e-mail
	comment

BRECKENRIDGE, MINNESOTA

A Brut passion

The Reddys love to collect and restore vintage Brut snowmobiles

by KIRSTEN ARMLEDER

Tom and Darlene Reddy are a married couple from Breckenridge, Minnesota, with a special interest in old Brut snowmobiles. Over the years, they’ve collected a model or two from every year that these sleds were produced—which was from 1972 to 1976. Only four of their machines are completely refurbished, but with the parts they have amassed, the Reddys plan to bring the rest back to their former glory.

Tom has always been into vintage sleds and Darlene followed suit shortly after the couple met and began dating in 1999.
Before starting their Brut collection, the Reddys owned several brands of old sleds but in 1997, they decided to downsize and focus their time and money on the Bruts. According to Tom, it had to do with their appreciation for the way these sleds were made.

“It was the first production liquid cooled three-cylinder snowmobile,” said Tom. “The performance is great and the sound of the motor is one of its own. When you hear them coming across the trail there is a distinct sound from the exhaust that is like no other vintage sled.”

The Brut snowmobile has a storied history as it was passed through the hands of three different factory owners.

“Brutanza Engineering was formed in 1971 by several Polaris engineers who went out on their own,” said Tom. “They produced Bruts for three years—1972 through 1974. Then, Scorpion purchased Brutanza Engineering and renamed (the sled) the Scorpion Brut using the same liquid cooled engine design. In 1976, Massey Ferguson contracted Scorpion to build their snowmobiles and (the Brut) was renamed the Massey Cyclone (Marauder). And this was the last year of the Brut liquid cooled design.”

In terms of engineering, the Brut was ahead of its time. And although that time has passed, the legacy of this unique machine will live on—thanks to old sled hobbyists like Tom and Darlene.