Lesney Matchbox 18d Caterpillar bulldozer

Moko Lesney Matchbox 18d Caterpillar bulldozer

The Lesney model of the 18d Caterpillar made it's entry into the Matchbox 1-75 series in 1964.
like the previous bulldozers this one was also based on the number 8 Caterpillar tractor with a dozer blade attached but this one stayed in the range for three years longer than its counterpart the 8d tractor so I guess it must have been a much better seller.
It was only painted in the one colour scheme which was all over yellow and never had a driver cast like the earlier Caterpillars so makes it easy to identify,
To solve the problem found on the earlier tractors and bulldozers having interchangable parts so models were sold with the wrong number due to baseplates being mixed up the two models each had their own baseplates which look the same but the 18d had a pair of studs cast to the sides of the baseplate to locate the dozer blade,
The rollers were 9.5mm in silver or black plastic on dome head rounded axles with 25 tread green rubber tracks,

There were several casting variations,
The baseplate can be found with or without a hole in it and it is likely that both baseplates were in use for the life of the model, Also the dozer blade can be found with or without a brace across the inside edge and again both were in use for the life of the model,
The exhaust pipe stack can be found in two sizes and the brace that runs across the rear of the underneath of the body can be found with a squared or rounded edge, The engine fittings on the right hand side of the engine were enlarged and on the left side of the engine the area below the exhaust silencer (muffler) was filled and later the area between the engine and radiator was also filled in.
It was sold in 'E' type boxes and deleted in 1969 to make way for the 18e Field car, The silver rollered variation can be quite hard to find but in general it is a fairly common model.

code number	general	roller type	blade brace	exhaust pipe	rear brace	baseplate	engine fittings (right)	engine infill (left)
code 1	yellow, 25 tread green tracks	9.5mm silver rollers	no brace	large pipe	square	no hole	smaller	none
code 2	yellow, 25 tread green tracks	9.5mm silver rollers	no brace	large pipe	rounded	no hole	smaller	none
code 3	yellow, 25 tread green tracks	9.5mm silver rollers	with brace	large pipe	square	with hole	smaller	none
code 4	yellow, 25 tread green tracks	9.5mm silver rollers	with brace	large pipe	rounded	with hole	smaller	none
code 5	yellow, 25 tread green tracks	9.5mm black plastic	no brace	large pipe	square	no hole	smaller	none
code 6	yellow, 25 tread green tracks	9.5mm black plastic	no brace	large pipe	rounded	no hole	smaller	none
code 7	yellow, 25 tread green tracks	9.5mm black plastic	no brace	small pipe	rounded	no hole	larger	lower only
code 8	yellow, 25 tread green tracks	9.5mm black plastic	no brace	small pipe	rounded	no hole	larger	lower & front
code 9	yellow, 25 tread green tracks	9.5mm black plastic	with brace	large pipe	square	with hole	smaller	none
code 10	yellow, 25 tread green tracks	9.5mm black plastic	with brace	small pipe	rounded	with hole	smaller	none
code 11	yellow, 25 tread green tracks	9.5mm black plastic	with brace	small pipe	rounded	with hole	larger	lower only
code 12	yellow, 25 tread green tracks	9.5mm black plastic	with brace	small pipe	rounded	with hole	larger	lower & front

box types	notes
E1	one black side one blue
E1	two blue sides
E1	light blue sides
E3	light blue sides
E4	light blue sides

values

silver rollers £60

black rollers £30

values are for mint models in mint boxes

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