John Deere 764 High Speed Dozer
Presented here is the 1:50th scale John Deere 764 high speed dozer from ERTL. The Deere 764 high speed dozer is a new concept of machine which dozes up to twice the speed of a traditional crawler with an articulated frame and four oscillating tracks, the 764 can finish-grade and also tow various implements thanks to the rear drawbar and flow-adjustable hydraulics. The low centre of gravity allows the 764 to work on steep slopes and it is powered by a 210hp 6.8 litre Deere PowerTech engine
The model from Ertl features a fully working 6-way blade which can be raised/lowered and angled left and right with the linkage allowing a little up and down tilt to the blade, matching the range of movement of the full sized machine. The articulating frame allows a reasonable degree of steering but there are no steering hydraulics fitted to the model.
The cab has access steps and walkways on each side of the model and while made of plastic, they still look the part. The safety railings are a little overscaled but this is lost in the strange appearance of the machine. The cab interior has been replicated well with the controls and drivers seat all visible inside and the exterior of the cab features large glazed areas with Deere logos printed on the from and sides. The roof has a rail on each side with integrated front work lights and rear view mirrors.
|
The four traction units fitted to the model have been very nicely replicated with the rubber track bands rotating relatively smoothly when placed on a firm surface. The plastic mud guards fitted above the rear track frames have some good cast detail. |
The model is from Ertl's "High Detail" series and features three opening compartments. The engine covers on each side of the engine compartment open a little before they catch on the mud guards. There is also a side door which opens but on the sample reviewed, it appears to be stuck |
|
|
The Deere 764 high speed dozer is a strange looking machine and Ertl have done a great job in capturing all the details in a 1:50th scale replica. The track frames are particularly well done with a high quality paint finish and accurate placement of the Deere logos. The picture below shows the size comparison of the 764 alongside the 650J tracked dozer.
