D2 search

 [attachment=62300]51E97F48-5E22-421F-9227-18B55F4DBD47.jpeg[/attachment] My grandfather started our business with what I am told is a d2. Only have a couple photos. Never quite saw lift pistons quite like the ones on it. Always wanted to find out more about it, and better yet where it ended up. We are in south east Massachusetts, but it was sold off so long ago it may have ended up any where. Lots of knowledge here so I am posting to hopefully find out more information. Thanks in advance and thanks for reading.

Hello and welcome, tractor is a 5J series D2, not sure on the make of blade though, well built. Cat built there own blades in 1947. Could be a Beales blade.

Looks like he mounted an electric pony starter on the fender. If at all possible can you find a serial number amongst the documentation? That will provide a decent amount of information on the unit and would make tracking it down easier, if it's still extant.

Thanks for the response Neil, never have ever found any documentation on it. Even my grand mother has no idea of any paper work on it, if there was any.

No problem, like Rome said, it's a 5J which means it is a 50" gauge (width center to center of the tracks) and has a D3400 diesel engine, dry clutch, and in this case, rope start pony that your Grandad added a farm-built electric starter to which is no problem at all. The alternative gauge was 40" and that variant's serial # started with 3J and then 4 digits. Mine is 3J4086. The J series D2 was the first series, superseded by the U series, which I also have an example of: serial # 5U13753. It also has a seat fuel tank (vs. a side tank that sits on the left fender). No Cat electrics by the looks of it (lights, generator, battery, starter) which were all optional, and we can't see what's on the back - could be a rear mounted hydraulic pump to power the blade rams, a PTO, a winch, or nothing for example. I suspect it might have a front mounted hydraulic pump due to the guard in front of the radiator which is how Cat did it, but of course the guard could be there solely to protect the radiator. Looks like a "custom" seat cushion, out of your old 1973 Datsun : )