Guess what this Attex Prototype is for!

[Bill Gerber]

Can anyone guess what the purpose of this Attex Prototype is?

[Stonewall]

Well, it's obviously electric, so there are no emmissions. It's a very low profile, possibly for tight spaces. However the lack of any sort of lights logically rules out any type of underground use. It's too small for a man in a space suit, so it's not a Moon rover prototype. I wouldn't want to get in the mud and water with it.

Well, you got me Bill!! What is it?

[jpswift1]

Is it the MERV I underground mine recovery vehicle?

[jpswift1]

Here are some links to some of the blueprints......

http://www.6x6world.com/images/attex-atv/Attex-MERV-I-1.jpg

http://www.6x6world.com/images/attex-atv/Attex-MERV-I-titleblock.jpg

[Stonewall]

OHHHHH! That's what it is! I forgot about that JP, thanks. My first instinct was correct, lol, I shouldn't have second guessed myself.

I would be going for some chain guards tho....

[Bill Gerber]

Correct, it is the MERV 1! Was built for the MSA.

[jpswift1]

Correct, it is the MERV 1! Was built for the MSA.

Cool! Was this the only one that was built, Mr. Gerber? Were there plans to produce a large number of them?

[Bill Gerber]

Cool! Was this the only one that was built, Mr. Gerber? Were there plans to produce a large number of them?

I will have to ask my father Howard on that one, I will get back to you!

[jpswift1]

Thanks! I look forward to the response. In the meantime, I'll continue to stare at all those cool old Attex prototype pics.......WOW!

[Stonewall]

Ummm, looking at the pictures, I just noticed that there are no shifters in the T-20. It almost looks like the holes aren't completely bored out. What's up with that?

[Bill Gerber]

Ummm, looking at the pictures, I just noticed that there are no shifters in the T-20. It almost looks like the holes aren't completely bored out. What's up with that?

Didnt need reverse because you could reverse the electric motor.

[jpswift1]

Ummm, looking at the pictures, I just noticed that there are no shifters in the T-20. It almost looks like the holes aren't completely bored out. What's up with that?

I'm going to take a guess here Stonewall.......It looks like this machine is set up with split shifters, like you are doing on your Hustler. Every T-20 case is the same with those holes on both the top and bottom sides of the case, regardless of left or right side so they didn't have to have two different molds. They just bore out either the upper shifter holes or the lower shifter holes to for the T-20 case to be either the right or left side. They probably mounted the diamond shifters in this machine on the bottom side of the T-20 because of clearance issues.

~EDIT~ Never mind, Mr. Gerber beat me to it, haha.

[Stonewall]

Didnt need reverse because you could reverse the electric motor.

Ah, thanks for the clarification... Now I feel like a dumbass...

I'm going to take a guess here Stonewall.......It looks like this machine is set up with split shifters, like you are doing on your Hustler. Every T-20 case is the same with those holes on both the top and bottom sides of the case, regardless of left or right side so they didn't have to have two different molds. They just bore out either the upper shifter holes or the lower shifter holes to for the T-20 case to be either the right or left side. They probably mounted the diamond shifters in this machine on the bottom side of the T-20 because of clearance issues.

~EDIT~ Never mind, Mr. Gerber beat me to it, haha.

It was an excellent guess, but I could see alot of leakage problems from doing that...

[jpswift1]

A



It was an excellent guess, but I could see alot of leakage problems from doing that...

Very true......I didn't even think of that. Especially with just a single O-ring, and a not so tight fit of the diamond shifter and lots of back and forth motion on it from shifting.

[lewis]

It was probably reversed electrically so that T-20 may be a little different. The motor is an explosion proof type also due to gases in the mines. It also does not have a CVT set of clutches. Since electrical motors do not depend on RPM for torque they are not needed. Again these are my thoughts on the design.

Very cool pictures and i wounder if any of them have survived the years?