"gwhdiesel75" wrote:

Forcus, if you have a digital camera, we'd all like a look at your project from time-to-time. We don't see enough graders on this site, and an old Auto Patrol restoration would be just the thing to watch! Good luck getting it home. GWH

No problem! I do have a digital camera and I used to administrate websites so putting up a restoration page should be no problem. We plan to snap a bunch of photos of the load / transport / unload process and any work I do. I too have noticed a lack of Auto Patrol restorations and a load of crawler restorations in comparison. However I have not seen extensive restoration documentation of either (and to be honest that's what I love to read about on other folks' sites).

By the way, two notes: The machine VIN is 8A121 and the engine VIN is 9A201. A quick search of a web based machine / engine information search for internal Cat didn't show these as valid VIN's so I am going to try some of the legacy systems!

The Cat SNID book from Cat lists the 8A as a 9 Auto Patrol & the 9A is listed as just a Power Unit but no model listed.

That indeed is a rare find, About all that I will add, is it would be referred to as a Auto Patrol and/or a No.9 Auto Patrol. Note, early models designated “Auto Patrol” were renamed “No 9 Auto Patrol “approximately years end of 1931.“

And yes it has the same engine as the “20”, the 4200G.
Kelly

Thanks again guys for all of the help. A question:

1) I was thinking about it last night and wondering if since it was not equipped with electric start from the factory, that the ring gear was not included on the flywheel. Will do me no good to get an electric starter if there is no ring gear! But I wasn't sure and will not have an opportunity to look soon.

Thanks!!

Forcus, Just be careful when your cranking the old girl that this doesn,t happen to you like it did the old buck cranking his old Model "T" Ford Lizzie. He was cranking it one morning and the engine kicked back and he held on the crank and tipped the old lizzie over on it,s side.Heard that joke many years ago. Make sure you let go of the crank in case it does kick.

Don't worry I have no plans to crank. I don't do split rims and I don't do no crank either

If I have to split the engine / transmission case to install a ring gear / flywheel I will.

Hello, I have 2 auto patrols like yours. Mine are both 1931 models. The 31's were painted grey and were just called Auto Patrol, no number 9 until late 31. Mine are serial number 8A-163, and 8A-171. The flywheel will most likely not have a ring gear, as electric start was a rare option. If you want electric start you will most likely have to custom make the parts as they would be hard to find. The starter hole is actually a inspection hole for the timing marks on the flywheel. If your mag is timed right you will have no problems with the engine kicking back on the starting crank. Having a crank start is half the fun of old cats! My graders are not running yet, as I have too many projects. They are fun to run though. They are nicknamed "rattlesticks" or "Knucklebusters" as the control levers rattle and snap when you operate them. Good luck with your project. Caterpillarman

"Caterpillarman" wrote:

Hello, I have 2 auto patrols like yours. Mine are both 1931 models. The 31's were painted grey and were just called Auto Patrol, no number 9 until late 31. Mine are serial number 8A-163, and 8A-171. The flywheel will most likely not have a ring gear, as electric start was a rare option. If you want electric start you will most likely have to custom make the parts as they would be hard to find. The starter hole is actually a inspection hole for the timing marks on the flywheel. If your mag is timed right you will have no problems with the engine kicking back on the starting crank. Having a crank start is half the fun of old cats! My graders are not running yet, as I have too many projects. They are fun to run though. They are nicknamed "rattlesticks" or "Knucklebusters" as the control levers rattle and snap when you operate them. Good luck with your project. Caterpillarman

Wow! Finally glad to meet someone with one of these. Since mine is 8A-121 it is an earlier build (I'd assume!) but I believe mine was yellow from the start. I do see some evidence of overspray from repainting on the tires but I did not see evidence of gray paint and I have a small piece of the wooden cab in front of me and the yellow is directly on the wood. Is it possible gray (or yellow) was an option? If it was originally gray, this machine must have been completely stripped and repainted because I do not see any gray paint.

I would accept crank start if I have to, I've just heard horror stories of people breaking their arms because of kick back. Plus, if the engine is frozen..

Do you have any pics of your machines??? I'd love to see them.

An update on the machine itself:
Went and lubed every linkage I had access to and pumped grease in all the zerks. Looks like all of the mechanical linkages for the implements are loose and ready to move. All of the levers are free except one that is on the left hand side of the cab - a throttle lever maybe - except it is on the wrong side. The clutch and brake levers move but I cannot get the shifter in to gear yet. The steering is good and loose and most of the carb linkages are free. I pulled the valve cover and the underside looked good, lubed up the valvetrain. Pulled the dipstick, no water or rust in the crankcase. I was not able to pull the plugs, even my "big" plug socket was not big enough, will have to come back to that.

The big revelation is the front wheels are actually three piece. The center / wheel weight which serves as the main part of the wheel, the rim which serves as the inside bead and the split rim ring. SO, I was very happy to discover I should be able to unbolt the rim and ring from the wheel weight and have new ones made. The steel rim / ring are extremely deteriorated and no one will touch them even if they were the "widowmaker" style (it appears they are the "suicide" style that no one will touch anyways!). So long story short, I am going to bring it home as is and pray that the wheel with torn tire will not damage the street, my lawn, or my concrete driveway Plan is to get it home this weekend.

Brian

Hello, I do have some pictures of my machines, I will have to find them. I had to really look to find grey paint on my grader. They changed from grey to yellow on 12-07-1931. One of mine was painted red at some point. They roll strait pretty easily, but turning is hard because they have no differential in the drive axle. Caterpillarman

Hi Forcus,
this from my my Former Model Spec sheet No 11, March 01, 1954 Form No 10898-03, line 13 covers PU in question, hope this helps,
Cheers,
Eddie B.