OT.....1931 Cat. Crawler

GB in MT. · Jun 2, 2018

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Thought some of you guys would like this pic.
My BIL sent this pic. to me via email today.
What a 'BRUT'!!!
I'll post this on the YT 'Crawler forum' tomorrow.

Gary 8) [/i:3209d17efb][/b:3209d17efb]

Den N Ms · Jun 3, 2018

Gary,That is one Cool Cat!

Ed S. · Jun 3, 2018

Very neat, Gary. Caterpillar was only six years old as a company in 1931 (Holt and Best prior to 1925).

es

Billy NY · Jun 4, 2018

There's more to the story on this one, I recall something posted on ACMOC or discussed years ago. The trailer with the Peterson name on it, there's some interesting reading there on "Buster Peterson" if anyone is interested. Peterson did some innovative things with Caterpillar and likely still do today.

One thing that stands out on this tractor is that the Sixty diesel conversion was at the beginning of the D8800 series engine, the starting engine on Old Tusko does not look likew the typical one found on most of the D8800's, must be an early variation.

GB in MT. · Jun 5, 2018

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Yep Billy,....you said......
One thing that stands out on this tractor is that the Sixty diesel conversion was at the beginning of the D8800 series engine, the starting engine on Old Tusko does not look likew the typical one found on most of the D8800's, must be an early variation.

I also noticed the Pony motor in the picture, that Den posted, has a 'crank start' on it. Also looks smaller, compaired to the one I worked on, for my FIL's 'D7'.(which had an elect. start, on it) That sucker was BIG & Weighty. I used my JD FEL, to take the 'D7's Pony motor off, so I could change the manifold and work on the muffler. (LOUD sucker too)!!

GB [/i:434b93bb0d][/b:434b93bb0d]

Billy NY · Jun 5, 2018

Some parts like the head look the same, but there more to this early D8800, be interesting to research. These are high RPM little 2 cylinder engines and they sure as heck are loud !
Eventually the hand crank start was brought out to the front of the tractor, but if you stalled it out while nosed in or stuck, makes it hard to crank, so the put a 90 in and came out the top, early RD8's and D8's were like that, and I think they did the same thing. In good working order, they start easy with the hand crank, both my 7's have electric start on the starting engines, but the low hour one of the 2 has practically no wear so everything is good on tolerances, good compression, used to start easy just off the hand crank.

OT.....1931 Cat. Crawler

GB in MT.

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Den N Ms

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Ed S.

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Billy NY

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GB in MT.

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Billy NY

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