ROPS vs. shade canopy - check this dependzic...

Hi, Andrew.
Upon closer inspection, it would appear that you are right about that slidebar transmission. I just grabbed that photo off the 'net, quickly saved it, with its caption, to my computer and then uploaded it 'cos it showed the control deck of an earlier sideboom. Now add in an extra gear shift lever to the collection already there.

Hi, Garlic Pete.
It was my understanding that the addition to the fuel tank on the 13As was to cover the extra fuel they used to gain the added power over a 2U. As I understand it, torque converters of any description, fuel-fed or otherwise, weren't fitted to any Cat crawlers until the 15A D8. A sideboom would not need that extension as much as they tend to do a fair bit of idling during a day's work and are seldom if ever working hard. The extension may also have interfered with some of the sideboom equipment or controls. The master clutch lever has been modified to fit in with the sideboom mounting framework inboard of the left fender.

I have blown the first of the 2 '13A' photos up by quite a bit and it does show the separate exhaust manifolds for front and rear stacks. I also have some photos of 'alleged' Hi-Output D8s with only the one air cleaner inlet but with twin exhaust stacks. Furthermore, it appears to me that the hood has been lengthened to accommodate the balancer. Just sayin'.

Just my 0.02.

13A and 14A are both manual transmission. Not sure about 15A but it's some kind of slush box : )

13A and 14A are both manual transmission. Not sure about 15A but it's some kind of slush box : )

Hi, Neil.
I have never operated a 15A but, as I understand it, the 15A had an entirely different transmission from any of its predecessors, designed specifically for use with the torque converter and I seem to remember somebody saying that it was only 3-speed. I also understand that it only had a single plate master clutch that could be problematic if it was engaged at anything much above an idle, especially under load.

Hi Garlic Pete.
The 13As were the last of the line with the D13000 engines, following on from 1H, 8R and 2U series. I think the 13A series was only built for 2 years, from 1953 to 1955, when the 14A and 15A were released. The 14A and 15A tractors had the later D342 engine which continued into the 'H' series, which was also why some of the stretched D8s had 36A engines transplanted into them in later life, 'cos it was relatively easy.

IIRC, the D8s didn't go powershift until the 'H' series.

Just my 0.02.

13A and 14A are both manual transmission. Not sure about 15A but it's some kind of slush box : )