By John Dooler on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I am in the process of rebuilding a 24 wheel drive AATV called a Grizzly it was built by Trans-Tec in Canada mid 80's. I would really like to hear from anyone who has had any experience with one. The machine is different from most of the vehicles that I have seen on this web site in the way that it obtains its buoyance for water crossing. Instead of getting flotation from the body design it comes from the tires. There is only a 5" section in between the axles,as apposed to about 36" on Argo type machines. The Grizzly is about the same size as an Argo. The machine is all aluminum except for the fiberglass engine cowling.
Thanks for any interest
John j2@netcom.ca

By Tim Wafer (Iflyrctoo) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Got any pictures of this thing John?

By John Dooler (Grizzly) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I have posted two pictures that I scanned from an old sales pamphlet.I don't know if this is the correct way to post pictures or not, hopefully this web address works. I am more at home with a wrench and welding machine than I am with a keyboard and mouse.
www.attcanada.ca/~j2/Slide1.JPG

By Tim Wafer (Iflyrctoo) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Cool looking machines John! I copied and sent them to Richard in hopes he can post them in the gallery. Have you had it running yet? What's it got for an engine?
Tim

By John Dooler (Grizzly) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I bought the machine as a wreck and I am in the process of a complete from the ground up rebuild. It runs an 18hp double shaft Briggs that turns two clutches and runs two separate transmissions one for each side. I have never had it running, but hopefully it will be finished early next year, some parts I am having to fabricate from scratch.

By Gary Harper (Garyinvt) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

John
I went digging after I saw the pic. I knew I had seen an add for it. It listed an company address. Maybe it will help
Sherman & Reilly
Box 11267
Chattanooga, TN 37401

Looks like a interesting rig to me

By Tim Wafer (Iflyrctoo) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Are you saying this is the company that made them? I found this address still current.

Sherman & Reilly
409 W 34th St
Chattanooga, TN 37410-1004
Phone: 423-267-4427

By Tim Wafer (Iflyrctoo) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I contacted them and here is their response

Dear Mr. Wafer:
The Grizzly was once part of our product line, but we have not sold this
unit or parts for this unit in over 10 years. Also, we do not have any
similar units in our product line. We did not make the Grizzly, but only
sold them for the company who manufactured them (they were in Canada and we
were their U.S. Distributor). I do not know if they are still in business
or not. Please feel free to visit us on our web site at
www.sherman-reilly.com
Thank you for your inquiry.
Paulette Huddleston
Sales Office Manager

By D.mike on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I just checked out the scanned photos of the grizzly...that thing must have insane traction!

By Phil Herrold on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Neat machine! I don't think anyone could argue about it having the lightest foot print on the ground. Good luck in getting her started.

By Christian Briere on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hi guys. I found a grizzly sv-118-g for sale , price is a little bit high but it seem to be a great machine . it's advertized on occasion.ca
in Quebec same aera code as mine so if I can help
just E-mail me. (http://www.occasion.ca/}
click on VTT , then type grizzly in the marque box
and J3B5Z3 in the Code Postal box

By Tim Wafer (Iflyrctoo) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I want it! Too bad I cant afford it. This link should work and might be easier to get to.

http://www.occasion.ca/ao/result/affich.asp?sid=52IQGIE9306246&rubno=4400&pa=1&pr=1

Tim

By Tim Wafer (Iflyrctoo) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Assuming the $7600.00 is Canadian, that equals $5143.82 US currency but he says it's negotiable.
Tim

By Christian Briere on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Tim, did you buy that grizzly ? It's an awesome machine too bad I can't afford it ( well I could, but selling the family car is not a perfect plan and my wife would beat the crap out of me.) Maybe I'll go see it and take some pictures.

By shane forsythe on Unrecorded Date: Edit

i am thinking of building one like the grizzaly with 16 wheels the inner ones being smaller i've drawn up plans, priced parts, saving up now.

if anyone has driven a grizzaly 16w 24w or simmilar please feel free to e-mail me
shanefor1@yahoo.com.au

hopefully this will solve the grip problem i've seen on 6x6's or maybe 16x16 will drain too much power (i don't think this will be a problem with a car engine i plan on using, and think of how low the ground pressure will be with all those tires to spread the weight out.
thanks
shane.

being from australia you have to make one or pay the price of a small car.

By Howard Hoover on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Shane, Check this link out unless you already have
this guy lives in Austrailia and he has built two
machines with bodies made from fiberglass I think he did a pretty good job and he has lots of pictures to look at.
http://members.iinet.net.au/~dph/atv.htm
maybe you could go and see them and maybe take a ride unless he lives on the opposite side of the
continent and tell us how they perform!

By shane forsythe on Unrecorded Date: Edit

howard, thank you for the link, sorry for the late reply, to buisey.

no i hadn't seen it before, looks like a beast built heavy , but that is good for extra weight = grip ( i hope it floats ) in australia we don't have many rivers to cross but there are some and extra weight is good in mud (think of the bobcat it weights 3tons and they go grate in mud )

unfortunatly he lives on the other side of australia in western aust. ,i've got more chance of getting to america then there (cost wise).

i live 50miles ( 100km's) from sydney n.s.w. so if you do find a person close to me let me know and i will do test ride /drive if allowed.

i was at a 4x4(yuck) show 2 years ago and had a test ride in a polaris(ranger?)6x6 atv yes they are avalible in aust as are john deer gators. it had heaps of grip on a test track this is what happened:
the 4x4's kept getting bogged ,6x6polaris never did. a mercedes 4x4 picked up a big rock and got it wedged in the wheel arch and ripped out the mud guard cover(this is what you get for 60,000 + au$) there was a incline (i'm not going to say 45 degrees as it will start a new argument about inclinometres) about 25degrees +or- 5 the 4x4 were revving out and most hit the brakes and slid down backwards, the only ones that made it when it got realy wet were a jeep cheroke 2seater convertable (no roof only roll bar) and the polaris6x6 i wasin (i have photo's of bogged4x4's to prove it.)
the polaris6x6 went up easy (no slip) stopped on top then reversed down 1 metre (3 feet) and hit the brakes , it skidded for 2 seconds and stopped (controlled) then we wentup again easy (smallskid when starting to go then full grip.

conclusion : suspension / more wheels are best as long as you have the power.(good fun)

as for the 6x6 he (the one you showed me the link)made ,the only problem i see (i blame the edge plans for this) is the position of the chains in the hull ( boat language for body) they are a trap for fingers and clothes unless covered with wood/fibre glass. we need more builders , 6x6 8x8 seppliers in aust.

if you want to see a good 6x6 in q.l.d. aust. look at this link http://members.dodo.net.au~badmichke/my_8x8.htm see how andwhere the chain should be put , lots of photos that explain everything also he's very helpfull if you have a problem he helped me with part supliers in au. his design is grate , the only thing i would change is to use atv tyres (i'm not sure what he's using but they sound like small tractor tyres (i could be wrong)
we all shuld use atv tyres to get a soft ride (don't use dirt bike grip no good in water.)

look forward to seing more aatv's home built.
shanefor1@yahoo.com.au

thanks shane

By shane forsythe on Unrecorded Date: Edit

from shane forsythe

sorry if the link doesn't work do this:
goto route6x6 links,
look for the edge (a buggy maker in australia)
open thair 6x6 page
look down the page for a link that says some thing like: a home built 8x8 buggy based on the edge plans.
goto it.
thanks shane.