K4B & M4 GMC Tractor & Fruehauf Hopper

[charliep]

K4B & M4 GMC Tractor & Fruehauf Hopper train
M4 issued in 1965, transitioned into K4 in 1967.

Cab baseplate: Major Pack & No.M4 or King Size & No.K4.
Cab steps/tool box: Inside outer side is either smooth or with with vertical stiffener.
Rectangular strengthener behind pivot boss: type A. without; type B. with rectangular strengthener.
Towing pin: 2 sizes - 5MM with flat top or 3MM with rounded top.
Turntable rivets: Plated or with protective coating.

Rear of hoppers: With or without a casting ridge located low and in front of the towing pin.
Hoppers: Web type braces added (filled in) underneath. Earlier issues did not have this.
Hoppers: Web type strengtheners added underneath both ends on later releases.

Labels: Large "F" or small "F" .
Tires: Gray or black.
Hubs: Orange or red.
Windows: Green.

Major Pack M4:
1. Dk.red cab/gry tires/orange hubs/typ A pivot boss/smooth tool box/lrg tow pin/sil hoppers/rear cast ridge line/underneath web strengtheners/no filled area/large "F" label.
2. Dk.red cab/blk tires/type A pivot boss/smooth tool box/lrg tow pin/sil hoppers/rear cast ridge line/no underneath web strengtheners/no filled area/large "F" label.
3. Dk.red cab/blk tires/type A pivot boss/smooth tool box/lrg tow pin/sil hoppers/rear cast ridge line/underneath web strengtheners/no filled area/large "F" label.
4. Dull red cab/blk tires/type B pivot boss/smooth tool box/lrg tow pin/sil hoppers/rear cast ridge line/underneath web strengtheners/has filled area/large "F" label.

King size K4:
1. Dk.red cab/gry tires/type B pivot boss/strengthener inside tool box/sml tow pin/sil hoppers/no rear cast ridge line/underneath web strengtheners/has filled area/lrg "F" label.
2. Dk.red cab/blk tires/type B pivot boss/strengthener inside tool box/sml tow pin/sil hoppers/no rear cast ridge line/underneath web strengtheners/has filled area/lrg "F" label.
3. Dk.red cab/blk tires/type B pivot boss/strengthener inside tool box/sml tow pin/sil hoppers/no rear cast ridge line/underneath web strengtheners/has filled area/sml "F" label.
4. Dk.red cab/blk tires/type B pivot boss/strengthener inside tool box/lrg tow pin/sil hoppers/no rear cast ridge line/underneath web strengtheners/has filled area/sml "F" label.
5. Dk.red cab/blk tires/type B pivot boss/smooth tool box/sml tow pin/sil hoppers/no rear cast ridge line/underneath web strengtheners/has filled area/large "F" label.
6. Dk.red cab/blk tires/type B pivot boss/smooth tool box/lrg tow pin/sil hoppers/no rear cast ridge line/underneath web strengtheners/has filled area/large "F" label.
7. Dk.red cab/blk tires/type B pivot boss/smooth tool box/lrg tow pin/sil hoppers/with rear cast ridge line/underneath web strengtheners/has filled area/large "F" label.

[Tinman]

Just a stunning collection of M4's and K4's with so many great variations. One of many Major Pack favorites for me.

Years ago, I passed on an offer to buy a mint condition model because I had never seen or heard of the rectangle labels. I thought someone had put reproduction labels on the set.

[yellowfoden]

Another comprehensive listing Charlie, love it.

I like the comparison shots that show the turntable rivets having protective coating as apposed to being plated, great photos all round.

Here is an image that is my screen saver as a reminder to keep searching for the grey plastic tyre paired with orange hubs. I see you don’t list the wheel hub colour, have you ever seen the orange version?

Happy new year.

Bert

[Tinman]

Another comprehensive listing Charlie, love it.

I like the comparison shots that show the turntable rivets having protective coating as apposed to being plated, great photos all round.

Here is an image that is my screen saver as a reminder to keep searching for the grey plastic tyre paired with orange hubs. I see you don’t list the wheel hub colour, have you ever seen the orange version?

Happy new year.

Bert

I found the truck and articulated front trailer with orange hubs. Sadly, rear trailer was missing as were all the tires. The orange hubs had shrunken so badly that I decided to put the tighter fitting reproduction tires on the model, even then I had to shim the old hubs with some tape. I'll look to see if I've any photos of it.

One caution about the grey tire models, tire switching is an issue so don't pay a premium.

[yellowfoden]

Thanks Joe,

I thought I had a win online a few years ago but the problem turned out to be incorrect colour balance and the hubs were red. Not all bad though it was a different casting and nice box.

All the best for 2018 to you and yours.

Bert

[charliep]

Hi Joe & Bert,
Thank you for the nice comments and Happy New Year to you and to all the forum readers. It was not easy trying to decipher the variations as I had some of them in their original boxes in storage and others on the display shelf. I also had to be careful with the tires to keep them from falling underneath the deck, but fortunately only a couple of them were an issue. I shot the pictures outside with below freezing temperatures but overall it was productive and I am satisfied with the results. WRT to the orange hubs and gray wheel variation - I have yet to see one for sale anywhere. Collecting these models is a long term commitment and although I have been at it for a while now, I keep learning new stuff and finding new variations that may have been somehow overlooked and not documented. I keep finding variations of Superkings/Speedkings which resulted in the addition of dozens of variations during 2017. That is perhaps one reason why collecting them keeps things very interesting and of course challenging (especially to the display shelf space).
Charlie

[Idris]

WRT to the orange hubs and gray wheel variation - I have yet to see one for sale anywhere.

On my laptop, the hubs of the upper (i.e. grey-tyred) model shown in the photograph below (copied from your original post) appear orange. Is this an optical illusion?

[charliep]

Hi Idris,
Thanks for pointing that out. That is not an optical illusion. I double checked it again and it indeed has orange hubs. I was going to mention in my previous posting, that the K4 with gray wheels
was in its original box and doubt if it was ever opened. I must have had it for a long time because it wasn't even on the display shelf. I am attaching a picture I took of it before I removed it from
the box and fortunately had it downloaded into my PC. I will update the notes of the original post as well. All the best for the New Year.
Charlie

[yellowfoden]

Hello Charlie and Hugh,

That is very interesting, I also thought there was a difference hence my original question but the more I looked the more my eyes started to tell me to rest.

Now with this being a K4 with orange hubs that is doubly interesting.

Here is a method I use to over lay other photos when I am now not sure of colours to show the red versus orange comparison.


Bert

[Tinman]

My assumption has always been that the gray tires on the M4 were the result of a shortage of black tires or an error on the assembly line. Same goes for the orange hubs (IMHO). 

I wonder if anyone has the green pre-production M4 model featured in many photos/illustrations?

With regard to gray tires, I am not doubting the authenticity of any models shown, I just wanted to make a general comment to all unsuspecting collectors. There has never been a shortage of these gray tires as they were used on the car transporter for such a long time. As a result, those tires find their way from old transporters and onto other models where they can jack up the price with a simple tire switch. The GMC hopper train is but one example, putting them on certain Hatra's is another and if you think about the other models sharing this same tire you can get a grasp of the issue. Hence the don't pay a premium warning.  A very realistic reproduction gray tire is also produced. However, it's color is off and it's a much lighter gray shade.  If you come across a model with this tire and it looks too light in color then you know it's a reproduction tire.