Does anyone here remember "IMC the Company"

[Tanque]

Does anyone here remember the failed attempt at marketing a 1/8 scale Caterpillar D11 model back in the mid 1980s into the early 2000s? The firm was named "International Machinery Company" or IMC The Company for short.

They were to produce a marvelous 1/8 scale all steel models powered be a custom 4 cyclinder 4 cycle engine with fully functional hydraulics, blade, ripper and a tailor made RC system all for the 'introductory price of (I recall) $3500 or thereabouts.

There aren't many references to these folks left on the 'net but here's one: https://spinoff.nasa.gov/spinoff1996/44.html The only other reference I was able to find is essentially a YouTube version of the above: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu-_iN0Ff88. I (JerryC) replied in the comments of this video.


The model was to be distributed by Caterpillar dealers and made under license. I was one who put a deposit down and at the time I'd checked with Caterpillar and their licensing group confirmed that IMC did indeed have a license to use their name and paint color on their products.

I still have my little card that indictaed the serial number of my impending model and I may still have a brochure somewhere; at one time I even had a VHS tape of their prototype running and other marketing stuff. They were in a constant state of seeking 'permanent funding'.

At one point in late 200 they said production was imminent and asked all of us to submit the balance of our orders. Shortly after due to the passing of my father I needed to pull back from this project and asked for a full refund as they always said we could do at any time. To my knowledge I was one of a very few or perhaps the only one who actually received a refund. IMC ceased to exist shortly after. They had moved from their original location and possibly had had a loss of original founding members over the years leading up to the collapse but I believed in the beginning they were well intentioned about the project.

I'd enjoy hearing from others on this and hearing or reading more details about what went wrong with them...although I have my own ideas in that regard.

Jerry

[Lil Giants]

Now that I see the picture I remember reading about it. Looking at old bookmarks on my Explorer browser I see that I saved it... the nasa.gov page is now 404.

There's been a few dreamwork companies over the last 20 something years offering such rc models & all were fishing for funding... invest now & be one of the first to receive in 3-5yrs.

CCM (they're a diecast construction model company, out of Oregon) tried to offer an older style flat track D8 or maybe D9, I can't remember it's letter designation, in I think 1:8th scale... I don't think they even finished the prototype. They used to have a special tab on their website, I don't see it there anymore.

https://ccmodels.com/

Back in the early 2000's when I had a forum on Yahoo Groups, some dude from California claiming to be a professional modeler was soliciting on the forum for investors for a 1:6th Cat tractor (no blade, maybe a rear mount winch) for like $4500 & 4-5yr build time, he wanted 75% for a down payment... yeah right.

There is this Italian built D11R currently being offered in radio control, it's beautiful and scaled down to the last detail... the last price I heard on it yrs ago was $25 000 usd. There's a thread on this forum https://rctruckandconstruction.com/s...?t=310&page=11 though all the pictures seem to be gone.

The link to their website doesn't work anymore, maybe they built a new website,,, but here's a youtube video showing it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7E7zryZTJk

[sparkycuda]

Yes, I remember reading about this in some construction magazines. Looked very interesting. Checked into it a few years later and found same as you - had moved locations and then just disappeared. Most interesting to me was the fully operational planetary transmission, just like the real thing.

Ken

[Tanque]

I actually, perhaps naively believe that the original founders of IMC had honest intentions to deliver what they promised. Can't substantiate rumors I'd heard along the way but I remember it said that the founder(s) had been retired technical/engineering types for whom this project was an extension of their personal passions. As time went by one or more of the original founders passed and subsequent participants didn't have the same commitment to the end product or overall project.

At one point perhaps halfway through the project I'd received an extensive prospectus and marketing package in an attempt to entice me into becoming a financial backer. Not sure if all deposit holders did receive this same pitch but then as now I have limits to what I'd commit. You know what seems practical and what doesn't and the lack of progress however slow just didn't show well.

I remember also towards the very end there was a new principal involved with the company, a woman who's name I recall quite clearly and while she talked a good line made me leery...at the point I'd requested from her my refund she was the one who made it happen. Shortly after she stopped accepting phone calls. The was the last I ever heard from them. Somewhere I still have most all my correspondence. One my post count here reaches the proper threshold I might post some of my remaining material as historical curiosities.

Jerry

[Lil Giants]

Originally Posted by Tanque

Once my post count here reaches the proper threshold I might post some of my remaining material as historical curiosities.

Jerry

I upped your post count... lets see what you got!

And if you still have that VHS video, do you think you can get it loaded to youtube? Or even MP4 video & send it to me, I'll upload it to my channel if you don't have youtube.

[Rakthi]

Originally Posted by Lil Giants

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There is this Italian built D11R currently being offered in radio control, it's beautiful and scaled down to the last detail... the last price I heard on it yrs ago was $25 000 usd. There's a thread on this forum https://rctruckandconstruction.com/s...?t=310&page=11 though all the pictures seem to be gone.

The link to their website doesn't work anymore, maybe they built a new website,,, but here's a youtube video showing it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7E7zryZTJk

The pictures are still there, you have to right click and open in new tab and then change the .org in the url with .cc

Hosting site postimage had to change to .cc because .org not allowed for some reason I forgot.

Their website is now http://www.oro2modell.it

On facebook they are still active: https://www.facebook.com/oro2-modell-268360076906/

[Lil Giants]

Right!... good memory Stephan, totally forgot about that issue. I fixed the urls on that page I linked.

[ddc333]

funnily enough I think I saw a video somewhere just the other day of this dozer I'll see if I can find it again

[Tanque]

Actually I should have a brochure somewhere in my papers and the card I had with my model 'serial' number on it when I put down my $100 deposit.

I found the tape, an old VHS tape but sadly I've not had a VHS machine for years. I'll see about transferring the video to a MP4 format somehow and upload it to my YouTube channel...

Jerry

[ddmckee54]

If you REALLY want that video in a format you can read now, check at a photo/video shop.

Last year I found a VHS video from 25+ years ago when my wife bought me an hour long flight in an AT6. I took it to Photopro here in town to have them check it to see if it was still readable, and transfer it to a DVD if it was. Those tapes DO have a shelf life but apparently it's over 25 years with decent storage. It cost me about $30 and they did a great job.

Don