Japanese copies of Cletracs?

[David Parfitt]

Does anyone have any information about copies of Cletrac crawlers built by the Kato company in Japan?

Many thanks

David

[Bob]

I'm at a loss, sounds interesting anyway...

Bob

[Blake Malkamaki]

I don't know of any, but there was a copy of a 20K made in France, and I believe a W made by LIMO in Sweden. See http://cletrac.org/pages/model/pic-LIMO.html

I don't know any details, but I assume they were licensed by Cletrac to be built in Europe.

Blake

[David Parfitt]

Thanks Blake. I knew about the LIMO, but not the copy made in France. Do you have any more details on this? Was it built from scratch or just assembled there, or could it perhaps have been a regular Cletrac sold under a different name? A lot of American tractors seem to have been sold under different names in France, e.g. Hart-Parr 15-30 -> "Amanco", Allis-Chalmers 10-18 -> "Globe", etc.

Here is a picture of the possible Japanese Cletrac copy - it may have been just a prototype:

//http://www.interq.or.jp/sun/mm-kas/ichgon/hoku3l.jpg

At least one genuine Cletrac does survive in Japan too - a narrow version of a Model H from around 1917 as far as I can tell.

All the best

David

[Blake Malkamaki]

Read more information about the 20K in France here:
http://cletrac.org/pages/contributor/pic-joiris.html

[David Parfitt]

Thanks Blake, very interesting indeed - I checked in my French tractor encyclopaedia and ALMACOA = ALlied MAchinery COmpany.

All the best

David

[David Parfitt]

Here are some photos of a genuine Cletrac in a museum in Japan:




I understand it is a Model H, serial no. 1076, with Weidely M engine #30141, which I guess would make it around 1917? However, I have not seen tracks like this on an H before, and they look more like those on the R, with the four-spoke front sprocket and top roller. Was a narrow version of the H offered with the same tracks as the R?

Many thanks

David

[Blake Malkamaki]

I believe the early H used the same tracks as the R. That radiator looks rounded on the top. Any ideas?

Blake

[David Parfitt]

Thanks Blake, I hadn't realised that about the tracks. I expect the sheet metal on the radiator is just a replacement as the old one probably rusted away.

All the best

David