"Garlic wrote:

Thanks for posting, Glen. It will be amazing to see that piece of history recreated and pushing dirt again. It will also be interesting to see how you haul that around.

I'm thinking side by side lowboys? One under each track. I'd love to see Oil Slick and you trying to coordinate going straight, let alone trying to negotiate turns. I guarantee I'll find a way to be there to see that!

Pete.

Great build to follow. Looking forward to seeing this one in person. If my memory serves me correct, I seem to recall something about the originals being separated and skids mounted in place of the inboard track for moving. Moving with side by side lowboys was common around here in the freeways building days of the later sixties and early seventies. D8s and D9s with blades on, 660 and 666 scrapers, 100+ ton cranes with tracks on, etc. Have not seen a side by side move since though.

Hey, I noticed that oilslick finally broke down and changed his handle. Good job Glen.

"Garlic wrote:

Thanks for posting, Glen. It will be amazing to see that piece of history recreated and pushing dirt again. It will also be interesting to see how you haul that around.

I'm thinking side by side lowboys? One under each track. I'd love to see Oil Slick and you trying to coordinate going straight, let alone trying to negotiate turns. I guarantee I'll find a way to be there to see that!

Pete.

Now that's a good question you raise there, Pete. I'm thinking perhaps a custom "siamese" lowboy is now in order, and once you have that you'll then need a custom "siamese" semi tractor to pull it with...and here I thought MY little projects had a way of snowballing!

Seriously now though, this stuff is mega cool. Can't wait to see it all as the project progresses, it definitely looks like the right team has been assembled to handle this job.

Hi, Glen.
Which one is it gonna be, M8.

A kew-ree-yuss mind would like to know. Maybe more'n' one.

The first 2 photos are of the Hungry Horse Dam set. The 2nd pair are of the Lawrenceburg, Ohio, set working on a coal stockpile. Note the addition of the double cab in the second photo. The rest are of the King Ranch High Clearance Funnel Dozer set. Try not to drool all over your keyboard.



Just my 0.02.

To Ed Akin;
Ed, I would like to have your E-mail. Bill Walter, fellow director when you and I <a href="mailto:served

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This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." target="_blank">served

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This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.[/email] or 1 816 805 1834

It looks like only the right CCU lifts the blade. Would this CCU unit require special gearing since the cable is going through extra shive blocks?

Hey Gang,

Bill;

I asked Ed they other day for his email. He said his computer is giving him trouble. PM me and I will give you his number. He stated fax works better for him.

Garlic;

The original models were built for rail shipping in mind. Rail widths are much narrower than what we can ship by truck. We figure outside track width to be 14'. That can be trucked no problem. I have talked to D4-e in detail about this shipping. John is going to be the first trucker when complete with his freshly restored 1953 Pete and # 10 Murray. It's period correct. We will have to strip the blade off,maybe reunions too, big that's simply done.

OilSlick,

We are planning a regular #24 unit for the blade. We discussed the gearing. Here is our thoughts. Both Ed and I agree that the hot trick of cable Cats was to go from two shiv to three set up, or four part to six part line for better control of grading. So this set up would be like a eight part line. We figure better leverage.

Deas;

Although the King Ranch High Clearance is pretty cool, we are going for regular height. We are planning a dozer front unit controlled. Duane requested one #25 unit for rear, but Ed and I just smiled. Ed has two rear units ready. I can't wait to tow Twin Scrapers in tow. Ed wants that too.

Drujinin;

Ed's history states that the inner drives were dead. Ed has built and machined a inner connecting shaft to tie the drives together. We need to figure out the linkage and controls, but it will be possible to start one engine and then through the drive train, start the second. Similar to twin engine tanks. I used to do this on a twin Cadillac engined Chaffee M-24 Tank.

We have a long way to go. I have one engine completed, starting on the second. We will get more undercarriage parts to Duane. Duane is thinking of making an isolating cross bar, he needs to get swing frames and tracks on for measurements. One step at a time. I will keep your posted from time to time on progress.
glen

Hi, Glen.
I sorta suspected that it would be one of the 'lower-class' versions. There would be a LOTTTTA extra engineering work in building the high-clearance version.

I have attached a capture of the patent document for the original versions. I suspect that you might already have access to it through Duane but this will give the rest of these 'pore, starvin', information-hungry' folks the chance to see what it was all about. They ARE going to have to look for it though 'cos the clickable link is a VERY narrow band down the left side of the post right under this paragraph.



Oscillating tracks would be neat and would also help to make it easier to steer. How-wevver, that cross shaft might be an issue unless it can be disconnected after starting as one of the BIG benefits of this tractor was its ability to steer by throttling the engines up or down.

It sure would be neat too, to see it pulling 2 scrapers, and that would at least put 2 of the 14A's to work at the same time. Sorry, OilSlick, your HO just won't cut it here - OUT-classed. LOL.

Just my 0.02.

That is awesome Glen to undertake a great project to re-create Cat history. It looks like you partnered up with the correct people to make it happen.

I'm with Pete and will ditto his comment: "I guarantee I'll find a way to be there to see that!" Kinda like herding Cats!

Hey Gang,

When the time is right, 18-24 months, we will have a Buster PlayDay.
Duane has a set of DD9-G's in great shape. We will bring the Twin D8's. It will be a Show to Remember.
We are inching ahead!!!!