OLIVER CLETRAC AD CRAWLER – c. 1951

The Cleveland Tractor Company (Cletrac) introduced their model AD crawler in 1937. The model was continued after Oliver Farm Equipment took over Cletrac in 1944 and continued building the model until 1959. Towards the end of the production run the model was sold for $US5,800. In all 10 different variations were made with either petrol or Hercules diesel power plant.                                                                                             

WA Distributors (1947): Skipper Bailey Motor Company Limited, 900 Hay Street, Perth.  

Technical Specifications:   4-cylinder, 4-stroke diesel engine. Bore 4” and stroke 4.5” producing 30.5hp at the drawbar and 38hp at the belt operating at 1530rpm.  3 forward speeds 1.79, 2.62 & 3.74mph. 1 Reverse gear. Weight 7,950lbs.                                                                  

History: Hugh Manning collected this from a farm at Cowaramup in the South West. The engine seized by the number 4 big-end bearing which had turned on the journal and overlapped each other, so locking the crankshaft. The engine was initially sent to Thornlie TAFE as a project for apprentices but for one or more reasons it came back to be repaired in-house. The engine was found to be expensive to repair so another similar Continental engine was supplied by Museum members Ted and Alan who carried out the conversion. The restoration was completed in 2022 and is now on display. Restoration was extensive and took some time.