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.

[jpswift1]

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.

Oh yea, I think the Trailblazers came from the factory with 1.5" axles. That's huge! The engine in yours should be stamped on the blower housing.......something like HH120 and some other numbers mixed in there. That means 12HP and HH100 stands for 10HP, etc, etc.

[LarryW]

The axles are impressive for sure! I was just looking at the brochure to refresh the specs. It has a 2000 tow capacity too. Thats greater then Argo and Muddox of 1800lb. Not saying it could do it or not. Probably lawyers tightened the rules on that. Also says it will do 40mph. Dont think that would happen either. Says engine is tecumseh 27.66 which I googled and found out its the HH120 like stated.

HH means heavy duty Horizontal crank. OHH means Overhead heavy. The 1st gen lil little truck I was making had a MH80 in it. That was medium horizontal. Its block is aluminum 8hp. I love the tecumseh code system. So simple.

Here is the brochures link incase you havent seen it yet. mobilera trailblazer

[kghills]

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?

Yeah, a guy does seem to get excited about some of these odd/rare machines. I let it blind me a little bit on the purcase. Besides the ID tag/sticker from Mobilera on top of the engine there is an engine tag also and a couple stickers. One has a HP rating and I know the other says solid state ignition. The axles are huge and the gears on them are very small. The chains run in a narrow chain well in the body that seems deeper than it needs to be but maybe thats because there are no chain tensioners. Might be for the loose chains to hang down in. There is a massive trailer hitch on the back. Like the Max but easily twice as thick. The coolest thing is the emblems. They are like perfect. And bright. Sort of afraid to touch them. Do I need to do a walk around on this thing even with the wrong drive?

[LarryW]

A walk around would be cool! Even with the wrong drive.

[kghills]

A walk around would be cool! Even with the wrong drive.

Well, here are the pictures I could find in the gallery of the two Trailblazers besides mine I could find information on. First is yours Larry.


Larry you also mentioned you knew of another Trailblazer in Strings thread. http://www.6x6world.com/forums/other...lazer-6x6.html Here is your Quote : "Very interesting. I only know of 4 in existence now. I have only seen one other one in better shape then what yours appears." Any details? Colors, condition, pictures?

Here are the pictures from member String. I emailed him and he no longer has the Trailblazer but did get it running. He said someone local to him purchased it. It looks like the trans mount in this machine is being fabricated and not original. If you look at the mount in my machine (even though the drive is different) and the mount in Larry's machine they are the same while the one in String's machine rather than bridging the body wrapps up around it.


Thats it besides the pictures I have posted. If any member runs across any other pictures or information about the Mobilera Trailblazer please post it in this thread.

Thanks. Keith.