military earthmoving equipment owners?

[hotdogs151a2]

Hello All:
I too was an equipment operator for a National Guard unit. When I got out of the USMC my hunting and fishing buddies were all members of that unit. After many attempts they talked me into trying it out. I fell in love with the 290 and 830. As Mr. abh3 stated "You had to be a man to run one all day long" It was very tough to run one all day long in our South Carolina 100+ heat and 99% RH. While you were cutting the floor boards would burn your feet with your boots on. Then they would cool off on your way the the fill site.

The old guys would say "If you can't run one out of fuel by the end of the day, you are not doing your job here". When the old 290's and 830's left and the Cat 629B were shipped to us, we all said "Now we have a scrapper" boy was we wrong. Now they use laser grading systems. The equipment operator does not have to think the "system" tells him what to do.

What would the WW II equipment operators do with a laser system? Don't you need battery power for the laser system? I guess they don't know about running a dozer by the "feel" in the seat of your pants.

I am adding some pictures of an 8 cu. yd. scrapper I run across, I am waiting on the Owner to contact me if he wants to sell. I have heard about a smaller version of the 290, 830 but this is the first one that i have seen.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings.
Thanks, Pvt. Hotdog

 

[kaveman31]

my dad and myself just bought a 1969 allis chalmers 645 its in amazing shape for being 42 years old. well its almost perfect except for the transmission is weak its a Allison tt 2420-1 if anyone has any manuals they would like to sell or share for this machine it would be much appreciated and i love this site

 

[hotdogs151a2]

Mr. kaveman31:
Can you post some pictures of your 645? I have several TM manuals for old military equipment. That is me on the D7.
Thanks, Pvt. Hotdog

 

[kaveman31]

no pics yet should be here next week. any chance you have one for a allis chalmers 645 wheel loader

 

[hotdogs151a2]

Mr. kaveman31:
I will look in the shop this weekend. Please post some pictures when you can.
Thanks, Pvt. Hotdog

 

[maddawg308]

Saw this on eBay a few days ago - no link because that's against the rules, but only the pics is what I need.

This is a military C-model Tournadozer, made by Le Tourneau in 1956. Almost looks silly, like a kids' toy, but back in the 1950s it was a serious earthmoving machine. In a world of tracked dozers that were slow and ungainly, this unit had respectable road speeds and pushing power in a wheeled dozer package. Powered by a Detroit 6-71 diesel engine, and is mechanical drive (many of Le Tourneau's creations were electric drive, the engine powering a generator that powered an electric motor on each wheel hub). Few survive today, most of them having been worked to death, here and abroad. Most of those that were purchased by the Army were used stateside for construction projects, including with the Army Corps of Engineers. By the time Vietnam had rolled around, most of them were retired in favor of newer Caterpillar units that were tracked, with hydraulic blades.

The one is pictures 1-4 has had the front blade lift replaced by a hydraulic unit. The original would have had an electric cable winch to raise and lower the blade. R.G. LeTourneau hated hydraulics, as back in the 1940-50s hydraulics were notoriously unreliable, mainly due to limitations in valve bank technology and leather washers which leaked all the time. Instead, the majority of his designs used electric winches, or rack-and-pinion gear setups, to move the equipment around.

Pictures 5-8 are a civilian model, that was found in a junkyard and restored to its former glory. The last pic will show how toy-like the piece looks.

 

[maddawg308]

A couple YouTube videos of the Tournadozer in action, including one factory film...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIlssUFEo04

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsQa_TzmhlY

 

[airbornebandsman]

There was a scrapyard in Raeford, NC (Jack's, I believe) that had a bunch of military surplus hidden in the back. I found the front of an 290M and a road grader from the 50s or so. The grader was originally from the 618th (LE)(ABN) ENG CO (could still see the numbers barely) of which I was with for a while. Wish I had taken pictures.

 

[massey]

I was at a WWII show in Morgantown Pa yesterday and found this one.

 

[paradeduty]

That LeTourneau C Wheeled Dozer sure looks like a large modern "skid steer" (Bobcat,etc.). If not for scale with the operator, would look like an early/experimental skid steer especially the shot of it pushing uphill. Very Cool.

 

[rtk]

D7 on display at the Seabee Memorial at Fishermen's Park , North Tonawanda ,NY . Believe it said 1944 on the D plate .

 

[Lust4GreenSteel]

I realize that the references to the 645M are several years old ....... but ----

There is a working one (needs brakes) in NW Missouri. It is being used in the yard of a parts dealer who is buying and selling Allis Chalmers heavy equipment parts. I stopped in one day to ask him if it was for sale and he indicated he would be willing to part with it. He started off asking 9K for it, but after negotiating terms, I had him down to about 7K delivered to my farm ten miles away. I seriously considered buying it, but soon sobered up and realized that being able to afford the purchase wasn't good enough and that I probably couldn't afford to keep it maintained since I am not capable of doing the work myself.

While I was toying with the idea of owning the loader, I purchased the TM from an eBay dealer.

If anyone is interested in owning the machine, PM me and I will provide contact info. If the mods think the TM would be of value in this site's archives, I can try to get it copied and uploaded (will take a little time as I am up to my ears in other projects).

LMK if there is any interest either way.

 

[Triple Jim]

The factory film of the Tournadozer shows a very risky way to push over a tree. Bang into a random tree like that and have something near the top break off, and you might find yourself with a broken neck.

 

[westfolk]

Speaking of a 645M

Just got this off GL for a song and a dance.

EDIT: I forgot they had this one on youtube....a little walk-around.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT5n_1v4uEI

 

[quickfarms]

Nice

 

[AIE1]

Mw-24?

 

[DeucesWild11]

Speaking of a 645M

Just got this off GL for a song and a dance.

View attachment 467435

Oh Awesome!! I saw that one on GL and was hoping it was going to someone here. Can you please share pics of when you get it up and running, I am assuming that's what you are planning.. That was a sweet deal you got.. hope there is not too much that it needs..

 

[westfolk]

Yep, I can do that. I am bringing it back to life.
FWIW, here's a CASE 1150(though there are D-plates all over, nowhere does it have an M number). Due to hurricane Sandy this was about 10 feet under water for a few days on Breezy Point(just south of Brooklyn). When I pulled the plug on the oil pan between 30-40 gallons of salt water came out.
Had 1104 original hours on it when I got it this last summer, now around 1180. Put a few hours and about $500 into it and it's as good as new. They just put a complete new undercarrage on it and used it about 5 hours prior to going under water. The engine was tight, but not stuck. Most of the money was spent on electrics, and a couple seals.

 

[iatractor]

One thing about the military earthmoving equipment is that most of it has been put to regular use in civilian hands. Some of those Clark M290's made their way onto farms a four wheel drive tractor long before IH, Deere and the rest started putting that much horsepower to the ground.

 

[silverstate55]

Here's my 1942 Caterpillar D4-5T bulldozer (hydraulic, adjustable angle blade), which began life with the US Army. You can still see the original OD paint underneath the peeling Cat yellow coat. It runs & works, but needs a full service and adjustments. It has a pull-start pony motor, which is intact & working, and yes I do have the pull cord. It's had a hard life, but I managed to save it from the scrapper for a good price. I hauled it to its new home via Donner Pass with no problems.