69b - HATRA TRACTOR SHOVEL - unlisted variation

[kwakers]

The appearance of both cross-overs is not illogical at all to those who have owned both base variations of the two color Hatra like Joe and I Antonin. I will admit that it is more unexpected to me though, and I am amazed. These two-tone 'color changeover' models of our Hatras with both bases being found in our U.S. stores meant that the differential casting modification took place at the same time the paint color change was being made. I have never seen or heard of a yellow body with the early base on it, but as usual both sharp eyed Antonin and Brad are able to help Tandyfan add this rare one to Nick's listings. Because the newly introduced yellow colored shovel was available to put on both the remaining early and later based orange bodies, a limited supply of earlier unpainted bodies must have still been available out of stock that were painted in the then 'brand new' yellow paint scheme. Harold Colpitts in his AIM Guide, and also Bob Brennen in his NAMC Guide had the orange body with both bases, but both had the yellow bodied one cataloged with just the later holed base under it. This is a Great variation you three have got there. If Christian has looked for one this long on his side, I better get busy in locating mine over here in the States, life is short.......LOL
This variation had been overlooked by me all these years because once all the known wheel/ body color variations of the yellow one were found in mint condition, I never bothered flipping any of these 'common late' yellow ones over when I saw them for sale. My big mistake! Checking rivet paint as Numi and now Idris have suggested is a great idea to try and add a note at Nick's site.
Like Joe, I always liked these Hatras, even as a young lad. My first two toned version of the Hatra was a favorite of mine in childhood play also, and had it's bottom bucket scraped up by moving dirt around the Aurora Race Track layout my Dad and I built in our cellar. I think both my Dad and my Uncles enjoyed racing on that track as much as we kids did. We even had an assortment of early British small diecast trains and their tracks up in the 'mountains' the race track wound through. Unfortunately, I never had a reversed color Wrecker to tow in disabled Racers, mine was just the common yellow cab version.........kwakers

[Tinman]

This variation had been overlooked by me all these years because once all the known wheel/ body color variations of the yellow one were found in mint condition, I never bothered flipping any of these 'common late' yellow ones over when I saw them for sale. My big mistake! Checking rivet paint as Numi and now Idris have suggested is a great idea to try and add a note at Nick's site.

My opinion of the rarity of yellow paint on the early body is obviously overshadowed by my luck and ease of finding them. I've formed a far greater respect for these and it looks like they are indeed very hard to find. Like Dick says, you have to turn over the common ones to find the odd ones. How many times have we passed up a model that we thought was common when it wasn't ... we'll never know because we can get jaded and pass them by without further inspection.

[kwakers]

I was very lucky just about a year ago to find one of those all orange Hatras with the later round hole base and the braced bucket on it. I noticed a Seller on E Bay was about 1 1/2 hours away from me, and he had a childhood collection of his in a Bronner 48 Car Case. The Hatra was not really a big deal to me at the time to have found in his stash, but I guess $30 was a downright bargain. I figured if Brennen and Colpitts had them in their guides along with Stannard, it was just another common color change variation I had missed. An uncataloged 60A Morris Pickup with rear window and 9X24 GPW was my favorite Lesney found that day (Of about 6 I needed out of perhaps 35 he had left to sell!). A fun and memorable short trip, and a new friendship for both he and I.
I just re-read your Post Antonin to find it was the scoop brace that you found illogical to find both ways. It now seems to me that the scoop brace was changed just before the base casting was, giving at least 2 variations in orange with the braced scoop. The paint color was changed during that same production period, so I guess a tub or two of the unbraced buckets was also brought out and mixed in to yield a yellow version that breaks all the 'rules' as we knew them. LOL......I like it.....kwakers

[Tinman]

An interesting thread with some enlightning comments.