I don’t have a lot of info on it. I know it was running when parked inside. I believe there a problem with the track adjuster(s). The track chain is worn (not through to the pins), sprocket looks okay? Located in Northern IL. Landlord told me today I could have it. It may possibly go to scrap. I don’t have need or place to store it. If someone is seriously interested, I can take more pics. Pretty sure with a little coaching it'll start and load.
@T-Bird , come on up and I'll help you load it. Might have some extra junk (good stuff) to put in the bucket for you too.
Bruce, I am trying to quit! I have enough "Junk"!
A couple used but working group 31's and a snort of ether, she started. After running a few minutes, I removed the loader arm safety supports, tracked the machine forward and reverse, moved the bucket, drove it outside and parked it. All three drive ranges forward and reverse worked, clutches/brakes seemed to function well. How it well it would work after a few hours of digging, IDK. Engine sounded good (no muffler, so it was a little loud). I covered the air intake and exhaust with 5 gal buckets and bricks to keep water out. Pretty easy to get running again (about as easy as it gets).
I am No Expert but that looks to be a B Series 951, it has the slotted top cowling, fully hole punched front grill plates, exhaust above the hood, D330C engine although fitted to the first few 100 C series shovels, the engine changed to the 3304 in late 1972, a Serial No' would pin point its Birthday, I know the stickers say 951C well it says OXO on a London Bus but it's still a Bus.
A serial number would help. 951C's came out in 1972 and used the same 86J prefix. There are other prefixes though. The sticker looks pretty original. Maybe an early 1972 C model? I know a guy with a 1975 951C that he had rebuilt but it had an electrical fire a few years ago he had to sort out. I think it's odd that Cat referred to the 953 as a replacement for 951C instead of the 955L. Maybe so they could show a bigger increase in production?? 955's were much more common than 951's. 941's weren't much smaller than 951's too. Track loaders were much more common back in the 60's and 70's though before excavators took over a lot of the tasks like digging basements.
Nope. Sorry to keep picking on you, Dave, but that sticker is nowhere near original. If it were, you wouldn't see the writing I circled, it would be covered by the top sticker. It has been re-stickered.
It's been on there for a long time. I'm not an expert on Cat stickers but have seen a lot of wrongly labeled machines. A serial number is the answer to the puzzle.
Another easy way of telling the pedigree is to look on the tilt cylinder for the type of return to level control used, if its a round bar a foot or so long that goes through a plate with the control valve in it's a C Series, if it's a Trombone type rod in a tube thing it's a B Series, also the fuse box changed sides from left to right in the firewall by the treadle.