The World of Caterpillar Collectibles: An Insider’s Look

Ask a Caterpillar collector, and they’ll tell you that one of the main things that sets Caterpillar apart from other companies is its storied history. For them, this history — and the modern brand it has created — resonates with them for reasons that are powerful enough to fuel a lifetime of collecting.

But who are these collectors, and what is it about Caterpillar that inspires their collections (and sometimes inspires them to take up entire rooms, basements… and barns)?

Men and women from all backgrounds across the globe share an enthusiasm for the Cat^® brand. Those who become Caterpillar collectors typically have a passion for a combination of the following:

• History
  
• The simplicity of antique machines
• The thrill of the hunt

Some are owner-operators, some are from farming families, some are everyday employees. Some just appreciate the visual allure of the Cat logo and colors.

Within the community of Caterpillar collectors, passion for the brand comes out in different ways. Collections include anything from diecast models to vintage memorabilia — and 90-year-old tractors weighing thousands of pounds.

Q: How big is your collection?

Dave: I’ve got more Cat scale equipment models than I have room to display. That even includes prototypes of models that I get sent for review. Throw in all the Caterpillar literature and memorabilia I’ve got, too, and well, let’s just say, I might need a bigger house someday.

Kevin: I’ve got over 300 scale models in a 900-square foot room above my garage, in my Cat Room. Some of them are displayed on the dioramas I built: four large ones (each about four feet by four feet) and three smaller ones. A six-footer is on the way.

Editor’s Note: His dioramas are extremely skilled — we’re talking Hollywood effects level detail! Watch our video to see how he does it. You can also follow Kevin on Facebook and Instagram.

Sam: We’ve got 15 to 20 older Cat machines. Maybe six newer ones, like skid steers that my family uses for some side work. I’ve also got 200 to 300 branded toys and enough vintage Caterpillar literature to keep us warm for the rest of our lives — I’m talking hundreds of pages.

Shay: I’ve got over 400 Caterpillar scale models. Last year it was getting a little snug in the room I had my collection displayed in, and more importantly, we needed that room for our first child. So, we moved the collection downstairs where it will continue to grow. Now the old collection room is a nursery… and one of the first things we did when our son was born was put him in a Cat onesie. 

Lee: Well, it’s technically Caterpillar’s collection, but I manage:

• 1 million historical images
• Over 1,000 artifacts
• A fleet of 25 antique Caterpillar machines
• 300 pieces of art
• Over 100,000 digital assets
• A Cat toy collection going back to the 1930s
• 1,000s of Cat hats, including the first one that was made in the mid-1960s. 
• Cat merchandise sold by our dealers going back to 1925, including a checkerboard set, ash trays, and bookends.

Sam: I’ve got the first Caterpillar D2 model ever made, the 1938 model.

Lee: Our archives recently received a generous gift from the Gisler family, a multigenerational farming family in California’s Imperial Valley. When their family patriarch, Larry Gisler, passed away, his family decided to gift us his pride and joy, an old Caterpillar Sixty track-type tractor that Lanny restored in the 1970s. His son said it would mean a lot to his dad for it to be in our collection.

This tractor model is one of the most significant—and largest—tractors in Caterpillar History, and it meant a lot to the Gisler family, so I can’t even begin to say how much this meant to me and Caterpillar for them to make such a generous donation. Before it was transported to our facility, the Gisler's had a big party at Lanny’s house to celebrate it getting picked up by the semi.

On the plus side, Cat equipment was designed to live outside. Paint, bolts, etc. don’t rust too quickly. I knock the dirt off the tractors after driving them, and clean them occasionally. Of course, decades-old machines might already have rust on them, but I leave a lot of those original; I like them that way. For the ones I’ve restored, I keep those inside, so they stay a little nicer.

Dave: For maintaining my Caterpillar Ten?, I found a carburetor rebuild kit online. I’ve even bought some parts through Caterpillar. Once I went to start it with its crank starter — and the crank broke right off. I improvised with a wrench to get it started, but later, I found someone through ACMOC who makes reproduction cranks.

Dave: There’s some surprising stuff out there, too — things you’d never think would be Cat branded. For example, I’ve got a Caterpillar Tractor Company milk can that was used in the factory cafeteria. How’d I end up with that? Facebook marketplace suggested it based on my search history — go figure!

I also collect digital copies of older Cat machine literature, which helps me with my job, being able to answer technical questions for dealers whose customers often have older machines.

Lee: There are also a lot of attainable Caterpillar collectibles that are rare but not as difficult to find, transport or store — things you can hold in your hands but aren’t necessarily easy to get your hands on. One example is, some old Caterpillar children's pedal cars out there that are hard to find.

Sam: On the memorabilia side, I’ve got an old cardboard earth-moving calculator. It was a way for Cat customers to calculate the earth-moving capability of a dozer or scraper. It’s really interesting to me, because in my role with Cat, I’m currently working on a digital version of that — an online tool that can spit out the production capabilities of any of the dozers our customers are looking at.

Sam: I’m a farm kid from a farming family. I’ve always been interested in antique farm equipment. Dad’s always collected Cat memorabilia, too. We started collecting Cat gear together in the 90s. Bought our first tractor around 2000. Stepped up to the big leagues and bought a 1957 Cat D2 with a bulldozer blade.

We were hooked. Started collecting more antiques, including Cat gas tractors, diesel ones, excavators, scrapers, dozers, and skid steers. Together with my stepmom, we also got serious about collecting Cat memorabilia like owner’s manuals, marketing pieces, toys, models, dealer promotion materials, glasses, etc.

Dave: Volunteering at the Caterpillar history display for the 100^th anniversary of Benjamin Holt’s first track-type tractor. It awakened an interest in me that my dad and grandfather had always had. Grandpa owned antique tractors, and Dad always had a passion for them. Now, most of my Cat collection is scale track-type tractor models.

Kevin: Nowadays, my wife always says that instead of three kids, she’s got four. I still get that excited about equipment.

Kevin: It often is that sort of connection. Let’s say you run a certain type of backhoe; it’s cool to get a model of that actual machine. And once you get that first one, it becomes a healthy addiction; you keep collecting. It’s a way to have accessible versions of these machines that would otherwise be difficult to own because of their real-world size and cost.

Gary (from Diecast Masters): The popularity of construction diecast scale model equipment is always growing. Social Media has helped to contribute to that.

Most of the collectors I’ve encountered collect these models for the passion and interest in the industry. The financial investment or value of their collections is secondary to their love of collecting. 

The most popular Cat equipment models we offer are the dozers, excavators, trucks and wheel loaders.

And there’s no shortage of options for collectors. Here alone, we currently offer over 120 different products covering a wide range of machine categories and scales — with new products added every year.

Of course, Caterpillar is well known for their large dozers, which are one of our top selling scale equipment model categories. 

Shay: In recent years, I’ve gone into full customization. Through networking with other model collectors, I’ve found multiple people across the world—Sweden, Netherlands, England, New York, etc.—who make custom models for me. A lot of them are retired people who make a decent living off their model-making skills. 

Sam: One cool thing about a lot of the antique Caterpillar shows is that they’re working shows. You’ll see these cool old machines still working hard: pushing dirt, scrapers, grading and spreading dirt. People working together on the tractors they own.

Kevin: On the Cat equipment model front, there’s the annual International Model Construction and Truck Show (IMCATS) in New York state every year. Collectors from all over the U.S, and Canada go to that one, from teenagers to seniors.

Over the years, I’ve made buddies there, and we all share tips and tricks for collecting, modifying models, making dioramas, etc. This is where I first learned about techniques for making shiny new models look old and worn there. Dulling spray, weathering powders, etc.

Sam: There are also some great museums featuring a variety of antique agriculture and construction machines. Places like the Earthmoving Legacy Center in Elkader, IA, the California Agriculture Museum near Sacramento, or the National Construction Equipment Museum in Ohio. Fun to go to, and you can learn a lot from the staff at these places, too.

Dave: I also encourage everyone to go visit the Caterpillar Visitor Center in Peoria. The rotating exhibits there are great. And you could see some cool antique machines there. Ones like the Caterpillar Twenty, electric gen set, and a portion of a D8, for example. Worth a trip whether you’re a Caterpillar employee or just a fan.

Lee: For global Cat fans who can’t make it to the visitor center, we update Caterpillar.com/history bi-weekly. There’s also Cat equipment on display in Caterpillar facilities across the globe, and we usually display machines at the big trade shows like CONEXPO-CON/AGG.

Sam: And, by the way, I have an annual open house to share my family’s antique machines with the public. We get our machines out of their sheds and fire them up. People love it. There’s just something about the simplicity of those older machines.

Sam: It’s also the legacy of the brand. The longevity of it. People still use that old equipment today. Back in the day, when you bought a Cat tractor, you took care of it. That’s why there are still so many around.

Kevin: Speaking from experience as an operator, Cats are stronger, more durable, more comfortable. Their machines from the 70s, and 80s are still running — and getting worked hard on job sites. Being able to count on these machines day in and day out in real life — that forms the kind of bond that makes you want to collect their stuff.

Lee: Years ago, I worked at another massive company, and they never got historical donations for their archives. Here we get donations from enthusiasts all the time. Our machines, and the culture around them, have just meant so much to customers for many, many decades. If you’re interested in our history, you can find unique stories and videos at Caterpillar.com/history.

Dave: What I love about Caterpillar history is that it wasn’t always rosy, but the people who worked here persevered and made improvements to our culture and our products over the years, ultimately making an impact for our customers. Not everything goes perfect all the time, but we always stand by the customer.

Kevin: To this day, when I see a bunch of Cat equipment doing road work, I’m like a little kid in a candy store. Where other people would be irritated cause you’re stuck in construction, I'm excited because of the construction. Seeing those yellow machines at work just never gets old, you know?

Caterpillar's impact on generations of people, businesses, and communities across the globe seems to have created plenty of fans who bleed — and collect — yellow.

For anyone interested in becoming a Caterpillar collector themselves, there are no rules for how to get started or what to collect — but plenty of like minds and helpful resources exist to help you find what you’re looking for.