I do see the point of speed for business. I am more interested in a good job.The reason I want to do this myself is it will be done right. I can buy an older cat for less than it would cost to hire somebody to do it and when I am finished the cat will still be worth as much as I paid for it.
Yes I could buy a $100K cat and do all this work in no time and it would still be worth $90k but I have spent most of my life working with equipment that most people wouldn't touch because I couldn't afford better. That is why I could now buy a $100k cat if I chose to. Lots of the people who looked down on me from their fancy new equipment. Now have the banker knocking on the door.
As for the 53 pickup caddy comparison you are right. I have seen plenty of these fancy high tech stuff waiting for a tow truck while the 30 year old stuff breezes on by.
I can easily fix the old stuff but if I have to take it to the shop and pay labour
at what is charged now and to often it isn't fixed right any way as I have seen with my brand new tractor and other peoples disappointments with these guys that are supposed to know what they are doing. I am better of with the older machine.
You know like the rabbit and the turtle story!

To Tom
I clear most of this bush (mainly aspen and willow) in winter mostly on pasture
then where the trees are live there is often rapid regrowth the next summer
but if I leave it one summer the regrowth is about 3 feet high but only about 1 inch thick or less. Then the next spring/ early summer just after it leafs out I mow it with a rotary mower close to the ground and that about kills it all of. When started doing this everybody told me it wouldn't work they were wrong. I've done over 100 acres and 5 years later there is probably not 3 trees per acre and they will likely die from being trampled.

D.K. in S.K.

It has been interesting hearing you compare the two tractors...We have a later model 17A with power steering and turbo - dry paper air cleaner, an old oil field Cat, as it has an 8 ft Balderson blade and Hyster D7D winch...We bought the machine in 76, have been completely through the rest of the tractor, but haven't done anything to the winch except extend the headache to raise the derrick of big rigs, and replace the brake band lining twice.

We also have a D6D LGP with turbo...It is interesting that Cat had a time making up its mind to keep the turbo in the D6C...I think with the 10K series they had the 3306 engine, but also thought they had a turbo, so I must have dreamed up part of the specs...The D6 has a cab, heat and air, power steering and the proverbial brake at the end of the steering handle stroke...Its a real spoiler after running the D7 for 35 years...The 7 is more nimble, and easier to see the winch, than the 6 is...Clearing, not a whole lot of difference in production, but pushing dirt the 6 wins out...not be a factor of 3 or more, but noticeably more production...AND FUEL...We had the 7 completely rebuilt, not all at the same time, but put a ton of money in it during the winter of 85, reman pony motor in it this fall...If there was a life threatening situation and we needed a Cat that would do the job no matter how cold, wet, or hot it was, the 7 is still more reliable that the 6...Forgot, but the 7 has hyd blade with the hyd group mounted behind the radiator...First appearance doesn't impress much as it looks like it would overheat with the hyd tank and controls in the way of air flow but the 7 won't get hot...ever...the 6 will heat up, we run distilled treated water in it during the summer months...Learned that trick with the 977L we had before the 6...the 6 has all new parts in both final drives, including the dead axles, torque converter is reman, only have engine and trans to go...I honestly believe the 7 will stay here longer than the 6...it is sure handy to load up quick to go pull out a combine or other machine and get back in time for dinner or supper...it has saved the day for us many a time...When I was a kid I always wanted a 7, to hear that torque load up, the tag says 1340 rpm I think, and it sounds like it is pulling down to 75 rpm at times if I don't react quick enough with the hyd lever.

someone mentioned the cable tractors had no down pressure on the blade...One of my biggest mistakes was trying to force the blade into the ground rather than keeping the cutting edge sharp...if I forced the blade down, it would hesitate then drop 8 inches quick, to quick to recover and made for not a very good road for the scrapers...I always try to carry at least part of the weight of the blade.

I guess we could say we still make a living with our old antiques.

There is a D6C with cable dozer listed in a area shoppers paper that is asking 25,000 for it and lists just a phone number. catskinner

My book lists the D6C 10K 849 as a 68 year, 1968 305- 1454. catskinner

Thanks for the notice of the 6C being for sale...I would like to buy it, would rather have a 6D now that I have gotten used to the brake at the end of the cutting clutch, I member them cussing the brake on the steering lever at first...Now, older, more fragile, appreciate the brake on the steering lever quite a bit.

while I have your attention, what do you know about a SPectra Physics 942 transmitter?