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6X 5000 Super Major's


super6

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Seasons greetings first and foremost.

As some of you may remember I was lucky enough to buy an industrial 5000 super major a while back. Unfortunately it did not come with its yellow cab, Seeing as the tractors are almost as rare as rocking horse do do finding a cab looked to be an impossible task, but they are out there. I saw one on that favourite auction site that must have gone to a private bid and heard tell of another. I think the owner was holding out for the tractor here and who can blame him. 

A few months back I won a lot containing for the most part disc harrow's and spare parts along with some Dinkey bits too. I was taking a chance on another item in the group but believe it to have been a repaint having received said lot. Anyway when I received the parcel inside was this 5000 cab. First thought was that it was an ultra rare blue version, they are out there, a better look confirmed it to be a repaint, ho hum, so I put it a way for a while.

 

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Having another look at a latter date I scratched some of the paint off with a nail to find a colour I was not expecting............ yellow. Next problem is how to strip enamel paint from a plastic object without ruining it.

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I asked a few people and did a google search for ways and means of stripping paint from plastic eventually looking in a DIY shop at paint stripper where I came across this product

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It is water based so I thought I'd have a go on the inside of the cab roof. Having removed the glazing I left it for about 5 mins then had a scratch with a cocktail stick to see what may happen to be rewarded with paint coming away, albeit slowly. So encouraged by this I had a go at the rest of the cab

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Eventually it looked like this

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Glazing has been cleaned and reinstalled. There are marks on either side of the glazing and in the top of cab roof from where it has been in storage touching, I suspect, either a tyre, rubber bale(s) or rubber sack(s) There is some paint residue left that seems doesn't want to come off. I can live with that.

 

It's new home and what it replaced

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The whole process took about two hours, what with putting some on, waiting 5 mins or more and scraping it off followed by a rinse and another session. Thicker coverage of paint took longer with many repeated sessions. when completed it was washed off with soap and water then rinsed and dried. I was left with this in the bottom of a bowl

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I was putting it on and washing it off with a toothbrush, the cocktail stick worked okay for me and the instructions did say to scrape off the residue. Marks in glazing as described above.

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Okay another tractor as bought, cheaply, from a general toy dealer at a toy fair, apart from a cleanP1090566(1).thumb.JPG.531c0b1e1e5946c6847c2dfcf33440f1.JPG

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Hard to say whether this is a conversion or original. If it's a conversion it must have been done back in the day when NP Super Major's were very cheap or the original owner had a broken tractor and wanted the wheels on his 5000, maybe to match a machine on a local farm??? who knows? In my experience Majors where not easy to find 30 years ago only with the advent of ebay have they become much more common and cheaper, unless mint boxed!

Looking at the axle end it does not look like it has been removed and crimped back to retain wheels.

 

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And yet another although shown next to the previous one and also as bought, except driver. An internet purchase I think. If you look at the tyres they are the same as fitted to Fordson Majors, these don't eat away at the plastic rims. I suspect this to be original so either early and/or using up remaining stocks? Requiring pre cleaners and exhausts to both.

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4 hours ago, Toolbox Tam said:

 The last of the New Performance Majors , 1964 , & 1965 versions with the plastic Major type wheels had a slightly larger hole in the wheel centre .

The previous Metal versions of the same wheel had a smaller diameter wire axle with it being crimped at both ends . 

The newer chromed steel axle with the mushroom type  pressed head at one end seemed to be just pressed into wheel at other end of axle , with the smooth end showing within hole in centre of wheel therefore having no crimped end .

As stated , it is possible to be a factory version , especially as evidenced by fitting of original type Major tyres on both models , & the using up of last stock , as last Majors & this 1st version 5000 would both be in factory in 1965 . 

The only possible thing against it is the length of the axle fitted , the original length axle did not have enough length to protrude from wheel & allow room to be crimped 

Could be wrong but as far as I can recall & going off David Pullens bible ..The last off the Britains Super Majors had the rear rims like the 5000s ..Never seen a 5000 with Major rims .. Could be a conversion here . And I don't think the owner would be trying to replicate a machine on a local farm ether .. Ford 5000s had 8 stud rear hubs  . The Major had 6 stud rear hubs ..more like a 4000 . Unless the owner was trying to replicate a 4000 with Major rears  & not a 5000. 

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 The last of the New Performance Majors , 1964 , & 1965 versions with the plastic Major type wheels had a slightly larger hole in the wheel centre .

The previous Metal versions of the same wheel had a smaller diameter wire axle with it being crimped at both ends . 

The newer chromed steel axle with the mushroom type  pressed head at one end seemed to be just pressed into wheel at other end of axle , with the smooth end showing within hole in centre of wheel therefore having no crimped end .

As stated , it is possible to be a factory version , especially as evidenced by fitting of original type Major tyres on both models , & the using up of last stock , as last Majors & this 1st version 5000 would both be in factory in 1965 . 

The only possible thing against it is the length of the axle fitted , the original length axle did not have enough length to protrude from wheel & allow room to be crimped 

That is interesting Iain but I have a NP Major with metal Fordson style wheels that have the mushroom head one end and a press fit on the other. Have not checked the diameter of axle/s. With regards axle length the Shawnie Poole axle is long enough but it does pose the question as to why not use the press fit wheels/axle as same length Major axle. We will never know!

 

@ Justy 46  That is a good point, although they are not "rear rims like the 5000s"  they are 5000 rear rims. Your picture shows eight stud wheels on an NP Major.

With regards the "Bible" it is not comprehensive enough and does miss out a lot of variations to Fordsons and others where noted elsewhere. It is good as I've learnt loads from it.

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