old wheel dozer, presumed to be a cat

[stumpjumper83]

old wheel dozer, unsure of make

Found this machine setting in a bone yard for mainly cranes altough there were some other equipment there. This particular one has me puzzled to the exact model. I believe I caw catipillar on the valve cover, but i could be wrong.

 

[handtpipeline]

I'm guessing LeTorneau, by the blade lift mechanism. Also looks like a Detroit engine from what I can see. Possibly old Euc or Terex by the green paint though???

 

[alco]

That's definitely a LeTourneau Tournadozer, no question about it. I'll be dammed if I could tell you which model or variant it is though.

Brian

 

[stumpjumper83]

ok, now that I know where to start looking...

I'd agree that its letourneau rather than cat. And since the other equipment around it is d7h or 8h and 955 loaders, the tournadozer cant be a model "a" they were 750hp. B's were 300, C's were 160 ish at at one time had a cummings hrb-600 motor. They were also the most common. And there was also a 143hp D variant. Anyone else have more info to add?

Btw, I'm not that well up on letourneau's stuff but I can figgure out a search engine....

http://www.constructionequipment.com/article/CA624077.html

 

[JDOFMEMI]

Next good question

Has anyone here ever ran a Tournadozer?
If so, care to tell us about the experience?

 

[alan627b]

Take any pics of the other good stuff there?
alan627b

 

[stumpjumper83]

I wonder if Deas plant and roll over pete have ever been in one of those beasts...

 

[Deas Plant]

Your inference being????????????????

Hello, Stumpjumper83.
And just what might you be inferring with that question? That ROP and I are approaching ancient even? LOL.

I have just been right through the LeTourneau Archive by Phil Gowenlock and could not find a photo of any beast like it. Having said that, in spite of there being a LOT of photos of LeTourneau machines in that book, I doubt if it covered every model they ever made. And I have to agree that the blade lift arrangement looks more LeTourneau than any other make I can think of. Ditto the cab layout and controls. At a guess, I'd say it has a Tournamatic transmission in it, going by the trans control lever.

With all of that, there is still something about the main frame and wheel arches that puzzles me. I have 2 other LeTourneau books here. Given time, I will take a wander through them to see what comes up.

 

[WabcoMan]

That is a LeTourneau Westinghouse model C Tournadozer.

They're not too bad to operate once you get used to the feel of them and they're very powerful.
Very little downpressure on the blade but its heavy !
Good for pushing scrapers, good in the sand especially as they were hard to bog down.
:my2c

 

[jhill]

According to my LaTourneau book it is a model C Tournadozer. A 160 hp Buda was the standard engine and Detroit and Cat were options.

Jerry

 

[biggixxerjim]

how does that thing steer???

 

[stumpjumper83]

like a really big skid steer i believe.... Deas, I figgured that with all your experience, you at least had a chance. You probably have more time in the seat than I have time on earth...

If you look at the pic of the rear of the machine you can see a piece of angle iron weldeded to the frame. Could the fenders be fabricated? Or from a wheel loader or something?

 

[dpull]

Tournadozer

That is a Model'C' Dozer with a 671GMC Motor/ Blade is 11'3'' wide/Operating wieght about 28000 lb. Someone has made the fenders. It looks to have been a Army unit at one time. They had 100's of these machines. I would guess it to be 1951 to 1954 vintage. I own two of these dozers,One is a 1948 with a Buda engine and Air winch for the Blade control. The other one is a 1953 Model with the 671 GMC and it is all electric control for the Blade lift/ Power down on the Blade and Tilt. It also has the PCU Units mounted on each side instead of togather on the rear to balance the machine out alittle better for high speed travel. From what history I can find on this machine there were only 50 built like it for the Army to test. Even thru I own two of them I have never operated one as I have been gathering parts to restore them. Tires are a little hard to come by,2100x25's haven't been made for awhile. Just picked up a Buda that was on a sawmill in PA and got it running so hoping to have the 48 Model up and running next year.
dpull

 

[plowking740]

I used to drive past a farm in manitoba all the time and there was one of them beasts siting beside his barn. I was always going to stop and talk to the old guy about it, but never got the time. as far as I could tell, it hasent moved for years and is still there.

thanks for solving the question of what it was.

 

[awful knawful]

Here is our old spare.
1986 Michigan 280 C
Cummins power
Chip Dozer/Wheel Dozer

 

[stepsideclyde]

Kinda big screen used for air filter on that Detroit, dont ya think?

tc

 

[Lance Tyner]

When I was a kid(now 55) my Dad had three Tournadozer's aand spent alot of time back in the 1960's riding on them with him.He told me alot aabout them. He had three of 'em. 1946,48 and '51. He said the Buda had the most power. The 51 had a jimmy in it. I can still hear it run like it was yesterday. Dad was one of the lucky ones that could have the patients to work on those as they broke down alot. He also could run one very well and from 1949 thru 1965 he did alot of work with them. I have 8mm movie pictures of him running them and pics of me on them along with 2 manuals. They were way ahead of thier time. Dad liked the all electric control panel. Wish he was alive today,he had a fond memory of running them. Hey guys how many are left out there? I'll bet they would be a nightmare to find parts for. Get a hold of me if you have one.

 

[bigrus]

Tournadozer, the original skidsteer There's 2 of them where my coupe is parked, must take a pic when they're fired up & in action. There's also a wabco ? crane in a shed nearby too.

 

[Lance Tyner]

The Buda and Cummins were quiet running compared to the Detoit which you could hear running miles away. Dad had a V snow plow and would put about 1 ton of fluid in each tire for extra weight for traction in the winter. He liked to take the cab off in the summer. These machines gave off alot of heat. The electric motor that raised the dozer was 50hp and made alot of noise when working. Tournadozers would humble alot of guys to run them. Dad put alot of terraces in and cleared alot of trees with them. Parts back then were very expensive when they broke down. The seats on the 51's and up were a pretty cool bucket type seat. If you could run one the correct way back then they would outwork a D8 anyday.

 

[Lance Tyner]

Also if you have a Buda they were bought by Allis Chalmers and that engine had alot of room for more power and found it's way into HD21's putting out some serious hp down the road.