Some people get tired of waiting on others to build their dream ride. I know of one fella who swapped a big-block into a C8 Corvette, for example—he couldn’t hold out any longer for Chevrolet to do it. What you’re looking at here is sort of the same story. It’s a double-wide Caterpillar D8 recreation that runs a pair of big inline-six diesel engines, and it was built to honor the three original units from the 1950s that no longer exist.
Caterpillar has built the D8 in some form since 1935, and a heavily modernized version is still on offer today. But back when the D8 had only been around for 13 years or so, Peterson Tractor Company had an idea. See, Peterson Tractor was and is still a key Caterpillar dealer on the West Coast. Some of its customers were literally building San Francisco and other major metropolises out there, so they needed larger equipment than Caterpillar sold at the time.
Enter the big-boy D8 with two D13000 engines measuring 1,246 cubic inches apiece. Peterson Tractor built three of these in the 1950s, and they effectively combined a pair of D8s behind a single blade. The result was tremendous pushing power—crucial for construction outfits on the hilly terrain of Northern California, Oregon, and so on. And while 200 hp might not sound like a lot now, it was certainly a feat back then, as the larger Caterpillar D9 was still years away.
Each of these D8 Twin Dozers was used and abused. Tragically for treasure-hunting collectors, none of the originals made it out alive. Then, in time for Peterson CAT’s 80th anniversary, they built a new fourth iteration in 2016.
Like the first batch of extra-large D8s, this one sports mechanically linked D13000s that feature gasoline-powered pony motors. Those are responsible for starting the diesel engines, which can be divorced via a lever that engages and disengages the inboard steering clutches. Operators can run it from the left or right side, depending on which angle has the best view of the blade.
The dozer in question sat outside Peterson CAT’s facility in Hillsboro, Oregon, for eight years after its completion. The sun really did a number on it, oxidizing the paint, while water also found its way into one of the engines. A restoration was in order, then, and Nate Degerstedt saw the project through.
You can listen to Degerstedt tell the tractor’s story in the video below from SEFILMS on YouTube. He recounts serial number 004’s origins, name-dropping the folks who were instrumental in making it happen. Well-known Caterpillar collectors Ed Akin and Glen Ghilotti worked alongside the Doyle family, who now own Peterson CAT, to source the parts for the special machine.
None Survived – So CAT Built This
All in all, it’s an incredibly cool unit, and you can appreciate it even if you know nothing about heavy equipment. Necessity is the mother of invention, and that’s no more evident than in the D8 Twin Dozer.
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