A few months back I was cleaning out an old desk at work and stumbled on what appears to be some pictures supplied by Cat for someone in our company many years ago. The show various views of an original Cat 988 loader and one even has a good view of a Euclid. Must have bee taken before Cat was building their own off-highway trucks. I scanned them in an will see if I can attach them to this post.
I see the limit is 5 pictures per post so here are the other three.
The 988 came out in 1964 and in 1971 ROPS became standard equipment. This one has a soft cab. I imagine it's an early model. They were a tough machine. Ran some of them and an 824 dozer in an open pit iron mine.
FWD
Nice pics. It's a real early one alright, straight pipe and the old style decals.
I actually recall the S/N of the one we had when I started here, 87A01964. If I recall this was also a 1964 model, just a coincidence that the S/N and year matched. It was identical to the one in the photos. "Soft cab" was molded fiberglass, not much protection if rolled over I'll bet!
Them pics bring back alota memories, spent alot of hours loadin trucks with one them ol beast. First large loader I got to run way back when. Thanks for posting.
Bob aka ZZ
Bob, I didn't spend too much time running on of the good ol' 988A's, notice how Cat never called them that but replaced them with B's and so on?, but I did spend many hours pulling wrenches on them. As much as I would have cussed at them back then in many ways I'd rather work on one of them than the 988H we have today. I don't think you could find an operator these days that could run one of those old girls for 10-12 hours loading shot rock. What no AM/FM stereo, no AC, and what am I to do with those big levers next to the seat? Where's the joy stick steering?Originally Posted by Panhandler Bob
nicee
Those are some cool pictures
Welcome to my worldI don't think you could find an operator these days that could run one of those old girls for 10-12 hours loading shot rock.
RollOver Pete
IUOE Local #12, Trucker, Driller, Company A-Hole.
"Hello, I'm Pete and I'm a workaholic"
Except for well worn paint it actually looks to be in good condition for it's age. I did see the aftermarket AC unit, if it works should help a little. Ever have to work on the wheel brakes on one of those? The parking brake on the 988H looks just like the one on these old machines. Must be it was a good design, as long as operator didn't take off with it engaged! We had one catch fire from that years ago!
Welcome to my world
we still run a 988A, we use it on train wreck, it is a beast of a loader for its size and weight.
kshansen They where a handful to run all day. Did you ever encounter a problem with the steering shakin,while backin-up, turnin,& boomin-up, bucket gets to almost eye level and it starts, sometimes you can push thru it, sometimes you gotta throtle down then ease back into ? Never did get answer from boss or wrench before I moved on. Had forgot about it till I saw your pics.
Ran one of those back in the late 70's, early 80's.
"The reason we are here is that we are not all there"
I have seen a 1971 cat 956A far sale AT Canada with 12,000 hours, I seem to like it, I need advice from users of this brand. I will appreciate any advice.
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