Liebherr R353

[Shovelman]

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to look at this thread and reply.

Nice!

It looks repainted, so thats why it is probably in such good contition...

Niklas,

Yes; of course it has been repainted recently, and probably not for the first time! I should have chosen my words more carefully, and will try to do so in the future. What I meant by "good condition" was the originality of the machine. It appeared (to me) that the machine was very much as it was when it left the Kirchdorf/Iller factory, and had not been restored in any way. I hope you understand my meaning?

Nice!

It looks repainted, so thats why it is probably in such good contition...

Crinkled sheet metal with no paint damage sort of gives it away.....

Hey!! Come on give this fantastic old machine a break...after all we all look a bit wrinkly after 45 yrs !!

Nick

Ive got plenty of old iron. I notice it has something you rarely see now--- a boom with an adjustable length.
older machines often has geometry changes and the like available

Robert,

I agree with you regarding the variable length stick and am surprised that no manufacturer has tried to market a machine with some sort of telescopic action on the stick! It would be a great compliment to the hydraulically actuated boom/stick angle noted by Robban_C and IBH.

All the best,

John

[IBH]

I have seen second-hand (used) Hitachi excavators for sale with telescopic dippers in the UK press, but never seen a excavator with such an adaption in use.

Bobcat to my knowledge offer a telescopic dipper on some of their 3-5 tonne mini ecavators.

There was a recent article in the UK magazine Earthmovers about a UK Neuson excavator dealer who is offering a telescopic dipper based on JCBs Extradig design to customers but will only fit it to Neuson machines.

[Robban_C]

It seems that the telescopic dippers were more common on compacts in the 90:s than they are today.
And the 2-piece booms are more much common on the bigger ones (most of all on 10 tons and up wheeled excavators) but I wolud really like to have 2-piece boom on my EC35 as it probably would give some extra reach without that much weight penalty that I think the telescopic dippers give.

[Forksni]

Ive got plenty of old iron. I notice it has something you rarely see now--- a boom with an adjustable length.
older machines often has geometry changes and the like available

The first tracked excavator I ever worked with (in 1995) was a Ford H44, it had an "adjustable boom" & 2 position ram mounting on the boom for general purpose work or higher lifting power work. However with the age it was (20ish years old at that time) it was used with a Montebert hammer & occasionally with a bucket for hard digging (JCB 814S with Powerslide was useless compared to it) or loading lorries for stockpiles. Was a beast of a machine to drive but I liked it

[Nick Drew]

Yeh, Great brochure shot there Forksni!!

We had an Ford H42 at Wimpeys in the late 70s, to be honest I thought it was an awful machine to operate but its regular operator Terry Tapp loved it, it was replaced by a Priestman Mustang 108S, Sadly I have no photos of that era of my working life

I think those Ford machines were based on/or even may have been badged Richier/Olemat machines....anyone have any archive shots of these machines

Nick

[IBH]

From memory Richier were owned by Ford for a period of time before being sold back to French ownership.
One of Peter Grimshaws excavator bibles would tell you more.

[Nick Drew]

From memory Richier were owned by Ford for a period of time before being sold back to French ownership.
One of Peter Grimshaws excavator bibles would tell you more.

Good point IBH!!!

I should have dashed upstairs and done some homework with Mr Grimshaws trusty books

IBH, You are proving to be a valuable and well informed member here...Thanks for your contributions

What is your background in the machine game ??

Nick

[Shovelman]

Forksni,

Thanks for posting the scans of the Ford brochure! This is certainly a brochure I would like to add to my archive. My personal favorite excavator is the hydraulic front/face shovel.

I would be very interested to see what the cover of this brochure looks like and what the print code is so I can search for a copy. If you dont want to post it here; please feel free to contact me directly?

All the best,

John

shovelman@firewireinternet.com

[Forksni]

Hello John,

The print code for the Ford 360 Hydraulic Excavators brochure is GB.02/75/29m/IRE 6.5m

The code for the Ford H42/H44 brochure is MSP - 11000 - 7-73 it also has UK/7/73 on it.

The brochures are a wee bit tatty but I have attached a scan of the front & back of the 2 brochures for you. I can scan the whole of the 2 brochures & emailthem to you if its any help to you?

The only shots I have of Ford & Richier machines are scanned from their brochures. The Richier P42/H42 brochure is dated 11/80 (post Ford era), Im not sure if Oleomat was before or after Ford, the company I worked for on the Ford used to run a red Oleomat (before my days with them), it was sold to a farmer in a village just outside Coleraine. If it hasnt rotted away yet the next time Im by Ill see if I can get a pic of it.