Yes, the return of the "rat sled." This old machine is a little hard to peg, we believe it’s a late 1970’s or maybe an early 1980’s Ski-Doo Citation 300 but we can’t say for sure—maybe one of our eagle-eyed vintage collectors can help us out?
This old sled has definitely seen better days as it sits rusting away in an open field. Stripped down to its metal tunnel and its seat completely missing, this old machine is looking a little worse for wear.
The Citation was a stalwart in the value-priced Ski-Doo line up for a number of years. Ski-Doo worked hard to squeeze lots of amenities into this little machine and keep the price tag low as well. However, as the American Snowmobiler magazine observed, “Advertising pegged the Citation as the perfect choice for a second family sled or even the first sled you'd ever own. Marketing materials pointed out that the new entry came with all of Ski-Doo's snowmobile savvy at a small price (MSRP $1,399 US). Obviously not enough consumers bought the pitch, as the sled withered and faded away within a few years.”
Here’s one comment on the Ski-Doo Citation from a discussion forum: “A '78 or '79? If the serial number starts with 3146 it is a '78—if it starts with 3149, it is a '79. The Citation had a 114 x 15 track, a very common size, so the drive for the speedo would likely transfer and give an accurate reading if the gearing and drive sprockets were the same as the donor sled. These are great little machines, a ton of fun for a kid.”
Did you ever own a Ski-Doo Citation? Share your vintage snowmobile story and photos with us. Email [email protected]
