| FLASHBACK |

Last Stand of the Snow Tractor

1975 MASSEY FERGUSON SKI WHIZ 444ST

BY DAVID WELLS

A major redesign for 1973 significantly improved the Ski Whiz, both visually and mechanically, and led to increased sales for that season. But the Ski Whiz Series II was still a large, heavy, and clumsy sled more suited to farm work or sedate family use than spirited trail riding. So Massey Ferguson did what many competitors had done and made a few simple changes to create its Sport series, hoping to appeal to more aggressive riders. The following season, the company switched from red to black color schemes on some Sport models in a further attempt to make the Ski Whiz more attractive to the increasingly performance-oriented snowmobile market.

By 1975, the snowmobile industry was staggering from the energy crisis induced by the 1973 Arab oil embargo, attacks on the sport by environmentalists and other anti-snowmobile groups, as well as lighter winters in parts of North America. Manufacturers were bailing out like rats leaving a sinking ship. But Massey hung in. Buoyed somewhat by a modest sales increase in 1974, the company was aggressively recruiting more dealers. At a series of summer 1974 dealer meetings, the company divulged their plans to move carryover inventory, as well as ways to market the“ new” 1975 models which included the top-of-the-line Sport model, the 444ST.

NEW YEAR, SAME SLED

In truth, the 1975 Ski Whiz models were virtually identical to the 1974 models, which were basically the same as the 1973 models. The Popular Science Snowmobile Handbook called this“ the VW approach.”

Although the 1975 Ski Whiz sales brochure was full of words like“ performance,”“ nimble,” and“ lightweight,” Snow Goer’ s spring testing in Colorado revealed the hard truth. The 444ST was praised for its excellent manufacturing finish, outstanding gas mileage( 24.8 mpg, the best of thirteen 440s tested), Radio Frequency Interference spark plugs to avoid disrupting neighborhood TV reception, and skis that could be moved fore and aft to alter ski pressure. Plus, it was one of the quieter 440s tested that year. But stability was another matter.“ On the Snow Goer tip-over platform, the machine broke away at lower angles than other 440s,” the report noted. Our test crew also felt that better tuning could have provided better acceleration and top speed. Nothing at all was said about the outdated breaker-point ignition, totally obsolete bogie-wheel suspension, or decidedly sub-standard handling.

This big machine was well-constructed, but it was an absolute dinosaur compared with the many new free-air hot stockers that had appeared in the prior two model years, not to mention the numerous new high-performance fan-cooled models like the Rupp Nitro, Alouette Super

Manufacturer: Massey-Ferguson, Inc., Des Moines, Iowa( Subsidiary of Massey-Ferguson Industries Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) Engine: 428cc Rockwell / JLO 2F-440-7 axial fan-cooled Twin with one Tillotson HD-136A diaphragm pumper carb and Donaldson intake silencer, magneto & breaker point ignition, and single pipe into Donaldson muffler Compression ratio: 7.5:1 Lubrication: Pre-mix at 20-to-1, premium gas to SAE 40-weight 2-stroke oil Power Output: 40 hp @ 7,000 rpm Clutches: Massey Ferguson Type: Welded and painted steel tunnel and belly pan with chromed steel tube bumpers and molded fiberglass hood Weight( dry, claimed): 390 lb Front Suspension: Triple-leaf springs with 3-position front end adjustment and chromed hydraulic shock absorbers Ski Stance: 26 in. Rear Suspension: Bogie wheels with torsion springs Track: 15.5-by-119-in. Gates molded rubber with dual internal drive Brake: H & H mechanical disc Fuel Capacity: 5.5 gal. Standard Equipment: Speedometer / odometer, tachometer, fuel primer, engine kill switch, rear view mirror, handlebar pad, nonskid footrests, storage compartment, snow flap, tow hitch, chrome skis Options: Electric start, fuel gauge, hour meter Price: $ 1,430 MSRP excluding freight, set-up & other charges

46 DECEMBER 2026 | SNOWGOER. COM