Matador Steve

My Matador in the V5 has Taxation class as agricultural machine.

You should definately buy it, asuming its not silly money, I think you would go a long way to find another Matador with such restoration potential !

Comma Hyper Clean, sold in gallon cans at your local motor factors, apply and wash off, really good.

Hi George Your local Post Office should be able to provide booklet V100 (Registering and licensing your motor vehicle) on page 30 it gives details of how to get past keeper history, DVLA address etc, there is a nominal charge for this service £5.00. Hope this helps Steve

Thanks Mike With the help of your sectioned diagram that makes complete sense, I would have been really p!zzed off if the frost had got to it. On the subject of irregular shaped holes it seems we both may have the same Doctor. Steve

Well in short I have no idea, I cant see that the casting is thick enough to have accepted a grease nipple in that position. Next time I go up to the Mat I will block the bottom hose entry and try and fill the pump with water.

Hi Simon The engine is an original 7.7, the hole is an iregular shape and the metal casting is very thin, thats why I have doubts whether this is part of the wall of the pump chamber ? Steve

Could someone tell me what this hole is in the top of the waterpump. Had the engine steam cleaned today and became aware of the hole about the size of a new penny, I have had the radiator off since before the cold snap, is it frost damage and is it in or behind the pump chamber, did not have a chance to trial fill the pump, if it is a problem ? I want to repair it while the rad is off. Took a couple of photos. Thanks Steve

Hi Will Would be interesting to hear how you get on with the blasting co, I am going to need these services also. Keep the photos coming. Steve

Thanks for the info, I was completely puzzled, maybe trying to read something into it when in fact the answer seems so simple Steve

gottle of geer gottle of geer

Matador 0853 6064 ex William Press and for sale Engine there but u/s, Rad looks OK, no gearbox, but starter, dynamo, chassis, winch, transfer box, axles, wheels, steering etc all there. If anybody is interested for spares or repair I can ask the owner to contact you

Hi Mike No I had no idea about its Census No, when was the census taken? I have looked in the cab and found where the factory plate must have been, the bolts which held it on look to have been ground off, as the rad is off at the moment you can see where the dome heads are still captive welded on the other side. Looking at the AEC build sheet the engine number for this Mat built 4/11/1944 is 9043, according to the new zinc plate in the cab the new engine number is 11217, would this be 2,174 units later? If the plate on engine side cover is to be believed then this vehicle seems to have aquired a much ealier cab and a much later engine to its build date. Thanks for the info regarding the position of the chassis number, as you thought it was hidden under several coats of paint, directly below the brass overhaul plate.

Hi Adam The plate is fixed to the chassis, just to the rear, of the nearside front spring rear hanger. Would this be the original position?. I need to do some more detective work as the plate on the engine side cover is stamped 0853 6044, also there is a small zinc plate pop rivetted inside with the correct number 0853 8386 but what apears to be a different engine number to the original build sheet, this little zinc plate does not look of original manufacture. As yet I cannot find the engine number as the engine needs a steam clean and I dont know where I should be looking ? In short I think one of several things may have happened. (1) The engine has been changed, in service (2) The cab has been changed in service and/or both engine and cab (3) someone has fitted the wrong engine side cover. Have other Matadors owners got the little zinc plate under the windscreen inside their cab ? Anyway if anybody is the proud owner Matador 0853 6044 I have your side cover! Steve

Thanks Richard Steve

Can anyone help with information stamped on my Matador chassis plate. What or where is MTRS B403, The vehicle seems to have recieved an overhaul there in what looks like October 1954. Thanks Steve

Well spotted Mike regarding the jib, how strange, the jib when I bought the vehicle had been returned to its conventional position as Ed Batchelors is. I have been puzzeled by the brackets for the check chains and the supporting wire ropes as they are replicated both above and below the jib (8 in number), now I can see why, to enable it to be inverted, but why. The Kinver Sawmills Matador, what a tidy vehicle it looks like it would be rude to jump in without wiping your muddy boots. ekawrecker what brought you to visit these yards in the late 80s? Steve

Thanks ekawrecker for looking inthe filing system, what a brilliant photograph, it seems to have changed very little, maybe just a bit more metal moth in th cab panels. I think Giffords purchased it just after the great storm, possibly for the clean up. Interesting to see it already had the bumper modification then, the RSJ being puddle welded to the drawbar bracket on the offside and on the nearside welded via a piece of channel directly to the dumb iron, so who knows what became of the front fairlead rollers. The visable damage to the front panel beneath the number plate being caused to gain access for the modification. Can anyboby tell me for what purpose are the chains between the jib and its subframe ? Steve

Thanks all for the informaion, I put two new bateries on it after I bought it and with the help of a mate got it fired up, it had not moved for four years. The starter motor bendix is sticky through lack of use, I need to remove it for a springclean but am unsure as to which is the best way to get at it for removal, from above or below? The fuel tank has copped for an unfortunate one against its front edge and something solid, resulting in a split seam and leak, so when the weather gets a bit warmer I am going to fit another tank. The exhaust needs re-piping the, the nearside leg of the crane bolster needs straightening and a new perch welded on to support the crane, new silencer brackets etc. I managed to get hold of some secondhand replacement tyres 1500x20 bartreads I hope are not too big?, which have really made the old girl stand to attention, but the best bit was when removing the wheels, seeing the original paintwork around the chamfered part of the brake drums as though just finnished by Mr AEC 65 years ago. Whilst its cold I have been sprucing up the rad which I have taken off, also cutting out and patch repairing the moth eaten outrer shrouds. Doors are off, skins discarded and new top and mid rails fitted, still need to put bottom rails in them and replace the lower inner boarding and skins. Has anybody got a front spring drawbar and pintle hitch to return everything to standard? If I havent bored everyone to death I will post some more pictures at a later date. Happy days Steve

My Matador OUC 973F, 0853 8386, First registered August 1967, Left the AEC factory on 4th November 1944, its last military reg No being 99 YY 52 I presume it was converted to timber crane in 1967 and subsequently worked for Clinton Deveon Estates at Budleigh Salterton until November 1987, it then passed through the hands of L, W, Vass before being sold to Kim Gifford of Gifford Tree Service at Cobham it changend hands again in 1996 and was collected from where it had been working in Windsor Great Park being bought by Ian Smith of Plumpton from whom I purchased it. All the steel skin of the cab is rotten along with a damaged beyond repair fuel tank and front wings. For some time it seems the jib has been hitting and damaging the roof when it was dropped and this also will need attending to, Who was Bob Ansell and where did he operate from, the crane and winch spade look to be the same as others that I have seen described as that of his work. The vehicle was overhauled in 1954 by the military at MTRS B403 can anybody tell me what and where this was. If anyone can fill in any of the gaps in its history or have any memories of it working I would be most interesed, also any parts. Thanks Steve

Thanks for the warm welcome, the Matador is not as bad as the green one, which sadly looks as though its been sat on, I intend to leave it as a timber crane as the majority of its life has been spent that way. Will post a potted history of it tomorrow Last military No 99 YY 52 - Chassis No 0853 8386

Hi All New to the forum having recently joined, I am the owner of a Matador timber tractor which I have started to restore, it seems I need all the advice I can get to bring the old thing back to life. Steve Davies