This old D6 has sat for years in our neighbour's pasture. Under the plug on the right side of the pony motor are the letters A MN A0 and 2H 3053 and on the left side, A MU AD and 2H 3053. Where do I find the serial number on one of these old girls? Here are a few photos. It's a 6-cylinder machine, with a hydraulic lift blade. As you can see, a spoked drive sprocket. I imagine the engine is seized as the exhaust has been left open but I don't know if any part of this old girl is salvagable. My Grandpa had an old D6 in the '70s and '80s (ran a D2 from '41 to '52 as well) so I would like to know more about this one. What might it be worth? Thought I might be able to pull her out with my Series II D4C and spruce her up as a farm gate ornament or something. Doubt she'd be able to be made runable without a lottery win worth of work.
Looks like a 9U series D6 from the 1950s. Serial number should be on the left hand rear of the machine, all the wayto the left, on the final drive case below the fuel tank. That one looks like it has a winch, maybe that's why you couldn't find it. Older Cats still have good parts availability.
Other s/n tag would be about behind the magneto LH rear of engine. Looks more like an 8U (narrow gage) and pretty far gone. Worth scrap weight and a few salvageable goodies.
I would say its a 9U Pete 8U is a cable machine as far as I know
I think track gauge was the only difference. I can't tell the track gauge from the pics,so it may well be an 8U. Hydraulic or cable controls were optional back then.
hi iam john extrememely interested in your pony motor and all accesories like intake,carb,magneto whole block. your machine looks much older but i think u might have things with that pony i want. if your going to make a lawn ornament out of it i have lots of things to trade we just have to do research to make sure all pony parts interchangeable. let me know according to old magnet mines 52 8U
Worth a few salvageable goodies.[/QUOTE]hi am john extremely interested in your machine like pony block, intake, carb magneto, ect lots of things to trade just have to make sure all things interchangeable trying to figure this out
I used to have a D6 9U that looked very similar, and revived it from the dead... They are really tough old machines. Where abouts in Alberta are you located? If you're not too far from the Calgary area I could zoom on over and take a peek to see what it may need to get it going again......
The 2H3053 pony heads were used on 1953-up units. They interchange with earlier models but the spark plug location changed from angled near top of the head to a more central and horizontal location. Could very well be a 9U, those tracks seem to wide to fit on an 8U. Track gauge is the only difference, could be had with either hydraulic or cable blade with front or rear cable control unit.
I don't know when in 1953 that the oil clutch came out, but since it is a 1953, it's a good chance it has it. The rails look pretty good also. I have owned several. They are tough tractors.
does my 1952 having a dry clutch make it weak? my pony plugs are definately angled up as u have described
The dry clutch does not make it weak. The oil clutch is more trouble-free. I have owned both.
Thanks for all the responses. If I understand correctly, this is likely a 9U (I can measure the track spacing to check) with the D318 engine of about 75hp. It'll be a 20,000-25,000lb machine with the blade. Spitzair, we're 4 miles west of Alix. However, I don't want to get ahead of myself, the machine belongs to our neighbour. It was originally used for brushing out fence lines on their pasture land but hasn't been running for years. It's been sat down in the bush for as long as I can remember although Dad thinks they may have had it running 20 years ago or so to do some brushing, so it may have just been 'parked' in the same place since the mid 80's when I saw it first. I just took the photos while out hiking through the bush. We've got a D4C that I've been replacing hydraulic lines on and doing some work to to get it back to a half decent state of usefulness and the other neighbour across the road has a good D6D that he uses regularly. I've always had an interest in crawlers ever since I watched my Grandpa's old D6 in use in the late '70s. His had a cable lift blade but I remember the pony motor start even though I was only 4 years old at the time. Before I do anything, I should give the owner a call and see what the deal is with the old girl. She's grown into the wild rose bushes a bit but that's no indication of anything, that only takes a couple of years out here. My biggest concern is that the exhaust is open and it looks like any rain/show would run down into the manifold and into the cylinders (unless there's a trap/drain I didn't notice). That could mean a seized motor needing re-sleeve and head rebuild at best. At worst, it'd need a new engine or at least part of a new engine (head and/or block, depending on what's in there).
The oil clutch came out at s/n 9U-13263 (1953) but could be retro-fitted to earlier models and yes, the dry clutch was a weak link for that model and other D6 up models. Direct start option came in at 9U19402 (1955) These are rugged machines, some say one of the best Cat made along with other "U" models. Still have a late 9U myself.
No worries, let me know if you need a hand with it, looks like you're only about an hour and a bit drive from my place. Cheers!