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Claas Matador


PDH

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That'll sit in my yard an absoloute corker!!!

Although I think it would be difficult to 'distress' the model, a derelict one in a yard would look very convincing, perhaps more so than the Europa - but who'd want to be that cruel to such a lovely looking model? :D

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The Claas Matador is a stunning looking model and definitely on my want list. There were loads of them in Sussex; but I don't expect there are as many now. One of the reasons they kept going was down to Manns of Saxham, who had a very good backup on spares for them. Like many combines; the internals didn't change that much, so spares were never really a problem.

    I'm inclined to agree with an earlier post about the M133 New Holland combine, they too were a very reliable and popular combine and I'd love to see a model of one in production.

    The combine I would dearly love to see as a model would be the beautiful (If you can describe a combine as that) Massey Ferguson 500 or a 400 (1961/2) It shouldn't be difficult to make as it was a very streamlined machine, and years ahead of anything else at the time. They had an excellent drivers position with unrivaled all round vision,,, very neat controls, and the first combine to my knowledge to have a hydraulically retracted unloading auger. Perkins 6.354 engine and a hypnotic rotating air screen for the radiator, which had a red and yellow spiral on the end of it. Very decorative for the time it was made. A really great combine to drive. Another little feature on it was the "Saddle " grain tanks. The driver could select which side the grain went into if required; which greatly improved traction and stability on banks. They were good hill climbers too as the engine and grain tanks were both directly over the drive wheels.

    Sorry........I'm getting a bit pre- orgasmic there  :P:-[........best stop for a few seconds..........phew...that's better. Luvverly bit of kit though. ;):D:-*:-* :-*

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Have a look at this site:

http://www.chestnut-miniatures.com/

I don't know if the chap is still making his models, but there is an MF 510 amongst them - not sure if thats what your looking for though.

the 510 ia now stopped although he said?? he will make another un, mind you how many times has he said that marky??? we have both been after one from him for what 2 years now

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the 510 ia now stopped although he said?? he will make another un, mind you how many times has he said that marky??? we have both been after one from him for what 2 years now

Ah - I recall typing out a long email to him you know, and never had a reply to it!

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I love the Claas matador cant wait for this model

I worked on a farm where they had 2 of these in the 1980s so its a must for my collection

I can't wait to see it either Mike,

I haven't seen so many of them, but one memory I have is of this ex Library book I bought in a sale once - its a school book about the work of a farm worker, and its set around a pig farm, and the farm had 2 Matadors which are pictured being readied for harvest and during harvest.  Still have that book somewhere....

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This must be due anytime now...well judging by the 'available end of October' on the website anyway!  It looks absolutely excellent, and its even better to see those other views on the ebay listing page, the detail on it is amazing.  I still can't tell if its the Standard or Gigant, though I'm more inclined to think its a Standard somehow - doesn't seem wide enough to be the Gigant; I just hope its released soon! :)

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It's got the Giant tank on it (protrudes out over the platform whereas the Std. finishes with the emptying auger hinge inside the nearside edge of the platform underneath the graintank). Also the extension section of the straw hood is there where the rear steps are. I guess they would do the min width header (8' 6") for ease of modelling. The first ones were called just MATADORs without Std. or Giant decals which is why I questioned the reel speed variator as this was surely only on very late models? I can't read what the decal says under MATADOR, which incidentally was always on the fueltank I thought? Certainly all those I've seen were. Talking to Lee on the CLAAS (Southern/Western Harvesters)stand at TOYTRAC he says there are at least 2 still working in our part of Sussex. Stuart Gibbard had a lovely one for several years until a few years ago.

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I think you are right Nigel about the Matador decal and James F and I were discussing this last night and came to the same conclusion that it is a Giant.

I actually know where there is a Mercury still in a shed maybe its sold now as we have sent several people looking for Perkins L4 and 270 engines over there ;)

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When you look at photos of it from the other side, theres a photo just a little way down this page: http://www.tractorconnection.nl/ the offside rear wheel looks as though its underneath the combine somehow, yet not when you look at the nearside - or is it just the angles from which the photos are taken? ???

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When you look at photos of it from the other side, theres a photo just a little way down this page: http://www.tractorconnection.nl/ the offside rear wheel looks as though its underneath the combine somehow, yet not when you look at the nearside - or is it just the angles from which the photos are taken? ???

If you mean what I think you mean; the steering axle was on quite a narrow track, and offset like the old MF 780. Thinking about it.......they probably offset the axle to the left (Viewed from the rear)  as most combine headers were designed to cut with the uncut crop on the right hand side of the machine, and offsetting the axle to the right would prevent the risk of 'running down' the uncut crop when turning sharp left, away from it.

  Wacha fink.........does that sound feasible. ;D

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