Cab vs open station

[DK44H]

I've spent the past few evenings finishing up my conversion of a 966 from a cab tractor to an open station. I was wondering what exactly were the differences in the tractor itself besides the fact that one had a cab and the other didn't? Haha. I see some 66s had chrome levers for the gear shift, throttle, and ta and some were black. Are the cabbed tractors the ones with the black and the open stations chrome? Or was this a production year type difference? Did all the 66s come with the vinyl cover around the gauges on the dash or was that only on cabbies? And last, should a true open station have the cast piece around the steering wheel with the "throttle gauge" for lack of a better term or did some have it made of plastic? I know the PTO levers were different as well, just trying to make this thing as "correct" as possible. Thanks for the help. DK
 

[sgtbull]

I just finished switching my 966 to open station also. Mine has the optional tilt steering, which I left because I like it. My levers were PAINTED silver, not chromed. My gauge cluster was a typical three gauges in the thin metal plate above the steering wheel.
I bought the new fenders, but opted for the heavy ubolt attachment, and did not put on the platform extensions. I did this primarily because I kept the cab tractor platform, although I cut it down to open station dimensions and welded a piece of angle, (lip down) around the edge to trim it out. After sandblasting and painting, it looks quite nice.
I couldn't find a good original and the reproduction was $239.00... and I've already spent a wad on it as it is. An original platform can be easily added later, if I find one reasonably priced.
 

[John A.]

DK44H, My 73 966. Factory Open Station, painted Black levers, No chrome. The center Console, Steering, Throttle gauge cluster is all in steel/cast no other covering other than paint.
No plastic parts, other than the rubber knobs on the end of all levers!
The casting you are talking about is cast on mine. The gauge cluster is a cast Aluminum piece.
PTO lever may have been some different in cab versions. Hope this helps.
Later,
John A.
 

[IaGary]

Other differences that you didn"t mention were the steps,and some cabbies had vinyl around the seat base. Open stations didn"t. Some cab 966"s came with a turn signal lever as well. Open stations didn"t.

Another was the platforms were different as sgtbull talked about and the only 966"s with plastic around the steering wheel were the ones with tilt steering which was available with or without a cab.
 

[mkirsch]

AFAIK, the chrome gearshift levers were on "white stripe" 66 series. Black levers came on the "black stripe" 66 series, made in late '75 and through '76.

There was also an optional tilt steering wheel, cab or open station. Tilt wheel had a plastic surround, and the fixed wheel was cast.
 

[DK44H]

Thanks for the help guys. My 9 is a 74 model and has black levers and the optional tilt wheel with the plastic surround. Sounds like the vinyl or fake leather cover around all my gauges and starter button is only installed if there's a cab. I will need to get rid of that along with the turn signal lever.

Also, do I use the big connector that provided power to the cab on the right hand side to wire up these lights in the fenders I put on or can I get rid of that and get the power from some place else?
 

[Kevin B from Illinois]

The levers where silver on the early models, the vinyle covered dash was only in the cab tracters for sure, and the throttle area is cast not plastic, near as I remember.