photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Don Taylor | profile | all galleries >> Auto collections galleries >> Antique Tractors tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Antique Tractors



By 1904, these large steam-powered tractors had been. plowing California fields for 14 years, but often got bogged down in the soft, peaty California soil, especially after heavy rains. Once stuck, they were very difficult to pull free, even with teams of horses, due to their great weight, which typically rested on four metal wheels.
One solution had been a seemingly simple one ... just add bigger, wider wheels which unforrtunately added more weight and only led to the tractors sinking even deeper. Another was to lay a temporary plank road ahead of the steam tractor, but this was expensive and time-consuming. Holt had an idea: Why not carry the road with the traCtor? In November, 1904, he added wooden "block-linked treads around the idlers on Holt No.77,his test steam tractor. The results were i:rnpressive, and the modern 'tracklayer' tractor was born.
Best then experimented with gas engines to replace the steam engines, developing his first gas powered tractor in 1896. He famously staged a tug of war between his steam engine and his new gas powered engine. The gas engine not only won, it pulled the steam engine right around the block!
Daniel Best's son, C. L. Best, took over from his father and in April, 1925 his company C. L. Best Gas Traction Company of San Leandro, California, joined forces with Holt Manufacturing Company of Stockton, to form the Caterpillar Tractor Co: The name Caterpillar was coined when a commpany photographer was asked to capture the new tracklayer tractor, and when he approached the field where it was working he said, "Well if that doesn't look like a caterpillar I don't know what does!" The name Caterpillar was licensed the very next day and the rest is history.

Gas Tractor Co
Gas Tractor Co		 1890 BestTractor
1890 BestTractor		 Rumelly Tarctor
Rumelly Tarctor		 1913 Suise
1913 Suise
Flour City
Flour City		 1885 Best Tractor
1885 Best Tractor		 1900 Best Steam Tractor
1900 Best Steam Tractor		 Rumely
Rumely
Rumely Steam Tracter
Rumely Steam Tracter		 Holt.
Holt.		 Ramelly.
Ramelly.		 No 111.
No 111.
Steam Tractors
Steam Tractors		 1918 Holt 45
1918 Holt 45		 Ford PU.
Ford PU.		 Caterpillars
Caterpillars
1925 Cat 60
1925 Cat 60		 1929 Cat 60
1929 Cat 60		 1931 Cat 60.
1931 Cat 60.		 1932 USMC Cat 35
1932 USMC Cat 35
Caterpillar 30
Caterpillar 30		 1947 Case
1947 Case		 Tractor
Tractor		 Best No 199.
Best No 199.
Amador
Amador		 Steam Engine
Steam Engine		 Farm Equipment
Farm Equipment		 Road Hog.
Road Hog.
1906 Best Steamer
1906 Best Steamer		 Hay Harvester
Hay Harvester		 Hay Harvester
Hay Harvester		 Hay Harvester
Hay Harvester
Propelled Combine
Propelled Combine		 Case Harvester
Case Harvester		 Hay Harvester
Hay Harvester		 Hay Press.
Hay Press.
Hay Wagon
Hay Wagon		 Creepy Crawler
Creepy Crawler		 Autocar.
Autocar.		 Shell Oil truck
Shell Oil truck
1925 Dodge
1925 Dodge		 Ford
Ford		 Ford
Ford		 Truck.
Truck.
Doane
Doane		 Three Feathers
Three Feathers		 Wagon.
Wagon.		 Food Wagon
Food Wagon
Food Wagon
Food Wagon		 1915 Seagrave pumper
1915 Seagrave pumper		 1923 American La France Pumper
1923 American La France Pumper		 1926 Graham Bros
1926 Graham Bros
1929 Seagrave Ladder truck.
1929 Seagrave Ladder truck.		 Civil War barbecue.
Civil War barbecue.		 Civil War Cannon
Civil War Cannon		 Horse.
Horse.

comment | share
Dan Greenberg29-Mar-2009 05:45
Beautiful collection of images. They have a very unique and cool look. ~V~
Bill Taylor28-Jun-2008 02:16
Very nice collection . I should have went there .
Type your message and click Add Comment
It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest.
Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help private comment
click on thumbnails for full image