Newbie question about Quads

[Chuck Anderson]

Is a FAT the same thing as a Quad? I was wondering if there are many here in North America? Are they available or made of unobtainium?

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally posted by Chuck Anderson
Is a FAT the same thing as a Quad? I was wondering if there are many here in North America? Are they available or made of unobtainium?

Hi Chuck..
Check out Rod Diery's ident page..Rod was one of the first,if not the first to get the CMP restoration pages and dedicated web site..

http://users.bigpond.net.au/blitz_trucks/FORDTECH.HTML

FATS are hard to come by but there are a few around..

[Keith Webb]

Originally posted by Chuck Anderson
Is a FAT the same thing as a Quad? I was wondering if there are many here in North America? Are they available or made of unobtainium?

Looking at early Ford literature, the Cab 11 and 12 gun tractors were refered to as 'Quads'.

FAT = Field Artillery Tractor (refers to either Ford or Chevrolet)

Other terms are

FGT = Ford Gun Tractor

CGT = Chevrolet Gun Tractor

Then there were specific body types, in both early (cab 11/12) and late (cab 13) styles, with a few unusual ones from Australia such as the No8 and No9 as well as the No6 which was based on a C60S chassis.

Generally they are made of unobtainium, but there are still interesting discoveries in Canada, Europe and Australasia - quite a few survive in various states here in Australia.

[Tony Smith]

And also the Gun Tractors built on Morris and Guy chassis were also referred to as "Quads". Even applied erroneously to AEC Matadors, too.

[Chuck Anderson]

The one pictured on Rod Diery's ident page is the type I like the best. It says its a 12 cab. I picked up a Tamiya model of a Quad yesterday and I believe they used that particular photo for their box lid artwork.

If someone could find such a beast, how much do they go for?

[Lynn Eades]

Wasn't one of the early trial Fords (pre GPW) called a "Quad"?
Here the four wheel motor bikes, are referred to as "quad bikes" or "quads"

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by Chuck Anderson
The one pictured on Rod Diery's ident page is the type I like the best. It says its a 12 cab. I picked up a Tamiya model of a Quad yesterday and I believe they used that particular photo for their box lid artwork.

If someone could find such a beast, how much do they go for?

Hi Chuck,

We appreciate your interest in these beasties no question, but you've sure picked a toughie!

Gun tractors (or more likely, the remains of them) are out there, but few and far between. The primary reason is that because of their short wheelbase, reinforced frame and winch, the gun tractor made an excellent work truck in civvieland. If you do find one, here's what you can look forward to seeing (on average, in North America):

- a mostly intact frame and basic running gear (Ford or Chev) - beware of gas-axe modifications;
- may or may not still have the frame-mounted winch and rollers front & rear;
- the remains of a cab from the driver's door forward, and most interior missing including seats, engine cover, instruments etc;
- no rear crew compartment at all, probably replaced by a home-made or adapted tray (box);
- the possibility of severe butchery to accommodate a plow or somesuch.

As for money, you might get that for a few hundred, unless the farmer/whoever has been praying to the lottery faerie and thinks it's worth it's weight in gold ("hammer out the dints and throw on a coat of paint and you can drive it away!").

If you do stumble on anything, make sure you're well-enough versed that you can identify it, and take lots of pictures inside and out, including of any data plates you find.

Good luck!

Jif

[Keith Webb]

As if to illustrate Jif's point a pic of one of these has just turned up in this thread...