SnowCruiser ( or 'Snowcruiser' )
*Note: additional and more precise information to follow
From 196(?) to 197(?) the company OMC owned the brand "SnowCruiser". SnowCruiser was a line of snowmobiles designed for personal utility / transportation and sport / recreation use. The basic platform was similar to other competing brands of that era ( simplicity of design, retail cost, etc ) and not so unlike in appearance to two other snowmobile brands under the OMC banner: Evinrude and Johnson. While in many ways the SnowCruiser brand offered much more affordable options as a base model compared to other brands ( both underneath and outside of OMC ), many similar options ( such as engine-size or horsepower rating, cresture-comforts, etc ) and accessories were available on the SnowCruiser models that made the brand easily comparable to other OMC brands and competition that had similar machine designs and / or the same engine manufacturer.
SnowCruiser personal-use snowmobiles reached a peak of popularity during the mid 1970's, although advances in technology, overall sled design and engine type continued up until OMC abruptly cancelled manufacturing of their snowmobile brands - first SnowCruiser, then Johnson, followed by Evinrude ( arguably the most advanced person-use snowmobiles OMC had created to date ).
While other brands competing with OMC's were severe against OMC's revenue potential, OMC lacked leadership application and promotions for the future of OMC snowmobile brands. SnowCruiser distribution was meagure, sales were low and too often machines were shipped to undestinquished sellers and where the brand lacked the spit & polish image of other brands and their proud show-rooms, advertising and marketing - SnowCruiser ( as with Evinrude and Johnson snowmobiles ) lacked the competitive flare, style and attractiveness necessary to win-over a public still too novel at the idea of the benefits of personal-use snowmobiles for recreational activities.
The most common model / type with the SnowCruiser brand was ( insert here ) while the most advanced model ( insert here ) became too expensive for a buying public that could not fully appreciate the significance of the advantages that the OMC brands / models could offer. Although over-pricing, poor consultation between SnowCruiser distribution and management, flaws in manufacturing ( poor welds, finicky ignitions and uncomfortable seats ) were plaguing sales points and distribution hubs ( such as sales stores and marinas that proudly offered other OMC brand products ) the demise of SnowCruiser as a brand ultimately was credited to OMC's decision to close manufacturing of the personal-use snowmobiles entirely. SnowCruiser was the first brand if the three to receive the axe.
Some of the common attributing appeal of earlier model OMC personal-use snowmobiles ( namely the SnowCruiser brand ) was the sturdiness of the overall design, the fuel-economy of the base grade single-cylinder Kohler engines and the ease of which a new owner ( and any novice mechanically inclined user ) could make modifications, improvements and repairs. The simplicity of the base-model designs with the non-interferring convenience options ( electric start, different style windshields, different width tracks and 'sport style's configurations ) made most SnowCruiser machines very popular and affordable for most people with little or no disposable income.
SnowCruiser machines are rarely seen today. A few exist in museums, among a scattered community of antique snowmobile collectors and a few hobbiests who retain what's left of the SnowCruiser brand in pieces. When OMC abruptly cancelled manufacturing of the SnowCruiser brand ( as in similar instances with Evinrude and Johnson machines ) customers who had paid for machines in advance, ordered upgrades or parts and accessories, and dealerships or franchise-acting repair / sales businesses were all left holding their breath. Even literature and promotional items such as posters, brochures and advertising is so rare that most people from the "Great Snowmobile Era" have no familiarity of the brand mentioned herein, or even no anyone who owned one.
Although OMC lacked vision for the future of their snowmobile brands ( namely SnowCruiser ), the prominent manufacturer of arguably the most successful and long-lasting OMC snowmobile engines - Kohler - had plenty. The positive reputation OMC snowmobiles had for engine strength and reliability was almost entirely due to the Kohler engines that nearly all SnowCruiser models had ( as well as many of the other two OMC brands and several competitors ). When OMC closed down the SnowCruiser brand, many buyers and repair businesses flocked to find SnowCruiser parts from snowmobile scrap-yards, Kohler engines in particular.