New Project, Cat Twenty

Was lucky enough to come across a Cat for sale last week that marked something off the list of wants for my collection. I have a collection of orchard/vineyard models, but also wanted to have a California built tractor. Found a Cat Twenty in good shape, serial L1886, making it a late production 1929 before they stopped building tractors in San Leandro.

The tractor is in good shape for being near 100 years old now, I was told it was kept indoors. Now I’m hoping the experts on here can help me out. I believe the fenders and seat are from a later 25 or 28 model, as well as it has an American Bosch Magneto now. Carb appears to be original, and everything else works on it as expected.

Does anyone have tips to make this easier to start, I don’t believe it has a choke, but I do see a primer pump on the carb? And I will need to get some new wires for it, already had some trouble with one not making good connection in the cap.

Worst thing on the tractor is probably the pins and bushings are way worn, and tracks are adjusted past the end of the track frames, I will have to do some checking to see what can be done about that too. Anyone happen to have measurements for track specs for the Twenty?

Are there no priming cups on the intake manifold? I know of no priming cup on a carburetor. - cts

There are priming cups on the manifold, yes.

On the carb, in front of the bowl there is a little push button, like an accelerator pump for lack of a better term, also. I pushed it and flooded the carb once and it started running out the bottom drain.

Per my maternal Grandfather ~75 years ago that is called a"tickler" and it pushes the float valve down allowing the carb to flood. When gas drips from the carb it's "primed" and ready to go.

Daron

Congratulations! That is so awesome! Some guys have all the luck...hahahaha.

Tell us some more about it please?

That ride looks pretty straight from here. I will have to look at my own machine(s) for comparison.

I usually get by with priming the cups and saying a few nice words before tugging the handle. This is very interesting, as I've not encountered such a carburator with that priming button thingy. Keep in mind, I am new at hoarding gas machines, so it is a learning curve.

We hope to see your 20 in action. Maybe you can come out on October 3rd for PLOW DAY! Thx, JM

At one time I had L836 and it had the fenders that look like orchard fenders (curved). I noticed two Big 20s at the Hydric (spelling?) museum in Woodland California that had the tracks different. One had the grousers forward and one had them aft. I was told that it was an option back then, but I never confirmed that. I think that the big 20 had more horse power than an early D2. Mine was a parts machine, so I never drove it.

The L 20 is a great tractor. Did you know this is the first tractor engineered and produced by the new caterpillar company after it was formed. The L-20 was test proven by Dan Best when he was 14 years old at a ranch the Best family had about 4 miles from me. They do have a choke knob should be mounted on the bottom of the radiator on the right side in front. They start easily run good. Skinner

Yes, It appears that most of the sheet metal is from a Twenty-Eight. Especially the lower engine panels. Manifold is from a Twenty or Twenty-Five I'm thinking the jugs are from a Twenty-Eight too because the Twenty has more rounded cylinder castings. (Someone upped the bore size with that modification). Track frames, or just the idler adjustment castings:Twenty

Coincidentally, I made sheet metal many years ago for one of the last L20's and it had mixed parts from, I think 25.

I have that model carburetor on my Sixty and I've seen them on Thirtys too. Push button, Flood, Then Crank.

@side-seat Coincidently I just read the Thirty manual in the Library this morning and it said the same thing about the carb primer. I’m not sure how you would get gas in the priming cups on the manifold as they are close to the hood.

@juiceman I know nothing of the story behind it, but it’s in great shape, engine runs well and is nice and quiet, and it came with a bucket of spare parts. I‘m going to have to read the parts book and see what they all fit. Only one I checked so far is two brand new friction discs for the main Clutch.

The poor crank has been brazed back together in at least 4 different spots, but it still works.

Pump type squirt oil can makes a great priming tool. Flexible spout is a perfect option. Crank, most of the Thirty's that were worked in orchards,etc, crank was held with a leather belt and about 45 degrees, this way it reduced the tendency to catch every weed, branch, obstruction. I do not recall ever seeing a "choke" on that type carburetor/drop tube system. On the Thirty I had, choke was a hand over the intake to the air cleaner which was very near the top of the radiator tank. The "knob" on top of the float bowl is to adjust the float level. cts

@side-seat I think you are right, later 1B part number on the jugs, L610 part number on the cylinder head.

I also dug through the parts bucket, looks like some idler and roller shafts/bushings. And a handful of new bearings and races, plus a ton of shims/spacers I can’t identify and some starting cranks that I don’t believe are for this tractor. Look older.

Ignore the driveline and gutter, my place is basically a junk yard.