Ditch Witch mystery

[TALLRICK]

I am looking at yet another project, a Ditch Witch with a Wisconsin engine and rock teeth. However it is like no Ditch Witch I have seen. The trencher is belt drive to the gearbox and chain drive to the differentials. Both axle pinions are tied to one driveshaft that goes to the chain to the gearbox. There is no steering wheel but only brakes on fixed axles, making it a skid steer model. It it definately older than when it broke down in 1990, but does anyone have an idea on the year/model of this thing? Rust has taken away the ID plate.

[tonka]

pics?

[TALLRICK]

Someone at Ditch Witch helped me solve the mystery. I figured it was a v30 because of what I have seen online, but every one I saw had a steering wheel. Evidently these were made till the 80's and used Ford axle and brake parts. Some had floor mounted levers, some had the dash mounted levers, and some a steering wheel. Hopefully tomorrow I will make the deal and pick this up, and then take pics when it's here in the backyard.

[wminspect]

My dad bought a used Ditch Witch V30 back in the late 60's. It had a backhoe on the front that you flipped the dipper stick overcenter above the engine compartment for transporting. It looked weird going down the road. That was the first machine I learned to use as a teenager. It was a good machine.