Help with Bobcat Identification. 743....Maybe

[Goblin]

Hello all, wondering if you can help me Identify this Bobcat.

I can find no tags in the normal places.

It is an early "inheritance" from my uncle, There is what appears to be a worn or painted over 743 on the sides and the Kubota Engine model V1702 seems right, but it has no Seat Safety Bar, and the layout of the engine bay seems different from what I have seen online for the 743, The air cleaner is arranged differently , it has a cooling fan, Battery is on the left, coolant cap is high on the left outside the bay and there is what appears to be a battery isolator above the battery on the left.

The back door seems to have been hacked to accommodate the fan.

It has some issues and I figured the best place to start would be to correctly identify it.

Thanks for your help.

 

[mrbb]

what you really need to find is the VIN? serial number, as once you find this, it will be needed in the future to get parts for this machine, as most all bobcat dealers will ONLY sell parts based on serial number
as this way it ensures you get right part for machine
as over the yrs, they have made several changes to same model machines, and used different parts, even when its the same model!

and also,a heads up, BOBCAT dealer also run VIN thru background checks, to see if machine was ever reported stolen
or they used too, , as it was found many machine were stolen yrs back by them running checks when ordering parts!

and this is also why many VIN serial number metal plates get removed and or ground off,
a red flag when buying or looking to buy a machine!
'NOT saying yours is stolen, just informing you that best way to find correct parts and info , is by using the Vin/serial number on it!

I would imagine many folks here KNOW where the serial number should be on 743's
I personally don't

But I also would think a phone call to any good Bobcat dealer can also get you the location of the serial number(if you do not want to wait for some one here to maybe reply with location)
SO< MY suggestion would be again, find the serial number, from there you can get ALL info you want on it, from yr made to correct parts!

 

[Goblin]

Thanks mrbb, agreed, I don't thinks its stolen more likely a "Bush Mechanic" has been trying to Tart it up at some stage.

My Uncle is a pretty straight up bloke also.

Would anyone know where a VIN might be stamped? the tag that I figured would be on that back left where the lift arm hinges isn't there.

 

[mrbb]

found this doing a simple search on this site, might be worth looking at/for on your machine(sure you could search more and find other posts on it )

link to what I found, and copy paste of one of the post off this in bold below

R

Thread '743 Serial Number Question'

Jun 7, 2012

New to the Skid Steer world. Bought a 743 that had been painted and the tag for the Serial Number is missing. Bought a Service Manual to make some repairs and would like to know what year it is. The service manual shows a control valve that is 3 stacked together, but mine is a single valve ported for 4 pistons. Any idea what year this one is? Not sure what the B means so I have no idea if its a 743 or 743B.

• RJ743
• Replies: 4
• Forum: General Bobcat Skidsteer Forum

the ser# should be stamped the the front of the chain case. try looking to the right side of the case case oil fill

 

[Dave the Ozzie]

An interesting setup with the added decapitation fan installation on the front of the engine.
The 743 has a horizontal drum style fan installed on the back of the engine between it and the hydrostatic pumps. The fan is fully enclosed in a shroud (drawing air from the front) that then directs air flow to the underside of the radiator and oil cooler and up through the grill. I can only assume that the machine had an over heating issue and the extra fan was installed to increase air flow over the engine to where the OEM fan picks it up before directing it up to the radiator, that’s assuming that the OEM arrangement is still installed/working.