When good Zambonis go bad

[anodyne33]

Had a little transmission issue on the ice here in Pgh. Sunday afternoon. Delayed the start of the game for about a half an hour. Gives new meaning to wrenching between periods.

 

[8Mud]

Looks like road kill.

 

[SCW]

I hope it was a figure skater he ran over, not a hockey player. You can tell by looking for teeth, if there are any it was a figure skater

 

[BruceB83]

Yeah, I was going to say it looks like they ran over one of the ice scraper girls...lol...

 

[UNCC_99XJ]

woops!

My dad and I work on the ones at the Greensboro Coliseum. They really are some neat machines, and there not as complicated as some people would think.

 

[anodyne33]

woops!

My dad and I work on the ones at the Greensboro Coliseum. They really are some neat machines, and there not as complicated as some people would think.

Coolest. Job. Ever.

Driving a Zamboni is at the top of my bucket list.

 

[Tdad]

You guys know the prototype was built from Jeep parts, right?

This prototype was built at the rear of Iceland skating rink in Paramount, California. The machine had water tanks in the front and a snow tank at the rear. Only the front wheels were powered and for this he used a front steering axel from a war surplus truck. The unit was powered by a Jeep engine and transmission that were also purchased from war surplus. On this chassis, he tried different conveyor systems including the paddle and chain that is shown in the above photograph

woops!

My dad and I work on the ones at the Greensboro Coliseum. They really are some neat machines, and there not as complicated as some people would think.

 

[Boatwrench]

I had to reset my TiVo because of that. It's a good thing I did since the game went into overtime and then a shoot out. Them poor Pens fans had to sit through the clean-up, regulation, overtime and then a shoot out loss :rattle: (thanks J.R.). That makes a looooonnnnggg day of hockey.

 

[woody]

You guys know the prototype was built from Jeep parts, right?

This prototype was built at the rear of Iceland skating rink in Paramount, California. The machine had water tanks in the front and a snow tank at the rear. Only the front wheels were powered and for this he used a front steering axel from a war surplus truck. The unit was powered by a Jeep engine and transmission that were also purchased from war surplus. On this chassis, he tried different conveyor systems including the paddle and chain that is shown in the above photograph

Yup I read that a long time ago (before Jeeps really set in to my psyche)

I also know zamboni discharge makes for free beer ice and decent snowball fights in summertime snow.

 

[anodyne33]

You guys know the prototype was built from Jeep parts, right?

This prototype was built at the rear of Iceland skating rink in Paramount, California. The machine had water tanks in the front and a snow tank at the rear. Only the front wheels were powered and for this he used a front steering axel from a war surplus truck. The unit was powered by a Jeep engine and transmission that were also purchased from war surplus. On this chassis, he tried different conveyor systems including the paddle and chain that is shown in the above photograph

Built from Jeep parts??? It was a whole damn Jeep!

 

[Tdad]

Built from Jeep parts??? It was a whole damn Jeep!

Yeah, I knew I had read that somewhere, but I only found the Jeep parts reference on the page I linked to. I guess I didn't read far enough because on the next page is this picture:

"The next generation of Zamboni machines, still built on a complete Jeep®, had significant design changes. Frank elevated the driver's position and dropped the snow tank to allow better driver visibility and greater snow capacity. The first of the series was the Model C"

 

[lazyxj]

Keep your eyes on the TV guide and find Huell Howser's interview with the creator of the Zamboni and a tour of the Factory, ice rink and demos of the original and new models.
Typical corny Huell Howser stuff but interesting to see how the Zamboni was developed.

http://www.calgold.com/visiting/Default.asp?Series=600&Show=271

 

[UNCC_99XJ]

Coolest. Job. Ever.

Driving a Zamboni is at the top of my bucket list.

Yeah it is very cool. It sucks that we don't have a hockey team anymore. We used to trade work for free games, and they'd let us hang out in the back with all the coliseum employee's and watch the game from the doors where the Zamboni's drive out. Best seats in the house IMO. A lot of times we'd see the puck go in the goal before the official did.

Now with no hockey team, they don't get used that often....only when they have events coming like Broadway on ice, Disney on ice..etc etc. But we still go down a few times a year and do a quick once over on both of them and make sure they're still running good and all.