[MagicRat]

Somewhere in my files is a paperback guide to smowmobiling, published in about 1970, which is full of pics of sleds I have never seen, and must have been made only for a few years, at most.

It seems that so many manufacturers of other things, like recreational products, farm equipment, outboards, chain saws, motorcycles etc were building sleds only for a short time, mostly it seems, in the 1960's, and into the early '70's.

Their reasoning to make sleds makes sense, to some extent.

IMO most of the manufacturers already had strong dealership networks (marine, farm equipment, bikes etc) which had weak sales in the winter. The snowmobile line would give them something to sell in the fall/winter.
Also, they get instant distribution of a new product line without having to set up an expensivfe dealer network.

Also, many of their customers would be rural, outdoorsy types who would be good candidates to take up the newfangled sport.

It makes sense from a manufacturing point of view, too. Back then, many manufacturing plants were under-used in the summer. They would make lawnmowers, motorbikes, tractors; whatever, in the winter months in preparation for spring sales. Then in the summer they would make sleds.

This was precisely the reason why Bombarier (Ski Doo) started making Can-Am dirt bikes.

I have wondered why so many manufacturers got out of making sleds. I suspect that the research and development costs to keep up with the competition became too expensive to justify the effort.
Also, perhaps once the extablished customers had already bought their sled, they did not buy another for several years, so perhaps new sales became harder to get.