oldest 6x6

[Attexnoob]

Just for the sake of discussion who has the oldest atvs. Max, attex, argo, etc.

[countrycummins99]

i think max started in 1970 but they might have been R.I.M before that not sure when argo came on the seen i know attexs were around in the sixty's someone with more knowledge i am sure will chime in?

[nate52]

through what i've read the jiger was the machine that started it all off being produced around 1965 or so. but don't quote me on the year.

Nate

[LarryW]

I was trying to track the jiger date down but I thought 1957? I noticed the jiger site isnt working anymore???

[thebuggyman1]

I like 1965 better it was the year I was made!

[LarryW]

This says 1961. Actual production date and the date it started maybe where I am wrong?
Amphibious ATV - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Well it says 1961, then states started in 1962?

[LarryW]

I found John Gowers obituary. It states that John Gower and Fred Rohrer founded the company in 1959.

[Mike]

The site is still in Google's cache: Untitled Document

It says the first Jiger prototype was created in 1960 and was featured on the cover of Popular Science in December of 1961 so I'm sure the 1962 production date is the correct one but I'm like you Larry, I thought there was a 1957 or 1958 model. Perhaps I'm thinking of that picture that Amphiman posted of a Jiger look-a-like that he said was from the late 1950's?

[nate52]

i think your right mike. i did a speech on the various 6x6's for my speech class last semester and during my research i found a place saying that the jiger was made in 1965 but i just now found a brochure on route6x6's site of the jiger dated april 1962.

http://www.route6x6.com/info/jiger/bro53.jpg

Nate

[skipthescrounger]

The jiger atv story is a kind of mixed up can of worms in some aspects. I had an uncle who worked with John Grower in the sixtys. He was a glassman back them. His job was laying the glass molds for the jiger and it different components. The early 61 and 62 jigers were the first pre production ones that they were testing back then. The company was trying to sell them to the canadian military.In 63 they changed the body style some to the design that didnot have the hand holds onthe side of the seat.They also raised the body hieght beside the seat to prevent water from entering the body. A couple of yrs latter they added the single light in the nose.I was lucky enough to tour the plant in 61, 63,65 and 67. I loved it because we were allowed to test drive the different machines. My father was given a 61 model . We ran the hell out of it on the ranch. We had 8 different ones over the yrs and they all were good machines. My favorite was the twin engine one with the props. I was back at the ranch this sommer and i found most of the 61 model still there and 2 other ones in not to good of shape, ie Target practice alittle. My uncle is gone now but I am going through some of his stuff slowly and have some info on the jiger which I would like to post here if anyone is interested . These were really advance for there time and are still the machine that many other atvs were designed from.

[LarryW]

skipthescrounger,
Nice info there!!! Thanks

[LarryW]

The Jiger site is backup!!!

Im glad because there is a lot of neat documents on the jiger and how it began and ended.

For those who have never seen it. Check out the proving grounds video. You WILL want a Jiger after watching that!!!


Jiger ATV Vehicle

It states first pro type was in 1960.

[mike bar]

Good stuff Larry.They are an awesome little machine aren't they

[Duke]

cool! the Jiger site is back up I saw it a while ago and I couldnt find it anywhere until now those are cool little machines.

[LarryW]

Latest I read is, Jiger made in canada was the first production aatv in 1961. One year later, unlimited mobility came out with the amphicat in america. By 1970, there was 20 manufactures which planned on producing 40,000 machines that year.