Doodlebug time!

   / Doodlebug time! #11  
Cord said:
Ok, I don't need this project, but I kinda fell into it. You see, I saw a K20 Cletrac for sale on Craigslist and I wanted to look at it. The price was right and the tractor was mostly complete so I bought the tractor. The problem is that the seller was a hoarder and some of his stuff is really cool. He's a really nice guy and he's willing to sell so that's bad for me. Let's just say that he's being screened for American Pickers right now. Yea, it's that bad.

Anyways, he had this '34 Dodge Doodlebug and I just had to have it. The cool thing is that FOR HIS ASKING PRICE, I got him to throw in a 341 Hemi and NP345 transmission. I'm paying $50 for a second set of rims so I can run duals (5 bolt 20" rims are stupid hard to find). I don't know just which NP435 trans I have, but it'll be either a 4.56/2.28/1.31/1.0 or a 6.68/3.34/1.66/1.0. With the 6.67 rear gears in the 1941 Ford 1.5 ton axle, 35" tires and 3,500 rpm I would then get 12/24/42/55mph or 8/16/33/55mph. The problem is that I'm going to use this Doodlebug at a local thresheree for plowing and those speeds are too fast. I think what I need to do is a run a second 435 transmission and use that trans as a 4 speed ranger. This would give me 30:1 gears in low-1 for a max speed of 2 mph. That feels a bit more tractor like.

I find find a bunch of threads of the rock crawler guys doing this, but no pictures. I was wondering if any guys on this forum had tried something similar?
Click to expand...

You could run a Divorced transfer case like a Dana 20 from old Scouts or Fords behind the Transmission. They had a 2:1 ratio which would double you down from the 4.56LowX6.67 rear= 30.4 to 60to1. IF that tranny had the 6.68 X 6.67 X 2:1 transfer that would get you down around 89:1 ratio which is respectable. 100:1 is what most rock crawlers strive for to creep with.

I've also seen a Sprocket welded onto the output of a tranny and the input of another with Roller chain connectiing them. Ugly but worked great.
 
   / Doodlebug time! #13  
" I think what I need to do is a run a second 435 transmission and use that trans as a 4 speed ranger"

A friend of mine (older sons FIL) uses two transmissions on the swamp buggies he builds. Crawls and has lots of power.
 
   / Doodlebug time!
  • Thread Starter
#14  
i think I'll search for a second 435 or maybe a 542 and use it as a range transmission. Might have to push the axle back a bit, but I'd like to redo the frame anyways so that could work to my favor. I was thinking of putting a small wood box on the back to haul stuff around so that's a good idea. Something like an old wagon box. Trying to find a buggy seat with springs that I can use in place of the lawn chair that's currently on it. With that solid axle, the seat will need a little suspension and a buggy seat would fit the bill nicely.

For the Cletrac, when I bought the unit I knew the governor was missing parts. Didn't know why, but that the hood and air cleaner (which would have blocked access to the governor) were missing indicated there was something major that didn't get fixed. When I was washing the machine I discovered the front engine cover was cracked and had been brazed. Weld looks good enough, but I didn't understand why they didn't bother to put the governor linkage back on so it would function. Well, I got talking to another Cletrac owner who I'd be buying parts from and he suggested pulling the governor housing off and taking a look inside. What I found was shrapnel. Not sure what happened, but it looks like one of the governor fingers broke through a pin hole and destroyed everything. There are pieces missing, so I'd presume they're in the pan. Can't believe they didn't fall into the timing gears.

Oh, when I was washing the tractor I found the chassis serial number. I'm not certain, but I suspect this machine would be from 1936-37.
 

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   / Doodlebug time! #15  
Well that kinda bites! Could you replace it with an electric governor? Do you really need a governor? Just run the throttle at the desired rpm's.
 
   / Doodlebug time!
  • Thread Starter
#16  
Well, the governor is really important to the function of the tractor. When plowing, you just pull the throttle WO and then run it against the governor. The governor is then modulating the throttle as the load changes. Although it sucks, I actually have a parts source that I know will have what I need.
 
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   / Doodlebug time! #17  
Agreed. I ended up with a lawn tractor that the governor stopped working and was bypassed by the previous owner. In the little I ran it before fixing it I needed a third hand to constantly adjust the throttle. It would bog down in tall grass or rev to the moon.

Looking forward to more updates!
 
   / Doodlebug time! #19  
A doodle bug with a Hemi? Heck yeah! That will have a lot of bottom end torque.
 
   / Doodlebug time! #20  
I think those motors were a 331 cu in.
 
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