Double Engine 4WD Snowblower

Double engine 4WD snowblower SNOWBLOWERS Snowblowers 15-2-10 "No one can believe how well it works," says Denis Desjardins, Alcove, Quebec, about the "double engine" snowblower he built using the chassis, wheels, and 4-cylinder gas engine from a 1981 Datsun 4-WD pickup and a 6-cylinder gas engine from a 1980 Chevrolet Citation front-wheel drive car. Desjardins shortened the pickup chassis and driveshaft 3 ft. and used 1/8-in. steel plate to build a frame around it. The Datsun engine, mounted in front, drives all four wheels while the Chevrolet engine, mounted at the rear, powers the 6-ft. wide snowblower. The rig is equipped with three transmissions - the Datsun's 5-speed transmission, the Chevrolet's automatic transmission, and a 4-speed trans-mission borrowed from a Ford Pinto that's mounted in front of the rear engine. "It's as powerful as a mini payloader and is built heavy so it has great traction. I can plow at 30 mph," says Desjardins. "I chose the Datsun pickup because it has 4-WD and a 5-speed standard transmission which lets me drive slow in first gear for working in deep snow. I put the rear engine in reverse and the Pinto transmission in fourth gear. I have to run the rear engine in reverse because the snowblower pto shaft is designed to run counterclockwise. The Pinto transmission speeds up the rear engine and lets me operate the snowblower at 2,000 rpm's. I can throw snow 20 ft. I had been using a Dodge 4-WD pickup equipped with a front-mounted snowplow as well as a Ford tractor equipped with a 3-pt. snowblower. My `double engine' snowblower works better than either of them because. I can rev up the snowblower engine without increasing my travel speed and go right through heavy snow without spinning the wheels. If the snowblower ever plugs up, I can reverse the auger to unplug it. I put chains on the front tires where most of the weight is. I've never got stuck. If I ever do get stuck, I've got an 8,000-lb. electric winch mounted on back that I could use to pull out." Desjardins mounted the Chevrolet engine sideways in the back of the truck together with the transmission and axle. He cut off one half of the axle, then welded on a steel plate to keep that side from turning. A driveshaft runs from the other half of the axle to the Pinto trans-mission and continues to the snowblower. Desjardins uses a 3-pt. mounted McKee snowblower equipped with a 1-ft. dia. auger. He adapted it to fit snowplow mounting brackets that he attached to the front of the rig. A hydraulic cylinder is used to raise the snowblower. By simply removing a pin Desjardins can remove the snowblower and replace it with a snowplow. He used a bicycle chain, sprocket, and power window motor to build a remote-control, electric-powered snowblower chute that turns left or right. A pair of car 1 heaters under the seat are used to heat the cab. A fan positioned between the two heaters pulls hot air from one engine and pushes hot air from the other engine. "It's so warm in the cab that I can work with my T-shirt on," notes Desjardins. The doors have no handles but instead open electronically so that he can take his 3-year-old daughter with him and not worry about her falling out of the cab. "I use a switch mounted on the front grille to open the driver's door," says Desjardins. "Once inside I can open either door by pushing a button on the dash. I fasten my daughter in with a seat belt. I borrowed a solenoid switch from a Chevrolet starter and connected it to one end of a coat hanger. The other end of the coat hanger is connected to the door latch." Each engine has its own separate ignition switch, charging system, and fuel tank. He installed boat controls between the seats to engage the Chevrolet engine and uses foot pedals to control the Datsun engine. The steering wheel and two seats were salvaged from the Datsun pickup. A pair of 5-gal. gas cans are used as fuel tanks and are mounted under a hinged cover behind each side of the cab. Desiardins spent about $2,000 to build the snowblower, including $600 for the snowblower and $250 for the pickup. Fo

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