Were all the Mc Coy specials the early 337 with roots blower? The two that I was around had the later turbo charged engine. Would they have been called something else?

The later turbo charged engines were the D337F's

"kal" wrote:

Were all the Mc Coy specials the early 337 with roots blower? The two that I was around had the later turbo charged engine. Would they have been called something else?

I had done some research on the McCoy Specials and posted a little report here in 2005. As I recall, the number of McCoy Special D8s built was very low. I was told by someone close to the McCoy conversion production that the total number built was under 10 units and possibly as few as 6 units.

The McCoy competed with Caterpillar’s High Output D8 for the specific purpose of being an ideal dozer for push-loading scrapers. I assume that the Cat High Output D8 was built in a much greater quantity, but I don’t recall ever hearing a production number for that model. Cat also manufactured another D8 called the “D8 PUSHER.”

Those three photos posted on page 2 here by Rome K/G are from my 2005 post here. All three photos are of the same McCoy Special, and the photos were taken by my dad about 1956 when the tractor was almost new. Also included in my 2005 post are photos of the High Output D8, the Cat D8 PUSHER; and other photos of a different McCoy under construction at the dealer that produced them. All three of these models were specially modified D8s intended for pushing scrapers.

The McCoy Special shown in the three photos on page 2 was owned by Danens Excavating of Edina, MN, and it is shown working for them, probably in Minnesota. It is the same dozer shown in all three photos, as Danens only owned one of them. Sometime after the original purchase of the McCoy, Danens added a Cat manufactured cab to it as they had also used on their 14A D8 and their D9, both of which were purchased shortly after the purchase of the McCoy. Danens also owned one High Output D8 and one “D8 PUSHER.”

When I first saw the McCoy in operation in 1957, it had that cab and a straight dozer blade. Of the three photos above, one shows it with a “U” blade, which was later installed on the 14A. The other two photos show it at the same location, same day, and it has a “C” frame push block. I am guessing that was how it was configured when first purchased.

Does anybody know the source of the photos shown in the original post of this thread? Those were not taken by my dad, and I have never seen them before. When I look at the third photo in that set, the D8 does appear to be identical to the McCoy as first purchased by Danens. Also, nothing about the landscape shown in those photos would rule out Minnesota as the location, which is the location of my Dad’s three photos.

Thus with so few McCoys being produced, and the one in photo #3 of the set posted here in the original post perfectly matching the Danens McCoy in circa 1956-57, and all settings looking like they fit Minnesota around the Twin Cities area, I think there is a good chance that photo #3 in the original post does show the McCoy D8 owned by Danens circa 1957.

I see that someone has written a short caption on the photo with appears to say: “Beispit By RR Notch”

There is also some odd wall-like feature on the distant horizon high in the tree line. Nothing comes to my mind that could explain that feature.

I never thought about using a scraper to remove snow

When I worked for the city, our local contractor came to me and asked if they could try there JD paddle scraper to remove snow one night. I believe it was a JD 760 if I remember right. It didn't do to awful bad but the problem was that the paddles turned to slow compared to the tractors speed. Couldn't slow the tractor down any more or speed up the paddles. I windowed up the snow but the paddles just turned to slow. Never tried it again. catskinner

"Tracklayer" wrote:

I had done some research on the McCoy Specials and posted a little report here in 2005. As I recall, the number of McCoy Special D8s built was very low. I was told by someone close to the McCoy conversion production that the total number built was under 10 units and possibly as few as 6 units.

The McCoy competed with Caterpillar’s High Output D8 for the specific purpose of being an ideal dozer for push-loading scrapers. I assume that the Cat High Output D8 was built in a much greater quantity, but I don’t recall ever hearing a production number for that model. Cat also manufactured another D8 called the “D8 PUSHER.”

Those three photos posted on page 2 here by Rome K/G are from my 2005 post here. All three photos are of the same McCoy Special, and the photos were taken by my dad about 1956 when the tractor was almost new. Also included in my 2005 post are photos of the High Output D8, the Cat D8 PUSHER; and other photos of a different McCoy under construction at the dealer that produced them. All three of these models were specially modified D8s intended for pushing scrapers.

The McCoy Special shown in the three photos on page 2 was owned by Danens Excavating of Edina, MN, and it is shown working for them, probably in Minnesota. It is the same dozer shown in all three photos, as Danens only owned one of them. Sometime after the original purchase of the McCoy, Danens added a Cat manufactured cab to it as they had also used on their 14A D8 and their D9, both of which were purchased shortly after the purchase of the McCoy. Danens also owned one High Output D8 and one “D8 PUSHER.”

When I first saw the McCoy in operation in 1957, it had that cab and a straight dozer blade. Of the three photos above, one shows it with a “U” blade, which was later installed on the 14A. The other two photos show it at the same location, same day, and it has a “C” frame push block. I am guessing that was how it was configured when first purchased.

Does anybody know the source of the photos shown in the original post of this thread? Those were not taken by my dad, and I have never seen them before. When I look at the third photo in that set, the D8 does appear to be identical to the McCoy as first purchased by Danens. Also, nothing about the landscape shown in those photos would rule out Minnesota as the location, which is the location of my Dad’s three photos.

Thus with so few McCoys being produced, and the one in photo #3 of the set posted here in the original post perfectly matching the Danens McCoy in circa 1956-57, and all settings looking like they fit Minnesota around the Twin Cities area, I think there is a good chance that photo #3 in the original post does show the McCoy D8 owned by Danens circa 1957.

I see that someone has written a short caption on the photo with appears to say: “Beispit By RR Notch”

There is also some odd wall-like feature on the distant horizon high in the tree line. Nothing comes to my mind that could explain that feature.

I will look closer at what was written at the top of the photo. In an earlier post the job site was near Dubuque Iowa and the contractor was Mickle and Ross from Newton Iowa. I think that is my Dad running the D8. Probably have to get my magnifying glass out!