catskinners 72 fj45 past patina (1 Viewer)

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Nice clean 74 Mr catskinner and if you ever need a hand as your handle suggests give me a yell. It's funny how previous owners add old tojo pieces to there later model trucks my 78 scored a set of early mud guard badges and grill. :)
 
oz old mate are you talking about making fur coats out of feral cats or the more west usa term for a bulldozer driver.

in the early days mules were used to shift massive amounts of dirt, the men who controlled these stubborn beasts had to be a wizard with a whip. to get a mule to work hard, they would crack a whip just enough to lift a bit of the mules hide to sting and irritate just right thus getting the beast to pull.
that's how term "mule skinner" came about and carried over when the bulldozer was invented as "cat skinner"

this be a cat and skinner
I do love being able to wear shirt and shorts to work not the long stuff mandatory on most sites these days
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You know Mr. Skinner I was just thinking this morning, how the hell did cat get a name like that? I was gonna ask, but you beat me to it.

You know I drive moxies and diggers out west on the gas line, where the dreaded PPE overrules everything, even common sense at times. I'm newer to earthworks than you (by about a decade) so you can probably recall the good old days with misty eyes when blokes skinned knuckles changing out idlers and steering cylinders. I'm a bit jealous of the shorts scenario, but I guess that's what happens when you're a catskinner and first on site.
 
I was hoping I could make a couple cat skin gloves from a few ferals running around our bush. I would have shorts, singlet and thongs too if is was operating that D6 dozer in summer.
Cheers :beer:
 
She's an open cab mate. You'll need a singlet.
 
One of me old mates called one of his cats lefty the other cat righty so I had to ask the question regarding there names and you guessed it he turned them into gloves. It gets cold riding a motorcycle in winter so pussy lined gloves work and it also helps the environment. :)
 
Haha oz classic stuff the birds and lizards will thank you fellas.
You say it gets cold riding? Theres not many better feelings then a early frosty winter morning wearing joggers, shorts, t shirt, open face helmet and no gloves on 2stroke scooting to town. Ring ding dingding Carnt wait for winter again :)

Hey cult whats your favorite moxy? I do remember what it was like over a decade ago there was still a lot of 1970s gear being used on big jobs, where i work now we still use 1970s gear regularly, just today i was driving a 1967 flintsone mack 2 gearsticks and all, but its ok with me still being in the old days i guess thats why im doing up a 1972 fj45 for a daily driver.

Cult your one of those movie types, ever seen "the last of the knucklemen" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079444/
 
splendid old movie that. 'the monk' is old whatisname of 'the castle' fame in his younger days. my old dozer is a flattrack D6B circa 1960. use an R600 mack to tow it. we have similar tastes cat!
 
Ive got one of those ring-ding weapons in the shed she's a 1981 KTM 495. Not many sold in OZ and reported to be the fastest dirt bike ever made 123 MPH.

1981 KTM 495
This was the first model year for the Great White. This was also the year that Dirtbike magazine had it flat out at 123.75mph (200km/h) at the El Mirage dry lake.

The 1981 model is known to be the fastest of them all. It didn't have a reed valve intake. A very long intake manifold and a small exhaust volume contributing to the overall power output at high rpm. Due to this setup the engine was capable to overrev without loosing to much power. Beside it was the lightest 495 ever made, this was the reason why this bike could reach this enormous top speed. It was not the strongest 495. One year later KTM added some ponies, but at lower rpm. The head had the twin spark plug. The idea was to get a more complete combustion despite the huge volume. The compression was 14:1.The front fork was a ø38mm conventional Marzocchi unit. The rear shocks was Öhlins or WP piggybacks except the US model that was equipped with FOX air shocks. It had the typical rear fender with number plates. Drum brakes both front and rear. This bike is very rare and the twin shock setup makes it qualified for certain vintage classes and therefore it holds a high value.

ktm495.png
Beschreibung:
1981 Specifications
Bore and stroke 92.25 x 74mm
Engine type Two stroke, air cooled
Carburator ø40mm Bing, PowerJet
Power max. 53 HP @ 7000 rpm
Gearbox 4 speed (5 optional)
Clutch Wet sintered, 9 plates
Ignition Motoplat
Weight 229 pounds, (104kg)
Dateigröße: 266.13 KB
Angeschaut: 1974 mal

ktm495_138.png
 
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Come on tarzen the peanut asked for it haha horse, maddog, old methuselah and tazzie.
Any one else like the music played at the start when there heading back to camp, me i love it bo lah le lah de da do dar

Oz nice 495 is it a aussie original or us import ? I love vintage motocross have you herd of the conondale classic just over the hill from me every august great event.
 
I started watching Last of the Knuckledraggers a few months ago but I had to leave it and never returned. It was a good yarn and from memory there was plenty of early Cruisers, Jeeps and Rovers. Jeez that shoot would have been hot as buggery though! The complete film is available on YouTube.

I've only driven Bells, Volvos and Terex moxies and the Volvo would have to be the pick. After 9000 hours it drove like new. The Terex had under 4000 and was a pile of s***. I guess that's what you get for letting the Scots cross to truck building after the decline of shipbuilding. For the sailors and balladeers in us Knopfler does a cracking and heartbreaking tune about this:

As for early gear cat I came in a bit late, only been here for 12 months. These days it's all autos and diff lockers and air-conditioning :D
 
I used to race a Macio 400 in the early 70's so MX is in my blood. The 495 is a Australian bike I brought off ebay around 10 year back but as normal it was in rough condition with a 390 top end added at some time in its life. I spent 3 years hunting down 495 parts from around the world to rebuild the engine. I brought this bike to race but unfortunately life got in the way of my VMX dreams.
Maybe one day I will make that conondale clasic and we can sink a few beers talking bikes and 45 cruisers.
:beer:
 
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Oz me mate motocross ain't what she used to be is it, 400 maico would have been a weapon
my dream motocrosser would be a old 1960s cz (seize eazy) you know the old twin port ones

Westaussie been around and worked on a d6b never had the chance to have a push did have a push around on a d6 9u one warm sunny afternoon years ago, spent quite a few hours on a direct drive d6c over the years stickraking.
What drive train ya old mack runnin

Cult before the air cab came along they weren't called open cabs, there were flash ones with canopys and ones that didnt have anything at all
 
Haha the good ole days huh?

Just a quick search on YouTube revealed this old yarn, complete with a few of those flash canopy models:

And I also found this gem. The safety guys at my site would have a field day with this!

 
Hahaha cult i did a induction once were "shake hands with danger" was the feature film real 1970s stuff, actually its quite sensibile watch out what can bite you take on safety not about modern workplace politics. Poor ol 3 finger joe :)
 
Jeez young fella, you're showing your age there :hmm:
 
Haha joisus I'm 34!
 

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