Morning folks,

Firstly I'd like to acknowledge that my query in relation to the larger style light surround was, well, silly. A quick look at some photos and a check of the Tactor 11 I've got in the shed as a parts tree confirms all the 11's (and I suppose 10's) have it. I'm a silly billy.

Given that no one has seen a beast like Frankengreenie before suggests your right Gadge.......but.......I just can't shake the feeling. To make that beast would have been a colossal feat. Probably would have needed TWO Igor's on that project. Looking at the front in detail the axle beam appears to be raised for belt clearance with the stub axles needing to be lengthened, the steering push rod is on the LH side (HD style) where Tractors have it on the right, the axle beam looks to be HD style too. Etc.


And the job just looks so neat/ professional. Also a rebodied horizontal shaft machine would have been a logical (if short lived) progression in the evolution of the design.

On the subject of the engine, possibly it could have originally had a B&S for example and have been re-engined?

I'll leave it there and we'll call it a Frankengreenie....but I'll continue to harbour quiet personal suspicions.

Norm, the Minis were a low slung looking thing with a small wheel diameter. They shared a lot of componentry with their bigger brothers (including the basic frame). They had a plain cowl styling. Judging purely from the styling of the front of the catalogue, they came along, I think, at the end of the HD's and may have overlapped with their production at the end and before the bigger Tractors. The mini 5 was continued in production with the bigger Tractors into the late 70's and I guess early 80's? They're a funny little thing. Superdooper has one

Gadge, as I wrote the above paragraph I realised I was potentially unravelling my own argument above about the evolution of the design. I guess there might still have been room in there for Theo to muck about with the idea of horizontal shaft successor to the HD?

Cheers,

Last edited by prd; 01/04/16 06:36 PM.