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Online Catalogue last updated 17th of September 2023


Classic Vintage Crawlers & Dozers Volume 1 by Roger V. Amato & Donald J. Heimburger

No Longer Available

The bulldozer has been man's continual helpmate in making the earth a better place. The first recorded patent for a crawler was granted in 1770, and by the late 1800s, many designs of "endless track" machines appeared. Whether for use in agriculture, construction, mining or forestry, the crawler and the dozer have been tireless workhorses in every sense of the word.

In 1904, Benjamin Holt tested a steam-powered crawler near Stockton, California, and sold his first machine in 1906. By 1912, C.L. Best had introduced a gasoline-powered Model 70, and a few years later, dozens of other crawler tractor manufacturers had sprung up, including two that remained in business for many years, Cletrac and Monarch.

By the late 1920s, the crawler became commonplace in the construction industry, especially with the advent of the automobile, since roads and highways were needed that crisscrossed the country. As many as 160 tractor manufacturing firms were formed by this time.

In this first volume, which includes Allis-Chalmers and Case, and Caterpillar from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, authors Amato and Heimburger take a long look at the development of the crawler tractor and bulldozer, and also highlight the famous Nebraska Tractor Test Lab which began in 1919.

The crawler photographs and text are arranged chronologically so the reader can follow development of the machines through the years.

Throughout the research period for this book, hundreds of photographs were taken at shows, and numerous illustrations were gathered from libraries, machinery manufacturing companies and from private libraries.

Sit back and enjoy, as crawlers and dozers are highlighted from their infancy through the Golden Age of the 1960s. Whether you are an owner, operator or just interested in heavy machinery, you'll find this volume valuable, as well as a good read.

About the Authors

Roger Amato has a professional background in mining and petroleum and has had a life-long interest in bulldozers and other earthmoving equipment. He is a member of the Historical Construction Equipment Association (HCEA) and currently serves on its board of directors. A resident of Warrenton, Virginia, Roger has also served as president of the Maryland-Virginia Chapter on the HCEA and is now editor of the newsletter The Clamshell. This is his first book; however, he is a frequent contributor to Equipment Echoes, the quarterly magazine of the HCEA and Antique Caterpillar, the Antique Caterpillar Machinery Owners Club magazine.

Donald Heimburger is a write/editor/publisher and has written nine books on transportation and published a total of 50 books.

Don earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has been a radio announcer, press representative for the Illinois Central Railroad, and has owned his hometown newspaper. He was a writer for McGraw-Hill Publishing Company as well as working in public relations for First Federal of Chicago. He was assistant publisher for a Chicagoland newspaper and was also editor of the U.S. Army newspaper at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

He currently owns Heimburger House Publishing Company in the Chicago area, has had hundreds of photos published, and enjoys an occasional ride on a restored D-6.

Available in both a standard edition, and a special Deluxe Edition with a slip box.

Code No. 010602, ISBN 0911581545


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