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Video. One of the machines that built our highway system.


Dandy Dave

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Not exactly an automobile, But think for a moment. If these great road building beast's were never built, where would our highway system be today? This is a Caterpillar Model 12 that was built in 1940. It is a very Rare Gasoline version. Only 56 of these graders were equipped with a gasoline engine. This is the only one we know of with traceable serial numbers. Was not much left to the intake in the heat riser, But I persevered and It lives again. Enjoy. Dandy Dave!  

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xasIR73jw5s

 

 

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Edited by Dandy Dave (see edit history)
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Thanks folks. Digging through some old info.This engine is 468 CID and develops 75 Brake Horse Power at 1,600 RPM. It is 4 and 1/4 Bore and 5 and 1/2 Stroke. The engine alone weighs 2,700 LBS. This old Caterpillar Model 12 Grader Weighs in at 22,000 LBS. That's 11 tons of iron. I got the air cleaner on her yesterday. Working on the Battery box. She's rusty. Dandy Dave!

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Would steam shovels and steam rollers have still been in service in 1940 when that was built, or were they gone by then?

They were still running Steam at that time, Although it was on it's way out. When large Diesel engines became compact and reliable, that was basically the demise of Big Steam. Dandy Dave!  

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Dave,

I will have to get a picture of a huge steam roller that our club saved from the scrap yard years ago. I'm 6' 4" and the wheels are about that tall!

I heard some of the guys tried to fire it way back not knowing what they were doing and guess there is a lead relief plug that melted for safety! 

It sure is a beast!

 

Love you grader! :)

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Dave,

I will have to get a picture of a huge steam roller that our club saved from the scrap yard years ago. I'm 6' 4" and the wheels are about that tall!

I heard some of the guys tried to fire it way back not knowing what they were doing and guess there is a lead relief plug that melted for safety! 

It sure is a beast!

 

Love you grader! :)

LOL, Yup. Not enough water and too much heat, Good by lead plug. Glad you love the Grader. Thanks. Dandy Dave.!

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Agreed, Especially on rusty vintage construction equipment. It sits outside and paint helps preserve it in this case. There is just so much cleaning / sandblasting too be done on something like this. With all of its moving parts, sand blasting would not be the best way to go. Too great a chance to get grit in a gear box or somewhere else that it does not need to be. Think antique cars are expensive to fix? This yellow iron is just as bad, and most of the time worse. Still an excellent way to make money backward as my Dad would say. ;) Dandy Dave!   

 

A lot of people like patina, but to me, there is nothing like brand new paint.

 

Cool machine by the way.

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Long shot but does your grader have "MOLLY" painted on the front arm? If so it was part of the Highway Department here in town. As a kid growing up in the 1950's I can remember her working all year long. Notice the color difference, was that the radiator that someone stole and you've replaced? Bob ....................if you leave now you may get to the Kent show on the 25th

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This Grader Belonged to the Town of Milan, NY. From there it went to Christiana Brothers Excavating just around the corner from where I live. Yes. That is a replacement radiator from a diesel model that I was lucky enough to find. Dandy Dave!

 

Long shot but does your grader have "MOLLY" painted on the front arm? If so it was part of the Highway Department here in town. As a kid growing up in the 1950's I can remember her working all year long. Notice the color difference, was that the radiator that someone stole and you've replaced? Bob ....................if you leave now you may get to the Kent show on the 25th

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Yes. All the Big Cats had Gas Engines in the early years. They did build a few model 60 Diesels in 1931. Red River Lumber Company did some conversions on Cat 60's as early as 1927. The Gas engines were replaced with Atlas Diesels. The Diesels were beginning to become reliable by the late 1930's and were really perfected over the course of WWII. The D-318 Engine built after the war and used in the D-6 Crawler, as well as many other applications, is one of the toughest old Diesels Cat ever made. Yes, Until the early to mid 30's they all had gas engines. The engine in my 1940 Grader designated as a G-4600 was based on a D-4600 engine of which they built 1,000's. It was the forerunner of the D-318. The G is for gas, and the D is for Diesel. It is estimated less that 100 of the G-4600 gas engines were ever built. Of this, 56 were installed in Model 12 Road graders. Mine is Serial 6M-17. There is one other know to exist out on the west coast but it has no serial plates. Dandy Dave!  

 

 

Until the early to mid 30's they all had gas engines.

There's nothing like the early Holt, Best and Caterpillars with the external, open, push rod, slow speed engines........  :wub:

Edited by Dandy Dave (see edit history)
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Not exactly an automobile, But think for a moment. If these great road building beast's were never built, where would our highway system be today? This is a Caterpillar Model 12 that was built in 1940. It is a very Rare Gasoline version. Only 56 of these graders were equipped with a gasoline engine. This is the only one we know of with traceable serial numbers. Was not much left to the intake in the heat riser, But I persevered and It lives again. Enjoy. Dandy Dave!  

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xasIR73jw5s

 

OH my goodness, Dandy Dave ... that is really cool!  Glad you got it to live again.  More proof that they don't make 'em like they used to.  Thank you for sharing this with us here!

 

 

Cort :) www.oldcarsstronghearts.com

pigValve, paceMaker, cowValve | 1979 Caprice Classic (awaiting new owner)
"The years go by and time just seems to fly, but the memories remain" __ Daughtry __ 'September'
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It is getting better everyday Larry. Did quite a bit to repair the rotted out Battery Box today. Oh. Everything is Big on this old Caterpillar. Must be from Texas. ;) The battery Box is made from 1/8th Plate Steel on the sides, and 1/4th plate steel on the bottom. It is approximately 24 inches high, 11.5 wide. and 27 inches in length. :o Photos to come in the day light. Dandy Dave!   

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Power Steering was an add on and not original equipment. The Christiana Brothers Excavating Company had the unit partly removed about 30 years ago. When I got the grader about 10 years ago, I finished removing it and installed it on a 1955 Cat Model 212 # 79C42 grader that they have. The 212 grader is one of around 100 built at the time with Factory Glow Plugs and Direct Electric start. The other thousands of 212's built at the time had pony motors. The PS is not original to either machine, so not missed at all. Dandy Dave!  

 

Looks great.  Looking closer, did you miss reinstalling the power steering on the grader?

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Here is a young Cat in our area.

 

1929 Cat 10 Crawler Tractor Would Make Nice Restoration - $2700 (Port Orchard)

http://modesto.craigslist.org/grd/5234488496.html

 

Yeah. I had 2 Cat Tens in the past. One was a good running original about like the one in the photos, The other was parts. Price is about average for one it that condition. Dandy Dave.  

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These actually came in three different versions. They could be bought with an electric motor to power it, or a small gas engine as well as the peddle model. Very Cool. Dandy Dave!  

 

Check out this pedal dozer. In our area also.

 1950 Caterpillar D-4 Pedal Tractor - $6250

 

 

http://modesto.craigslist.org/atq/5174529958.html

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