Eliason Hardware Co., based in Sayner, Wisconsin, has a rich history in the snowmobiling industry. From 1924 to 1963, Eliason and Eliason Four Wheel Drive (FWD) snowmobiles were at the forefront of snowmobiling, with their original hand-built machine serving as the foundation for modern snowmobiles. The Vilas County Historical Society Museum in Sayner proudly displays the original snowmobile, along with every model of Motor Toboggan built by Eliason FWD, including the innovative 1953 K-12 model that influenced Polaris Industries' snowmobile manufacturing.
Eliason's snowmobile development can be divided into three phases, each tied to a specific production location and marketing strategy. Phase I saw the development and production of Eliason Motor Toboggans in Sayner, Wisconsin, while Phase II involved Eliason FWD production in Clintonville, Wisconsin. Phase III marked the shift to Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, where Eliason FWD snowmobiles were manufactured. All of their snowmobiles featured four-cycle engines, slide track guides, chain link cleated tracks, floating power units, and toboggan-like belly pans, making them true motor toboggans with wooden sliding surfaces.
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