OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions On Ride On Mowers Questions on Greenfield Ride On Mower Frames Greenfield HD8 - PhilipH - c1976

G'day geenhorn,

Yup, that sounds more like it - javelin first in the mid seventies and xl in the early eighties. From crumpets photos it seems that the javelin is a welded frame like the tractors and it shares a few basic parts with the little mini tractors

I hadn't realised that the xl was the first of the 'mecano' models! Gotta confess my interest is mainly with the welded tractors and earlier. They just seemed to lose their magic for me when they went 'bolt-together'.

If I come across an xl, I'll let you know.

Sabotage of the xl product during production? Guessing this was perhaps
from welders/boilermakers who were concerned for their job security?

Thanks for sharing your stories of your time at the factory! they add much needed colour to the story of these machines.

Cheers,

Hi Greenhorn I also rebuilt a Stallion a year or so ago and that was a good machine as well and is working away very happily at last report

G'day all
1981 is the patent year and so is the brochure leaflet...
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/80105/GREENFIELD_-_Theo_Reinhold_Pat.html

It is amazing we now have a name and some history on the Javelin.
Many thanks to greenhorn on his valuable recollections, and the
commentary from prd, gml and Norm.

-----------------
Jack

1981 was patent year for 8XL but it did not come out until a lot later. John Pizzey was the patent attorney then. I think 1983 was the year they were produced with electric start and no fibreglass components. I left the firm just after the Americas cup was won by Bond. Mr Kerr was head of the design dept from 1974 and past 1984. I thought he was really good at his job but others disagreed. If only I knew what I know now when I was younger.

G'day geenhorn,

I'm surprised that Theo employed a design engineer in those days. I'd assumed (never assume ) that Theo was 100% hands on with the design and engineering.

Colouring in the gaps and doing a bit more 'assuming', I guess Mr Kerr was a key player in developing the Tractor models from the original HD's and the end product couldn't have been better in my view. He and Theo took a sound design and developed it, didn't muck around changing stuff that didn't need changing, and came up with a winner!

So If all the 'assumes' are correct, he must have had some talent! And quite frankly it's hard to imagine someone lasting 10 years in that role if he and Theo weren't well and truly singing from the same hymn book!

Thanks once again for giving us the inside story

Cheers,.

Hi PRD

I totally agree Greenfield tractors are unbeatable and the design lasted years. If you own a company you are always worried someone will come up with something that will outsell you model. Main contenders being rover and Cox. Kerr was a think outside the tractor box man to keep the company up with marketing demands. Always they kept making tractors because people wore them out, traded them in on another tractor. XL models were for the smaller blocks and hope to appeal to the wife and kids. I believe all tractor designs were Theo's and one man cant do everything. The xl models had 4 designers working on it and 2 toolmakers devoted to its tooling and one jig maker in the welding shop. There were around 10 stations all manned for the production line. One tyre fitter was really kept busy and one main storeman. I wonder what the factory looks like now?

One thing that does get up my nose with these is the use of nuts and bolts that have nuts that are so hard to get at, captive nuts in certain positions would have made them so much easier to work on

anyone that has pulled the rear axle out of one will agree with you on that Norm,makes you wonder what they were thinking when they designed it,

Straight looking xl5 has turned up on the fleatree. $200. West of the Gold Coast

.........and another one at Kalbar!

Hi prd, gml, NormK

I search this thread as 1976, most information was gleaned from searching 1966. I am assuming the greenfield HD8 pictured from gml and its in Yepoon is 1976 which is the same as my barnfind. I posted on the 1966 thread that I found barnfinds clutch plate and pulley on a compressor motor which still runs. I just have to get another G65 going to put in its place.

G'day geenhorn,

The 1976 reference here is in relation to phippH's machine with the tractor styling. Your machine is an 'earlier' example of a yellow HD8. It's got the earlier style rear mudguards. There a a couple of modifications in the IPC that I have that might help identify barnfind as being pre or post 1973. I think you have a copy of the IPC? We can chew this over with the help of a few photos- it would be an interesting exercise

Cheers,