Hopto 200

[dayexco]

here is a picture of my dad's hopto 200. not sure of the exact year this was taken, but my guess is in mid, late 50's. he had it mounted on a ford cab over truck. that 54 international dump truck in the pic was dad's first dump and the one i learned to drive in. i bought the truck at his estate sale, he never sold it all those years. i had it repainted, used as kind of a "parade" truck for awhile, and got tired of it taking up shop space and sold it, now wish i'd had found a place for it

 

[Bill zimmerle]

hopto backhoe

Hi Dayexc
I am interested in old hopto backhoes. I have a model 105D this is a trailer mounted. It is restored and I showed it at the HCEA show in 2003. I have a master parts book for all Hopto's built by the Badger Machine Co. Till 1958 Showing all models. The 105D started with Serial# 100 mine is #289 anyone have a lower #? I would like to talk to other hopto owner's or other's with Interest.
Thanks Bill

 

[dayexco]

my dad got into the excavating biz in 47 after WW2. his first machine was a "badger" trencher, had that several years, and first hopto he had was a 180. i've never seen pics of that, but did see the 2-3 hopto 200's he had after that, and that he and my older brothers used to go to the winona, minnesota factory to pick them up. all of them were truck mounts. the last hopto he had was a 300, still a truck mount. it was an excavator, but would not rotate a full 360 degrees if i remember right. my brother in calif. has a bunch of literature on the 200's i think. he then switched to drott machines, had a 40 mounted on a ford twin screw truck. and the last was a tracked 50. that was a pretty decent machine. it was the one i learned to operate on.

 

[Bill zimmerle]

Hi Dayexco
My Dad started in the excavating bussiness 1955 with a fegurson TO 30 with Davis loader with Down pressure. 1957 a new JD420 with loader 1960 JD 440 with loader. I started in 1967 with TLDT 20 Michigan truck crane. I went to work for the City of Elkhart as Construction supervisor 1992. I have Case Davis Scatback loader 1976,1963 C350 Dragline Crane,Long 460 tractor. I sold a austin western back filler. and the fellow got me hooked on joining Historical Constrution Equipment Asociation I have been to 4 National Show's and met may other's interested in old equipment. Look's like badger made the hopto model 80 RTM then went to the model 180 RTM then The model 190 SPC Crawler 190 SPR Rubber they made their own carriers. I would really like to know if anyone knows of a 190 SPC or The 200 SPC I have lit on the warner swasey Hopto Model SPC 200 and the SPR 200, Hopto 500 truck mounted. Badger started making the model 360 in 1957 with serial # 100 it shows parts to Serial # 160 but could go higher. I have ad from 1957 showing the model 360.
Thanks Bill

 

[Sean190]

I have a 190

Hi Bill,
I have a 190. I recently acquired it and don't know much about it or the year of manufacture. It has a Detroit diesel thit I think it a 3-53. The machine runs great! I have the original manual but it dosnt have a date on it. This thing is a tank and am verry curious to learn more about it. I love old equipment and have never seen one like it and am having trouble finding pictures of videos online. Any info you or anyone else on this forum are able to supply me with would be greatly apricated.
Thanks,
Sean

 

[qball]

man, i couldn't imagine what a pain digging a basement with a truck mounted hoe would be. i guess you would really have to plan your work. that's when the men were men and the operators were good.

 

[Bill zimmerle]

Hi Sean
Hopto were made by the badger machine co. till 1958 when bought by warner & swasey co.
the Model SPR 190 was rubber tired. SPC 190 was mounted on tracks. If you have a tag with serial # check if made by Badger Machine or Warner & Swasey yours is the only one i have heard of except a SPC 190 near brownsville PA. and I never did get to see it. a lot more 200 machines were made many on Duplex Carriers. Hopto was ahead of time on hyd backhoes. many farm dealer and not other equipment. When John Deere and case and other started making hyd construction equipment & their dealers were told not sell hoptos , bantams. John Deere did not start making the 690 till 1969 or 1970 our john deere dealer sold bantam crane & backhoes till then when told if they want a John deere dealer they could not be a bantam dealer. I talk with a fellow that told me the company he worked for try out a hopto and the put in so much more sewer with hyd hopto they would not let the dealer have it back to show other they wanted the machine now. Please post a picture.
thanks Bill

 

[Taylortractornu]

Bill can you post a pic of your Case Davis Scatback. Back on the subjects of Hopto they even made a small farm trailer pulled rig that had the cylinder mounts for over and under use for conversion to a 180 swing shovel for loading out of a bank.

In around 200o a contractor cleared an area for a private school in Corinth MS. He had a large Hopto that he had a thumb and he cleared alot of ground with it. Theres also a humongous one I think its a Hopto in Florence AL on Canal street that had the under carriage cut off for a barge mount years ago. Its been setting there several years now. They planned to make a canal dredgeo ut of it. They asked me about converting it to pilot controls a few years ago but cant getthe time for it.

 

[Sean190]

I'm new to this forum and don't know how to post a pic on my mobile phone but I will post from my pc when I can but I can shoot a pic of it to your email. Also I was curious if most of these Hopto machines came with Detroit diesels

 

[BSAA65LB]

Most HOPTO excavators I have ever been around were Detroit powered. Some of the older ones may have been other engines.

The carriers for the rubber tired machines started with Continental engines, later you could find IH, Chrysler, and DDC.

 

[BarnDigger]

50's Warner & Swasey (Badger Division) Hopto ("Marks Tractor and Equipment Co.")

Hey.
My buddy, Mark has this old hydraulic backhoe. It's a small one, like your 105D pic. The latest patent number showing dates to October 13, 1953 (us pat.# 2,655,269) She's showing her age. Here's a pic. The seat sits about 5 foot off the ground. Let me know if you have any idea where I could find the model for her. http://triqqle.com/mgs/warner-swaseyHopto/03h0417b.jpg

 

[dbaldwinjr]

Hopto 200 DTM

Hi. New to this site. Just joined. I have an old Hopto 200 DTM which was my Dad's Ive only seen one other Hopto Like this up in the new England area. Anyway, My machine is powered by a F226 Continental red seal engine. The digger is mounted on the back of a 51 Brockway 154W. I am really interested in Brockway's. I still have this unit out back of the barn. I haven't had it running in probly 6 yrs. Would like to talk to other Hopto owners who may have more info on mine. I was told it was a 1957 unit and tag shows built by Badger mach. My Dad bought it back in 1981 and used it for a bit. Now it just sits. replaced by our 580 case. Ive had it so long, it's like a member of the family. My email is dbaldwinjr25@ aol.com Thx.

 

[Recurve60]

I have a hopto digger 105d and I am looking for a manual for it. Also would like to know specs like machine weight and digging capacity

 

[Recurve60]

hi i have a hopto 105 backhoe and was wondering if anyone had any specs or manuals on it. i want to know the backhoe digging weight and how much the entire unit weighs. email is cburns@pacifictruck.ca

 

[mcald62]

Not the best pictures. This old Warner -Swasey machine is rotting away in Connecticut.

 

[Kerry Penland]

Hey guys, here is my dad's old 105D that now belongs to me. He bought it new in the early 50's and wore it out. I've been on and off working on getting it functional, this year it is with the replacement of the swing cylinders. I also have the original Operation and Parts manual.