Cletrac

re write required.

CLETRAC, INC., a manufacturer of tractors for military and civilian use, was organized by ROLLIN H. WHITE† as the Cleveland Motor Plow Co. in 1916, with capital of $6 million. White, a founder of the WHITE MOTOR CORP., had 10 years earlier formed this new firm to produce the crawler-type tractor he had developed for general farm use. First located at Euclid Ave. and Lamb, the plant later moved to 19300 Euclid Ave. Renamed Cleveland Tractor Co. in 1917, the company sold 40,000 tractors in the U.S. and 70 foreign countries during its first decade. In the early 1930s, the needs of the Civilian Conservation Corps. and public works projects kept the plant open and by 1937 the firm, which employed 1,500 workers, enjoyed record tractor sales here and abroad. Two years later, the company introduced 3 new lower-priced tractors with 4-cylinder engines for use by the small farmer. The military application of Cleveland Tractor's products became dominant during World War II when the firm manufactured a new, high-speed tractor for hauling artillery. Although the company received a steady flow of orders, the low profit in defence work and the research costs for new products convinced company President White to sell the company to the 96-year-old Oliver Corp. of Chicago in 1944. Oliver invested $3.5 million in the ageing plant to develop new products. However, Cleveland Tractor remained unprofitable until the Korean War revived its business. When White Motor Corp. took a 2-year option to buy the tractor plant and acquired exclusive rights to the Oliver name in 1959, Oliver renamed its Cleveland facilities Cletrac Inc. In 1961 White Motor bought the local Cletrac inventories, engineering designs, and machine tools and closed the plant, consolidating all production at a second plant in Charles City, Iowa

Model Range

Cletrac M2 at Kettering front IMG 1868 — Cletrac M2 in USAF colours at Kettering Steam Fair, fitted with front winch

Model Number	Production Years	Number Built
Cletrac R	1916–1917
Cletrac H	1917–1919
Cletrac W(W12)	1919–1932
Cletrac F	1920–1922
Cletrac 20K	1925–1932
Cletrac 30A	1926–1928
Cletrac 30B	1929–1930
Cletrac 100	1927–1930
Cletrac 40	1928–1931
Cletrac 55-40	1931–1932
Cletrac ?	1932–1936
Cletrac 15	1931–1933
Cletrac 20C	1933–1936
Cletrac AG	1936–1937
Cletrac AG	1937–1942
Cletrac AG-6	1944-
Cletrac AD	1937-
Cletrac AD2	1937–1940
Cletrac BD	1936-56	2,456 built
Cletrac BD 4 speed	1936–1939
Cletrac BD 6 speed	1939-56
Cletrac 25	1932–1935
Cletrac 30G	1935–1936
Cletrac BG series	1937-?
Cletrac BG 4 speed	1937–1939
Cletrac BG 6 speed	1939-
Cletrac BGS	1944-
Cletrac 40-30	1930–1931
Cletrac 35	1932–1936
Cletrac CG	1936–1942
Cletrac 35D	1934–1935
Cletrac 40D	1935–1936
Cletrac DD series	1937-58	13,890 built
Cletrac DD 4 speed	1936–1939
Cletrac DD 6 speed	1939-58
Cletrac DG series	1936-56	2,890 built
Cletrac DG 4 speed	1936–1939
Cletrac DG 6 speed	1939-56
Cletrac 80D	1933–1936
Cletrac FD series	1938-44	1,267 built - A 13 ton 113 hp Hercules 6-cylinder Diesel (largest model in 1940s)
Cletrac FD 4 speed	1936–1938
Cletrac FD 6 speed	1938-44
Cletrac FG series	1936-194?
Cletrac FG 4 speed	1936–1938
Cletrac FG 6 speed	1938-
Cletrac GG (General)	1939–1942
Cletrac GG (Co-op)	1939–1942
Cletrac HG series	1939-44	15,864 built
Cletrac HG 31	1939-
Cletrac HG 42	1939-
Cletrac HG 68	1939-
Cletrac M2 (7 ton 137 hp Hercules)	1941	6-cylinder Gasoline High speed tractor for USAF fitted with winch & Compressor for aircraft support roles.