Matador Gallery

[ian201]

Hi chaps, great to see this thread being update with lots of photo's. I have just just pulled this Matador out of a Saw Mill in the new forest (last week). The restoration to start in anger after the Overlord show. With the exception of the A frame the truck is nice and original and looks to have seen service in Malta and then may be on to the

 

Italian campain. Markings visible under the green paint, the sand paint is the original. It is Chassis No 08535696, still trying to nail the build date (think 1943) so if any one can help it would be appreciated. The truck's civ'y reg is I think 901 KPC.The photo's are not in the correct order. The bottom one was taken around 1980 and the rest the January this year. The restoration back to its military spec will be uploaded to the solentoverlord.co.uk web site with monthly updates with any luck. Ian

[Ed Batchelor]

Great to see another one rescued, what happened to the radiator, looks like it was present up until fairly recently.

Regards,

Ed

[ian201]

Hi Ed, The rad was lifted out to access the steering box as one of the bolts had sheered. I left the rad off for the transport home as the next job is to do some work on the engine, hope to get it working in the next few weeks as would like to get it to overlord show in June in its current condition before the restoration starts. Ian

[Ed Batchelor]

I think the steering boxes had a habit of working loose, there is a bit in the drivers manual to check tightness, one is impossible to get at without removing rad as you found out! I towed mine on a straight bar all the way from Harlow common to Hampshire!

[ian201]

Hi Ed,

 

That must have been a bit of a mission ?. We had the Scania pushing with a straight bar and my disco pulling like mad to get this Matador out of the soft ground for about 400m. All good fun. Mine is now in located in Hampshire/ sussex border, where abouts are you based. ianc

[matadormike]

Hi,

 

This is a pic of my 1950 Timber Tractor, it needs a fair bit of work in a few places but runs and drives, its even moved a couple of fallen trees, great fun

 

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Mike

[Mattyboy]

sorry no more details, but its a great picture

[Niels v]

that might be from norway

[pc1959]

I have been looking for a Matador for about a year now but they suddenly seem really thin on the ground. The last one I came close to was a last Christmas but since then all the ones I have seen for sale have already been restored, lovely but out of my price range.

What's the going rate for a timber tractor in need of a complete rebuild these days? I'd actually prefer one of these as I have a bit of work for it to do.

Any pointers as to where to look? I'm based in East Sussex.

[Niels v]

There is a Matador forsale on milweb http://www.milweb.net/classifieds/large_image.php?ad=61329&cat=4

no connection

[Niels v]

Hi

I have just seen this matador forsale in Norway.... it looks pretty good but needs restoration.

http://veteran.autodb.no/?_cmd=results&ListOrder&xChassisType_Multiple=1003009&xBrand_Multiple=0&xModel_Multiple=0&AdType=0&AdItemText_Match&Price_Min&Price_Max&xYearModel_Min&xYearModel_Max&xMileage_Min&xMileage_Max&xTransmission=0&dummy_chkfuel1=on&dummy_checkbox=on#AdItemId1443322

 

No conection with the seller

[ransomesmg6]

Here is my recent aquisation, a AEC Matador breakdown lorry as used by my grandad in the 1970's-80's where he worked for Henley Transport as a workshop foreman! Although the ol' girl has a blown engine, it's in reasonably good cosmetic condition, and hopefully will be back on the rally scene in the not so distance future!

 

[AndyFowler]

Lovely looking old girl mate ! How wonderfull to be able to own a piece of your family history after all these years ! Bet its a great feeling being behind the wheel of your Grandads old lorry ! :-D

[ransomesmg6]

Yes, its a good feeling, but the smile on my grandad's face when the lorry arrived after not seeing it for 20 or so years was priceless! :-D

 

Regards

Henry

[nptimber]

Yes, its a good feeling, but the smile on my grandad's face when the lorry arrived after not seeing it for 20 or so years was priceless! :-D

 

Regards

Henry

 

great to see the matador back on home turf well done

[ransomesmg6]

Yes certainly good to see it back home as it were! Start of a new side of old machinery for me, so looking forward to starting work on it!

 

I will keep you and your brother informed on progress as i go along!

 

Regards

Henry

[Zero-Five-Two]

Nice one, Henry. Can't wait for the restoration blog, best of luck with it. I can see a visit to view progress coming on here

Edited May 3, 2012 by Zero-Five-Two
add more

[ransomesmg6]

I expect we can sort something out at some point as regards to a viewing!

[Niels v]

Matador on its way to a new home some where in europe.... sadly not me

Edited May 9, 2012 by Niels v

[Zero-Five-Two]

Saw these at AEC show Newark May 2012. Good showing of all types of Matador. Will post second lot once I get them sorted out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Zero-Five-Two]

AEC rally part 2

 

 

It is a Matador, honestly!!

 

 

 

Card board sign on front says; Anybody got a set of Leyland 690 liners. It also needs a gearbox and a lot of TLC

 

 

3 different types of timber crane conversion

 

 

Douglas Matador variant

[Smithy]

Quite a few Matador pics here from Malta:

 

http://maltabuses.piwigo.com/index?/category/83-aec

[Smithy]

This one still survives then as my dad saw this advert at the Earls Barton show the other weekend.

[ransomesmg6]

Here are some photos of my AEC Matador that a few members would like to see some photos of.

Here shows it just after we got it home yesterday!

[john_g_kearney]

I have posted these elsewhere on this forum, but having found this excellent thread I add them here for completeness. This Matador was on a Maltese quayside - possibly Cyclops Bay - in October 1980. Apart from the loss of its military registration number, the vehicle appeared to be unchanged from when it was in service with the Royal Artillery. The tyres were fully inflated and there was no wind-blown debris against them, so I think the vehicle may have been still in civilian use (though it had no civilian registration number). I presume that the tac marks were those of the Royal Malta Artillery, though I do not know the meaning of the '1' on the RA red/blue sign.

 

A Matador in one of the photographs seen via the link in post number 972 has the same tac marks.

 

John.