G'day Shadow et al.,
Firstly, I know this discussion would be a truckload easier with photos. Unfortunately I work exclusively from this iPad and it refuses to upload photos to this site without a massive amount of farnarking! I intend to buy a shiny new laptop soon but in the meantime.....
To begin. Geenfield was started in 1966 by a bloke called Theo Reinhold. The model history is sketchy, partly at least because the factory had little time for record-keeping. The first Greenies were Red. They had a different front axle mounting to the later HD8's and a solid front tyre (i.e not pneumatic). The Reds also had a single drive belt running fromm the engine. These are the major differences that differentiate a pre 1970 (????) from a later HD8. The red beasties came with a Honda G65 and probably a Fuji but personally I've only seen them with the Honda.
Now, Gadge mentioned in a thread recently that he had an inkling that the very first Greenies were different (and the suggestion is that only the 1966 machines were different) but he wasnt sure what the difference was. I had a 2am epiphany moment a couple of weeks back and I think I might know what it is. The HD8 and most of the Reds have a 'lowered' engine mount area made of thin plate steel. I've wondered in the past why old Theo did this. I suddenly realised I'd seen photos of Old Reds where this dropdown didn't exist and the chassis beam carried straight through. Jace, who has joined this site recently has one. I believe this is the earliest model that Gadge was talking about!
After about 1970 the yellow HD8 was introduced. As I said it had pneumatic front tyres and a much needed from axle mounting upgrade as all the Reds I've seen have cracks in this area. But apart from that, pretty much the same animal. I've also seen one (only one) HD10 on Gumbay. Same dog with a 10HP Honda.
Around 1973 or 74 they came out with the Mini Tractor 5 and 8. These were a squat little machine. Kind of funny. I think they sold these alongside the HD's for a time. Superdooper has one. I've got one but I'm cutting mine up for bits.
In about 1976 they came out with a short lived 'interim' model that has been the subject of discussion recently on another forum. It had the mechanicals of the old HD's but the newer styling we were to see on the machines that they produced so many of in the 80's. It is a very rare machine, so it seems. It appears that around 1977 they ditched the Mini Tractor 8 and the 'interim model' that I've Christened Frankengreenie
and produced the Tractor 8 and the Tractor 10. The 10 was soon replaced with the 11. BTW, the numbers all refer to HP ratings and all the Tractors were Briggs powered as far as I know. Note also the Mini Tractor and the Tractor are different dogs. The Mini Tractor 5 remained in production with it bigger Tractor brothers. I'm not sure when the Mini production ceased but the tractors were replaced by the anniversary model (???) in 1991 after having gone through a minor staying change in the late 80's
I need someone else to fill in from here as here my knowledge ends.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
