THANKS A BILLION - Acuity

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Ken Mueller’s PassionFOR SnowmobilingSnowmobiles have been a part of KenMueller’s life since he was a young boy living inBaraboo, Wisconsin. The first snowmobile he ever sawwas an air-driven machine that his father, Paul MuellerSr., built out of an airplane fuselage, a vintage Germanmilitary vehicle engine, and a pusher propeller. “Dadcalled it the ‘Blue Bird,’” recalls Ken, Team Manager,Information Systems at ACUITY.Snowmobiling became a family affair for theMuellers. Paul Sr. took a job with a machinery distributorin Stevens Point, Wisconsin, that sold the iconic Hus-SkiSnow Traveler, a two-part machine on which the driverrode on a sulky with skis pulled by a track-driven unit.After their experiences with a demo Hus-Ski, the Muellerfamily was motivated to purchase their first snowmobile,a single-chassis 1966 Scorpion J-250, followed by a1967 Ski-Doo Olympique.When Ken was 12, he took several part-time jobsand starting saving money for his own sled, eventuallypurchasing a 1971 Ski-Doo Olympique. “My family,aunts, uncles, and grandparents were all involved in trailriding from the 60s through the 90s, riding in groups ofup to 18 sleds,” Ken says. “I still ride with my cousinsand friends, but the groups are much smaller now.”Rebuilding and CustomizingEventually, Ken got interested in restoringantique snowmobiles. He bought the original 1967Ski-Doo from a family friend and set out to bringit back to original condition. “I learned a lot abouthow to rebuild engines, repair and fabricatecomponents, and do body work and paintingin order to bring the machine back to life,”says Ken, adding that he learned manyskills from his father who hadbeen a small enginemechanic for hisentire career.Ken and hisfamily quicklyset out to acquireseveral Hus-SkiSnow Travelers.As time went on, theyadded a wider variety of vintage sleds totheir collection. “Especially during those early days ofcollecting, searching for possible antique snowmobilesfrom various leads was some of the most fun a personcould have,” Ken says.The goal of early projects was to restore the machinesto original condition. “Later, I decided to customize somesleds to explore what those machines might have lookedlike if technology had progressed faster in the snowmobileindustry,” Ken says. His first custom project was basedoff a 1973 Ski-Doo TNT Silver Bullet and was featuredin American Snowmobiler magazine.Reconnecting and RestoringWhen Ken’s father passed away in 2002, Kenreassessed his priorities. He sold some of his and manyof his father’s sleds in order to meet the immediate needsof his family. “I decided I would no longer strive forhigh numbers of machines in my collection but insteadwould focus on the ones that were most important tome,” he says.Keeping that in mind, he currently owns 12 vintageand modern models, including the heirloom 1967 Ski-Doo that was the family’s second snowmobile, which isawaiting re-restoration. In January, he finished a customrestoration of a 1966 Scorpion J-250 to commemoratethe family’s first purchase.But there is one machine he would like to add to hiscollection: his father’s Blue Bird. “I am still looking forthat sled,” Ken says. “I know it’s probably still outthere, somewhere.”•Ken MuellerFamily Legacy Fuels(left) Ken and his 1973 Ski-Doo restoration,featured in American Snowmobiler. (above)His latest project, a 1966 Scorpion.
nfocusACUITY Safety MaterialsSelection ExpandsACUITY has expanded the scope of safety materials available for downloading or printing at acuity.com.From avoiding back injuries and carpal tunnel to fleet safety and return to work tips, ACUITY’s library of safety materialsprovide employers a free and valuable resource to increase employee awareness and improve the workplace.ACUITY’s safety materials are available by logging in to acuity.com, visiting the Agent Center or Customer Care Center,and clicking the Safety Materials, Webinars, & Videos link. •F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 3 PAGE 9
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THANKS A BILLION - Acuity

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