MLU FORUM - Cletrac

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- - Cletrac (http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=5787)

And how about this!

http://www.oldcmp.net/Images/collect...etrac/Logo.jpg

Ian Styles took his Cletrac high speed tractor out for a run yesterday - a wonderful sight and sound. He was being very careful not to break a track... and asked if anyone had a source for new tracks for this fascinating vehicle.

http://www.oldcmp.net/Images/collect.../driving_2.jpg

http://www.oldcmp.net/Images/collect...c/lh_front.jpg

More here.

Hi Keith

Excellent pics. Do you have a video of the running Cletrac? Why does it have a yellow color?

I spotted this one in Normandy D-Day 2004. It belongs to a German collector who lives in Alsace, France. He tried to sell it...

Hi Chris

Yes, of course! I filmed from the seat in action as well as startup, passes, and Ian fixing the problem with the fuel. I may add it to the next DVD.

I think the yellow would most likely be the RAAF post-war scheme in which it was last painted.

Compare the stances of the two machines. The Aussy one has the compressor out back but doesn't have the big 110 v generator on the front fender or the air tank etc on the other fender. This makes it squat way down on the rear end. If he gets the other stuff bolted on it'll level out quite a bit. The German one doesn't have any of these accessories and it sits level. My machine has all the accessories and it sits slightly lower on the rear. When I was pulling that B17 it squatted down under load.
That's a 3 stage compressor on the Aussy machine and it makes 2500 psi pressure. The air tank it uses is an oxygen bottle like on an acetylene outfit.
Regarding the tracks there aren't any others that'll work and nobody makes replacements so baby them! I saw a NOS set without the pads advertized in England a few years ago for 1200 pounds each plus shipping. I've also seen new pads for US $25 each but a Cletrac uses 180 of them so you're looking at over US $10000 for a set of tracks and pads if you can find them.

Sad about the tracks. Ian was babying them and makes sure he avoids turning on hard surfaces. We were turning on long grass which slides underneath quite nicely.

He'll have the Cletrac at the next Temora flying weekend in April.