I spotted this in a shed behind a car dealership when I went to pick up some honda scooters to fix up. This is apparently a kit that was purchased from an ad that ran in popular mechanics magaine back in the late 60's through the mid 70's. It's powered by an 8hp tecumseh and is approximately the size of a regular lawnmower. This was not meant to be a toy, it is a fully functional crawler with blade and was meant for light yard work and snow removal, etc. The guy said his dad bought it new from the Struck corp. and he remembers assembling it in their garage when he was growing up. I'm REALLY surprised that he said he would sell it. Mind you, this is a car salesman, so it wasn't a "steal", but I'm pretty sure i'm in it for less than what it would be worth to some collectors around here. I kinda knew the guy and he knew i'd get it going and run it rather than stare at it or sell it, so that helped, plus he said he thinks the last time it ran was mid 80's. I picked it up tuesday night and tonight I had the engine running for a total investment of $14 (plug, fuel tank screen/shutoff, one foot of fuel hose, 1 quart of oil, carb cleaner, and a float bowl o-ring that I found in my collection.) There is a substantial difference between "running" and "moving" though. It is driven by a very clever set of belts and pulleys, no transmission, no hydraulics. Push levers forward engages the forward belt tensioners, pull it backward engages the reverse. Buying 5 new belts and some pulley/bearings will probably take a couple hundred bucks so it will be awhile before its driving more than 10 feet. But tonight I was feeling like typing this all out, and, well, this is my internet home, so you people all had to read it. First couple pics are "as found, where found", the rest are some that my wife took while I was teaching my kids the art of wrench turning at a young age. My daughter is actually pretty good with the ratchet but she needs to grab the bolts before they play plinko. LOL
My "new" mini dozer
- Thread starter INEEDAGN
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2002
Sweet find Bob,,, who woulda guessed that close to home.
The company that made this particular style started in 67, this model I think started couple years later. They are still in business!!! But they make more expensive and complicated ones now. This thing is brutally simple. When I got it running I figured the tracks were locked up because the bottoms had water over them at some point in history and they have some rust because of it. I hooked the belt up and told my wife "probably won't go anywhere". It lunged forward, crawled over the pile of boards like they werent there, brushed the side of that cub cadet and pushed it out of the way too. Then it threw one of the original belts so I just spun circles in the front of the shed with it LOL. This thing is not a kids toy. It will be years before i'm going to turn the kids loose on it. Makes even the best power wheels look like crap though 
I'm in it at 500 bucks so far (plus $14 to get it running and $25 to go get it LOL). Probably be 650-800 in it by the time i'm causing ruckus on cruise night with it. But apparently it's worth that:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/C-F-Struck-...519?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a71f94fff
The seller said "I'll shoot blind and tell you $500, and if you try to talk me down I'll go ask some local tractor collectors what they'll give me for it" We have some rather wealthy tractor collectors out here in the sticks so I figured I'd never see it again if I didn't pounce on it. This is a hard item to value but hell with it, it's only money and I'll probably make 3-400 profit from the two honda spress I got from him. There's a deeper back story here that involves me wanting a tracked vehicle my whole life and telling my wife since day one that an old dozer is on my bucket list. I almost bought a running 36 oliver cletrac at my aunt and uncles divorce auction but it went too high for my budget and I'd have to store it at a friend's farm. It's a relief to have found one that will fit in the back of my minivan, and one that's useful in town for snow removal, etc. Should be an attention grabber at the local hillbilly and nostalgia events. I wonder if the lawn tractor pullers will let me do some exhibition pulls with it.....
I'm in it at 500 bucks so far (plus $14 to get it running and $25 to go get it LOL). Probably be 650-800 in it by the time i'm causing ruckus on cruise night with it. But apparently it's worth that:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/C-F-Struck-...519?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a71f94fff
The seller said "I'll shoot blind and tell you $500, and if you try to talk me down I'll go ask some local tractor collectors what they'll give me for it" We have some rather wealthy tractor collectors out here in the sticks so I figured I'd never see it again if I didn't pounce on it. This is a hard item to value but hell with it, it's only money and I'll probably make 3-400 profit from the two honda spress I got from him. There's a deeper back story here that involves me wanting a tracked vehicle my whole life and telling my wife since day one that an old dozer is on my bucket list. I almost bought a running 36 oliver cletrac at my aunt and uncles divorce auction but it went too high for my budget and I'd have to store it at a friend's farm. It's a relief to have found one that will fit in the back of my minivan, and one that's useful in town for snow removal, etc. Should be an attention grabber at the local hillbilly and nostalgia events. I wonder if the lawn tractor pullers will let me do some exhibition pulls with it.....
- Joined
- May 24, 2004
Cool find! Would love to have one around my house !
Squid4life
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2004
Cool find Bob. Find a little turbo for it yet?
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