On February 14, 2001, a unique machine rolled off the assembly line at the bobcat company factory in Gwinner, North Dakota.

The 500,000th bobcat skid steer loader was built.

Click on the photos to enlarge!

Bearing the honor was a bobcat 773 G Series skid steer loader, loaded with extras and decked out in special gold colored wheels, tailgate and decals.

To mark this important milestone a 500K limited edition 773 G Series scale model was released.

The 500K 773 G Series scale model was first released in march 2001 at a dealer meeting in Germany, simultaneously with the Bauma fair.

Like the real 500,000th machine the scale model featured:

- gold painted wheel rims

- gold painted rear door

- limited edition box

Other features on the model were:

- new G Series style operator cab and interior.

- a bobtach like system, witch enabled the bucket to be easily snapped on and off.

- first 1/25 scale model with new "cat head logo" and IR logo.

The 500K 773 G Series scale model was produced by Clover and scaled down to 1/25.

It was also the first "G Series" scale model to be manufactured, the 773 G Series was released a few months later (look further for more info)

For people who are interested, here's some more interesting bobcat information:

- The Melroe Manufacturing Company was started in 1947 by E.G. Melroe.

- In 1958 the Melroe Company had 17 employees and introduced the M-200.

- The M-400 world's first true four wheel drive skid steer loader rolled of the production line in 1960.

- The first skid steer loader to carry the name "BOBCAT" was the M 444 back in 1962.

- It was Lynn Bicket a Melroe employee that suggested the name "BOBCAT"

- In 1987 Melroe introduced the world's largest skid steer loader the 980.

- In 1988 30 years of bobcat is celebrated.

- 50 years of the Melroe Company was celebrated in 1997.

- 40 years of bobcat is celebrated in 1998.

- The 400,000th bobcat skid steer loader was a 753 back in 1998.

- 500, 000 bobcat skid steer loaders exceed the combined total of all other brands of skid steer loaders ever made.

- Nearly one of every two skid steer loaders sold today is a bobcat unit.

- If 500,000 bobcat 773's skid steer loaders were parked tailgate to bucket in a single line, they would extend from Gwinner, North Dakota, more than a thousand miles, nearly to Birmingham, Alabama.