K-3-a Caterpillar Bulldozer

[Sir_Matchbox_96]

Hi!
I have a general question on the K-3-a Caterpillar Bulldozer! Why does some of them have a hook and some does not?
First thought was that it depends on if the Caterpillar has a blade or not (only released in the King-Size low loader set or the G-3 Farming Gift set), but that does not work.
I just noticed that as I checked my recently received Bulldozer. It has a different exhaust (the smaller one) style, too!
Maybe it's a very early run, because I have one with metal rollers and hook, too.
I took some pictures for you!

Earlier variation with metal rollers!


Without hook




Thats the regular exhaust style on my models:


And thats the one from my latest find:


Greetings,
Linus

[Satiainen]

Hi Linus!

I have two K-3 Bulldozers. One without hook and without blade. The other one has hook and blade. Unfortunately I can't remember which one had red rollers but the rollers were different too. I have to check the exhaust when I get to see my models. Maybe this non-hook-one really is an earlier run.

Is there any way to detect if the bulldozer without a blade is originally released without one or is missing it? However all models have those holes for blades.

Matias

[Alan H]

I believe the model without the blade was only released with the K-8a Scammell low loader. The tractor furnished in the K-8a box was the K-3 without the blade. You can see the holes for the blade in the bladeless version, as you've noted. Judging from the many K-8a's I have seen with the wrong dozer model, it would not surprise me to see large numbers of loose K-8a tractors out there

[charliep]

The K3 Caterpillar bulldozer can be found with either red, yellow or bare metal rollers. The examples that I have with bare metal rollers are without rear tow hook.