous, vs vertical cylinders. It had a neutral gear for ease of starting, not common for the 1960's. It weighed 369 lb, which was 100 lb more than most other snowmobiles at the time and had a hard time in deep snow due to the weight. It could reach a speed of 30 mph and was reliable in all situations, uncommon in the 1960's --- except for deep snow. In the 1966 brochures the weight was not shown.
The Snow Cruiser was sold in Canada and Evinrude & Johnson were sold in the U.S. The Snow Cruiser was retired in 1971 and Evinrude & Johnson in 1976. In 1972 the Snow Cruiser dealers became either Evinrude or Johnson dealers.

On Sept 20, 2019, The Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum was awarded a grant of $12,500 for Operational Support from the State of Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA – ART WORKS). The grant was awarded through the MCACA peer review process and was one of 561 applications to compete for MCACA fiscal year 2019 funding. The grant requires a 1:1 match and helped the museum leverage the $12,500 of support from its annual income and the many donations from supporters. In particular the museum has received grants from the Graymont Community Economic Development Fund and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. It has also received significant donations from the Antique Snowmobile Club of America, The Midwest Vintage Snowmobile Shows, Inc., many snowmobile clubs, several recreational and snowmobile shows, the museum’s internal $1,000.00 Challenge, and many museum members. The grant funds will be applied to museum operating costs. Applicable costs include internal operations, marketing, travel to shows within the State of Michigan and cost of employees. The MCACA peer review process allows for each grant applicant to be competitively considered by a panel of in-state and out-of-state arts and culture professionals. This ensures the taxpayers, who support this project through legislative appropriations, and all other visitors or residents in Michigan will have access to the highest quality arts and cultural experiences. A complete list of grant awards around the state is available by contacting MCACA at (517) 241-4011, or by visiting the MCACA website at www.michigan.gov/arts

Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum
P.O. Box 2
W11660 US-2
Naubinway, MI 49762
Hours: 906 477-6298
Appointment: 906 477 6192

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