Making Tracks C.L. Best and the Caterpillar Tractor Co.

[Tom Madden]

Ed and Sue Claessen sent me a copy of their new book on C.L. Best and it is wonderful. This book is the first definitive work on C.L. Best and covers a lot of ground that other authors either did not discover in their research or did not publish.

The book can be purchased on line by going to www.bookhousefulfillment.com and searching for "Making Tracks". This is a very high quality coffee table type book (in appearance but is packed full of wonderful information) that has many never before seen photos that were provided by family members and friends. The cost is $35.00 but well worth the $$.

As a lover of all things Best this book gets ***** five stars from me.

[chriscokid]

here is the books homepage.
http://www.makingtracksbook.com/
I got mine today and it is a very good quality publication.

[Barstart]

Ed & Sue Claessen will be at the Heidrick Ag History Center, Woodland, California, on September 23 at 5:30pm for a discussion and book signing.

Here's the museum's newsletter: http://www.aghistory.org/HAHC_Newsletter_Fall_2011.pdf

Sue

[Jess Gilbertson]

I spoke with Ed the other day about the new book and he asked if I would help spread the word..........The following is part of his E-mail to me.

Jess




Here is some information on our book.

The title is "Making Tracks" C.L. Best and the Caterpillar Tractor Co." The book has 17 chapters, is 196 pages long and is a 10"x 10" hardcover. It includes five appendices including Tractor Evolution, the Tale of Two Seventy-fives and a reprint of the 1914 Best Catalogue. Our web address is : www.makingtracksbook.com

This information is on our website:
Say Henry Ford and people will think automobile but if you say C.L. Best how many people would think tractor? And not just any tractor, but a tractor that would lead the way for a small California company to expand into a global presence.
C.L. Best went from designing equipment powered by horses to imagining equipment powered by the sun. His improvements to the track-type tractor concept allowed the Caterpillar Tractor Co. to become the world’s road builder and so much more.

Making Tracks follows Best from working for his father through starting and operating his own company to being chairman of the board for the Caterpillar Tractor Co. for twenty-six years. The story has it all: from fistfights in the boardroom to lawsuits and hostile takeovers; from California to Cuba, Russia and beyond and from designing and building tractors to raising cattle and mining gold. The life of C.L. Best was varied and intriguing. Learn about Clarence Leo Best and why his was driven to live up to his name--Best.

Best Wishes.

Ed Claessen

[Deas Plant.]

Hi, Folks.
Thanks for the 'heads-up' and the additional information. It sounds P.D.G.. I will be ordering a copy shortly.

[jpenrod]

I'm happy to say that ACMOC is now carrying "Making Tracks" by Ed and Sue Claessen. You can place your order at www.acmoc.org/store listed under Books and Magazines.

Thanks!
Jenny Penrod
ACMOC

[84WD10]

I received my copy of the wonderful new publication, by Ed and Sue Claessen - it may be the first copy to arrive here in New Zealand, I am very impressed with not only the amount of previously unpublished material covering both C.L.Best and Holt. I can not praise them enough for work that must have gone into researching all of the relevant data from many different sources. Paper quality is excellent, binding and presentation in general is of a very high standard - and in my own oppinion this publication is a MUST on the bookshelf of every "CATERPILLAR", collector and enthusiast, as it completes a lot of previously unknown historic information in relation to the history of the machinery as we all know it today.

Regards

Alan T. Lewis
A.C.M.O.C. member
Christchurch
NEW ZEALAND

[bruce oz]

hello ,my copy turned up today ,from a quick look throw it ,it looks a good read .bruce oz

[Bill Walter]

I purschased my book at the Bowling Greene event. Got home, started reading and had to force myself to lay it down from time to time to absorbe what I had read. I started working for a Cat dealer back in 1957. Only 6 years after C.L. died. 26 years after the start of the Diesel engine and yet it has taken years to read the early history of Best and Holt. I did not realize what a person C.L. Best was or how important the Best Co. played in the organization of Caterpillar Tractor Co. Without the ACMOC organization, I believe a lot of this history would have been forgotton forever. When I started working for Cat,I knew about the early machines that Best and Holt had made, but didn't think that any could possibly be left. How wrong I was when I visited Fred Hedrick in 1973. He showed my wife , children and myself every piece of equipment he had, even the bone yard. When we were through, he let the kids ride in a little gas powered kiddy car.
This book is truly a history lessen that all Caterpillar collectors should read to appreciate what we have today. If some one could gather up a similar story about Ben Holt, that would round out the history of Caterpillar. After all he called his tractors a CATERPILLAR, and it stated that C.L. wanted that name on his machines. What I found amazing was the metalurgy that C.L. put together to make his steel. I had heard as far back in the early 60's that scrape iron dealers like to get their hands on CAT junk metal because it always brought a higher price.
Amazing story as it answered so many questions that I had between Daniel Best and C.L. and the merger of the two companies. "Best" money I have ever spent on a book!

Bill Walter, Chapter One

[gwhdiesel75]

Bill, I'm so glad you got a copy of the book. It is a very special book, and it took years to write. I have visited the author and his wife at their home in Minnesota. Nice people. Your "review" of the book is probably better than mine. It is a dandy book. Your call for someone to research and write a book about Ben Holt is an excellent suggestion. So nice to see you at the show. GWH