What year?

[Gazer61]

Hi everyone.
I just bought a dozer with no tag on the bell housing. It was advertised as a 53 OC-3 but I know that is not right. It has the OC-3 front wheels and an IXB motor (serial # 246 0129)but it does not have the Oliver name on the manifold casting and it has the old stub frame.It is painted yellow but you can see green underneath. I am not sure if I have a 51 OC-3 or a mutt. Can anyone help me narrow it down? It also has an anderson blade and a PTO on the back.

[Jack in NB]

The front wheels and the IXB-3 motor are OC-3. Our 2 1952's had the stub frame, one had re-inforcing u-bolts back around the final drives (after-sale dealer mod).

If your knee-action springs are not shielded, that's a further OC-3 improvement over the HG.

2 of 5 IXB-3 engines out of salvaged OC-3's here did not have "Oliver" on the manifold. I'm not sure what that tells us!

It's pretty likely you have a 51 - 52 OC-3. Might be later - I don't know when they shifted to the longer frame.

If I think of it on my next trip to the shop, I'll check the engine numbers in ours.

jack

[Gazer61]

thanks
If I remember right my dad said that the new frame came out inearly 52.If I knew how to post a picture I would.[/img]

[John Schwiebert]

One of my goals for this winter and it will need to be after Jan. 1, 2009 was to go through my old Cleveland service bulletins. I do have bulletins on frame changes and when they went into effect. Late HG tractors also have the change to the final drives as used on  OC-3 tractors. Look behing the mag and see when you block was cast.

[Gazer61]

I was going to do that when I got it home, but when i went to get it I found that the motor will not turn. I took the head off and found rust so I am trying to back out of the deal. Can someone tell me what a parts tractor is worth?

[Orangeman]

John: You should publish the Cleveland Service Bulletins or offer them for sale as copies.  What do you think about that idea?  I know I would like to purchase copies if you would be open to that.  

Thanks Orangeman

[chrisvdv]

[quote="2 of 5 IXB-3 engines out of salvaged OC-3's here did not have "Oliver" on the manifold. I'm not sure what that tells us!
jack[/quote]

I keep reading about the manifold change to the one with OLIVER cast in it...was that a hit and miss thing or was their a distinct date for those?
Are they interchangeable with earlier OCs or HGs?

[mikegt4]

My information shows that the "Oliver" manifold started at 55GA022 which would be late 1950. That being said, the manifold is a part that often rusts out and is replaced probably a few times in 60 years.

The OC3 parts book indicates that 7WH940 was the change over point for the "full frame" which would be mid year 1952. There were a few different versions of the stub frame/transaxle attachment points in the late 1940's and early 1950's.

[DukeRC51]

If you don't end up buying this machine I would be interested if you want to pass it on. Thanks

[Gazer61]

I now own the tractor, I am just trying to get it moved. I will put a posting on this forum if I decide to sell it.

[Gazer61]

Just a little update!!  
 I hired a car hauler to bring the tractor home on December 6. The OC-3 may not be a big tractor but when the tracks are frozen into the the ground it moves really hard!!!!!
 I had taken the head off and have been putting Marvel Mystery oil to the cylinders for the last 2 weeks. I  finally got a chance to work on it today(Dec 26) , I put a pipe wrench on the hydraulic pump shaft and gave it a little pressure and it broke free quite easy. The next thing I did was to get the battery and cranked the motor over for about 5 minutes to make sure that the valve train moved freely. Every thing looks good so now I will replace the magneto gear and button it up. After that  I will probably not do much more until spring when it gets warmer.