What was the last year when Caterpillar machines was still non-electronic?

[StevenG]

I’m all in. We can totally do this. Disco balls, bell bottoms, 10k D6’s, 235B’s, 13B loaders, we can drive to the job in our square bodies, listen to Waylon Jennings 8 track cassettes. Put margarine on our Wonder bread toast. Date ladies with hairy nether-regions.

Let's bring back quarter glass windows. I really miss that triangle.

 

[terex herder]

One of my biggest gripes on connectors is trying to figure how they come apart. Just about every other connector is a new design. Then add in the dust that has settled in around the plastic bits to prevent them from moving the correct amount and the fact you can't directly see said connector, or if its in plain sight I can't get my head in the correct spot to see it through my trifocals and the connectors come apart in an improper manner.

 

[Truck Shop]

One of my biggest gripes on connectors is trying to figure how they come apart.

Agree-the type with silly secondary red lock.

 

[JD955SC]

One of my biggest gripes on connectors is trying to figure how they come apart. Just about every other connector is a new design. Then add in the dust that has settled in around the plastic bits to prevent them from moving the correct amount and the fact you can't directly see said connector, or if its in plain sight I can't get my head in the correct spot to see it through my trifocals and the connectors come apart in an improper manner.

Oh this burns me up and it’s always one that you have to wiggle into a tight space, feel around 10 other items and can barely put your fingertips on

And the service manual says “oh test 2 of the 12 wires in it” as well.

 

[HarleyHappy]

Never mind when it’s 10 degrees out and you know the catch is gonna break just looking at it.
I usually warm them up a bit with a lighter now after breaking about 100 of them.

 

[nicky 68a]

FYI……over here in the UK,a number of brand spanking new pre electronic machines have been pulled out of a barn after the owner died.I believe they are to be sold on,possibly of at auction.
They are literally brand new.
Amongst the find is a D6D,955L,977L,235B and a D8K.

 

[92U 3406]

I happened to be working on a Hitachi Zaxis excavator yesterday (one of the originals, before the dash 3). A lot less electronics than something built in 2022 but I'd be suprised if that machine would make it a whole week of productive work without something breaking on it.

 

[JaredV]

I just put a couple hundred hours on the boss's clapped out JD 490E that he's had forever. Other then the lights and wiper not working because of the missing soft buttons on the console and a blown fuse for the pump controller that made it bog down when using a function, it never missed a beat. And then there's the almost new Cat 316 that pushed DEF into the wiring harness, requiring replacement, fortunately on Cat's dime.

I think car, truck, tractor and equipment shows in 50 years are still gonna be what is shown now. I have a hard time imagining anyone restoring a 2022 anything in 50 years.

 

[Tugger2]

I might want to restore this one . I bought it new in 1977 ,a whole 8400$ Can. with a canopy.

 

[Tugger2]

sorry to get a bit off track, i guess i do have a bit of Cat stuff waiting in the line up of dreamland projects. The old grader needs engine work and it has no hint of electronic guidance on it.

 

[Birken Vogt]

I just put a couple hundred hours on the boss's clapped out JD 490E that he's had forever. Other then the lights and wiper not working because of the missing soft buttons on the console and a blown fuse for the pump controller that made it bog down when using a function, it never missed a beat. And then there's the almost new Cat 316 that pushed DEF into the wiring harness, requiring replacement, fortunately on Cat's dime.

I think car, truck, tractor and equipment shows in 50 years are still gonna be what is shown now. I have a hard time imagining anyone restoring a 2022 anything in 50 years.

In 50 years, if we haven't devolved into some crazy thing I don't recognize, there will be aftermarket boxes available to make the Rube Goldberg junk run simply. They are already waiting in the wings, the EPA has to beat them back with a stick, but if they ever get their legs chopped off, things can get a whole lot better quickly when the aftermarket is allowed to step up. A lot of the restrictions on progress are artificial.

 

[Truck Shop]

you guy's ain't lived till you've worked on one of these, will turn the nicest, politest
non swearing mechanic into the devil.
I hope it makes a return someday.

 

[92U 3406]

you guy's ain't lived till you've worked on one of these, will turn the nicest, politest
non swearing mechanic into the devil.
I hope it makes a return someday.

View attachment 274643

As a rule I don't touch automotive. I'll begrudgingly fix my own vehicles but that's because I'm not about to pay a shop $180+ per hour to do what I'm capable of doing, even though there's about a million other things I'd rather do.

 

[Birken Vogt]

I have a semi retired car mechanic who has seen everything, I turn to him whenever I have auto troubles if I won't be able to fix it in my shop quickly. For instance resealing HPOP on a 7.3 Powerstroke, check engine light on an '89 351, he still has the electronic contraption to read the codes. Yes I know you can get blink codes but so much is pattern failures and knowing what to do about it, it just makes sense to take it to someone who has seen it all before.

 

[OzDozer]

Truck Shop - I guess you know that FIAT is a 4-letter word, and it stands for "Fix It Again, Tony!"?

 

[Jimbo]

and all this time I thought it meant Feeble Italian Attempt at Transportation.......