Credit: YOUTUBE/Craig Schaible

In the year of 1979, long before ski trikes became popular around the country, Chrysler released what they hoped would become competition for the popular snowmobiles. A quick glance might convince you that it’s a more modern device, as it does look quite a bit like the ski trikes on our slopes today, but it’s not. It’s the 1979 Chrysler Sno-Runner.

This tiny beauty featured a Power Bee 820 two-stroke 134cc engine, giving around 8-horsepower when new. Weighing out at just 71-pounds, the Sno-Runner was designed to be portable, featuring a five-pin system that allowed it to be easily broken down and tossed into the back of a reasonably small car.

Unfortunately, the Sno-Runner struggled to reach even 8-horsepower (an already low number), and struggled even further at higher altitudes, making it nearly useless in a pretty major region for a vehicle like itself. Production for the bike stoped within two years, but around 30,000 products were sold in total. Those numbers have managed to leave a fairly decent community of individuals who still own and maintain their own Sno-Runner, with one selling over at bringatrailer.com yesterday, January 18th, for $3,300.

Featured Image Credit: Joe Berry via YouTube

Nolan Deck is a writer for Unofficial Networks, covering skiing and outdoor adventure. After growing up and skiing in Maine, he moved to the Denver area for college where he continues to live and work...