Just purchased a brochure on this machine. Circa 1939....about the time Link-Belt bought out Speeder, forming Link-Belt Speeder. 3/4 cubic yard shovel/dragline/crane. Looks like an LS-85, which emerged post-WWII. Power was either a Waukesha 6-SRK gas engine, or a CAT D8800 diesel engine. Any of you older equipment lovers know of this machine? Any of these left in existence?
I have seen one There is one in the county park near our home. here is a link to the picture I'm reasonably sure it is the one you mention. It says Speeder on the back.
Thank you for posting the pic link wzz2! That definitely is a Speeder, and look's to be the size of a 3/4 cubic yard machine, but it is way earlier than 1939. Look's to be in pretty good shape for it's age. More like 1933 or so. Not sure of the model designation, but some of those left the factory with the D7700 CAT (predecessor to the D8800). By 1939, Speeder had begun using a "streamlined" cab/house on the then new model LS-80, somewhat like the Link-Belt Speeder's of the 1940's and early '50's (LS-50, -51, -52, -60, -70, -71, -85, -90 series). 1954 LBS changed history again when the first LS-98 models came out, with the already proven speed-o-matic control system Link-Belt introduced in 1936-37, but kept in the K-series machines ONLY....until about 1950, when we saw the LS-51, and LS-71 with such hydraulic controls. The LS-98 cab design was adapted to other new models appearing shortly after (LS-58, -68, -78, -88, and so on), and ran until the late 1980's......
thanks Thanks for the info, Its hard to find it on the internet. It would be nice to have more info on this one's history. My 4 year old was very concerned about why it was abandon. This still has the engine and controls in it, the model # was stamped in the back after the "speeder" logo, but is too rusty to read. Too bad people have vandalized it. Part of the engine is broken, wires and other copper cut off, ext... Would have been neat to see one of these run. I have run a few mid size modern Hydrolic excavators and backhoe's.
Check the you-tube (search for draglines, and search for brand names like link-belt, northwest, bucyrus-erie, marion, koehring, insley, etc.) I've been collecting sales literature on this type of machinery for many years....kind of a self-appointed historian. But really, the only heavy equipment I've ever operated was a Case 1450 dozer, and a '40's era Oshkosh snowplow with Cummins power and two-stick transmission. Peace-out!