Mobilera Trailblazer

[kghills]

Well here it is, a real running Mobilera Trailblazer. Serial #1015. I assume it is the 15th machine made. Here is the picture I was sent when I responded to the Craigslist add.


Here are a few more pictures.


That's what I have for now. I will need some help on this one from our 6x6 historians on the site. I will bring it in the shop later today and get pictures of the drive. It is not what is thought to be but looks incredibly factory.

Keith.

[jpswift1]

So you ended up getting it, Keith?!

[kghills]

So you ended up getting it, Keith?!

Well for better or worse. I have a little buyers remorse. The other buy backed out and I had made an offer I felt was fair. The reason I really wanted the machine was its ability to counter rotate. I knew it did not have reverse but did not investigate the drive closely enough. Here is what I found.

The transmission had been removed and replaced with this belt drive system.


There is a braking system placed in front of the drive belt mechanism.


And a brake pedal system has been added.


This sort of kills my new found joy. On the bright side the fiberglass, emblems, interior and tires are great.


Maybe someday I can find a donor for the drive.

Keith.

[LarryW]

Sorry to hear about your drive system. Still a cool machine though.
I can't remember the source but I was told they only made one machine of every color option. I have seen others the same color as mine though. I wonder what the actual number produced was

[kghills]

Yeah, was a little disappointed in the drive being wrong. Larry, is the engine in yours? If it is there is a serial number. Mine is 1015 which is 15 I bet. Maybe. What are the other colors known to exist. Member String's was yellow like yours, and mine is black.

[LarryW]

My engine was missing when I got it. I did get a replacement ohh160 through some nice people in Arizona though.
I also got another engine ohh180 from a friend in Charlotte Michigan too. I believe the ohh160 is what's original though

If all goes right I will have a 60x30 pole barn soon so I can start messing with amphibs again. Be neat to have them all at one place. They are scattered in 4 locations now. I have a feeling my wife is going to want me to fix the house first though, lol

[jpswift1]

You're right about the Trailblazers using a Tecumseh engine, but it was actually the HH120 Tecumseh flathead 12HP, not the OH160. The OH160 wasn't released by Tecumseh until after the Trailblazers were discontinued. The Newt the Bold 4 stroke engine was the same HH120 Tecumseh that the Trailblazer used. I think Tecumseh did very well and had a pretty big market share in the off highway vehicle market starting in the 1960's. Many, many mini bikes, go carts, and 6 wheelers came with Tecumseh engines......Attex, the Trailblazer, Newt the Bold, Scrambler, Max, the Puma Stalker, etc, etc, etc. I always liked the Tecumseh engines, but I think what hurt them was the use of the crappy Walboro carburetors. The engines seemed to run forever, but once there was a slight issue with the carbs, they would just be very finicky.

[LarryW]

Yea your right Jeff. If I was half way looking at the motor and not the I'd tag I would have noticed. Lol

[jpswift1]

Haha, it happens, Larry. Sometimes I get so excited to see another rare machine pop out of the woodwork I overlook some of the details too. Did your Trailblazer have the original engine in it? I can't remember, it's been a few years since you picked it up. Do you happen to know if they came with 2 and 4 strokes?

[kghills]

I think the engine is a 12 or maybe 14HP 4 stroke. It is solid state ignition I know. What I find odd is there are no chain tensioners. It does have mamoth 1.5" axles and #50the chain.