Lesney Matchbox 18b Caterpillar bulldozer

Moko Lesney Matchbox 18b Caterpillar bulldozer

The Lesney model of the 18b Caterpillar bulldozer joined the Matchbox 1-75 series in 1958,
It was made in two parts, the body and the blade assembly which was joined to the body by two pins on the jockey wheel housing which located the blade and by the front axle pin holding it all together,

It was painted all over yellow including the dozer blade and is always found without any silver trim.
The rollers were 8mm grey metal on flat head or dome head axles with crimped ends and 24 tread green rubber tracks,
As it used the same body casting as the 8b Caterpillar crawler tractor quite often it is found with the wrong body casting as it had a number 8 cast in to the base instead of number 18 which probably makes the 18b unique as it was also had the number 18 on the rear of the dozer blade so the model can actually display two different numbers on it,

Apart from this there was only one casting variation, The early models had an air filter in front of the driver, on the later issues with the number 8 cast into the base the air filter was removed and the air pipe was cast with a rounded end where the filter used to be.
The 18b was packaged in 'B' type boxes although it has been reported in 'C' type boxes but the originality of this combination can not be confirmed.
Note that the 18b was 50mm long as the next issue of the bulldozer the 1961 version 18c was an almost identical model but slightly larger.

Updated: 25-11-10, Matchboxjoe and Mrmoko (from the forum) have both informed me of their recent discoveries which have the standard orange-yellow body but their ones are fitted with lemon yellow dozer blades, These have been added to the table at the new code 5.

above: An unusual 18b with an orange-yellow body and a lemon-yellow blade
photo cortesy Matchboxjoe

code number	general	rollers & tracks	axle type	number	air filter
code 1	orange-yellow body & dozer blade	8mm metal rollers, 24 tread green tracks	flat head crimped	No 8	with air filter
code 2	orange-yellow body & dozer blade	8mm metal rollers, 24 tread green tracks	flat head crimped	No 18	with air filter
code 3	orange-yellow body & dozer blade	8mm metal rollers, 24 tread green tracks	dome head crimped	No 8	with air filter
code 4	orange-yellow body & dozer blade	8mm metal rollers, 24 tread green tracks	dome head crimped	No 18	with air filter
code 5 NEW	orange-yellow body & lemon dozer blade	8mm metal rollers, 24 tread green tracks	dome head crimped	No 8	with air filter
code 6	orange-yellow body & dozer blade	8mm metal rollers, 24 tread green tracks	dome head crimped	No 8	without air filter

box types	notes
B2	(box as 18a)
B2	small picture & licence text on flaps
B2	large picture & licence text on flaps
B3	none
B4	none

values

all models £40

values are for mint models in mint boxes

price guide gallery

box gallery