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| Spiecapag
branded box.
|
 |
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| Basic seat and
controls. |
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| Chunky tracks. |
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| Side boom is a
simple design. |
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| Track frames
have no working rollers. |
|
This is a very unusual model by Conrad produced
exclusively for the VINCI webshop. It is a pipelayer and is made from an original casting first
used by Conrad around 20 years ago. The original model
was a Caterpillar D9G dozer and it was then produced in
a pipelayer version as a Caterpillar 594 with rubber
tracks. It was next released as a Caterpillar 583 with
metal tracks, probably around 1997.
The VINCI company
Spiecapag is a specialist in pipeline construction
owning 200 Caterpillar pipelayers, and to represent
their activities they commissioned this pipelayer model
from Conrad.
Packaging
It comes in a Spiecapag branded box and interestingly there
is no indication of the type of the machine on the box.
The model
is contained within polystyrene trays and the review
model had no defects or missing parts.
There is no assembly required.
Detail
Underneath, the chassis detail is plain with a couple of
large silver screws. The model is marked as number
2874 indicating the heritage of the casting.
The metal tracks are of heavy construction and the
design means that the inside of the track links is not
painted. They are mounted on track frames which look
good, although the drive sprocket and idler wheel are
simple plastic items and there are no working rollers.
The body is a heavy metal casting with the radiator
grille at the front represented by graphics, and the
engine is metal. There is a hole at the front where the
connections for dozer blade cylinders were originally
made. The operator's area consists of a simple
seat and control stick.
There are no indications on the model that this is a
Caterpillar machine possibly for licensing reasons, and
all the applied graphics are of Spiecapag.
The sideboom is a simple metal structure and it is
partly fixed to tractor with a silver screw which would
have been better painted. The single pulley hook
is ready reeved with a single fall of rope. The
luffing rope has three falls and the tiny pulleys appear
to be metal.
The counterweight and winch assembly is metal and the
counterweight slabs are delineated.
Features
The tracks are very smooth rolling. The track
frames pivot a little relative to each other so can be posed on
an uneven surface.
The sideboom angle can be adjusted using a working winch
and there is enough friction to hold any pose. The hook
can also be raised and lowered.
To provide balance the counterweight can move out on a
couple of stiff hydraulic cylinders.
Quality
This is a very solid model.
It has a high metal content and is well finished in
terms of paint work and graphics.
Price
This is a rare and unusual model and it is expensive probably
as a result of the limited numbers in the run.
Overall
VINCI has commissioned this model from Conrad and it is
unusual because of its history, and that it is not
marked with the Caterpillar designation. The
detail level is lower than on more modern models but the
features are good. It is recommended to anyone
wanting something different and can afford the price.
Footnotes
This
version of the model first appeared in 2011 and was made
in a run of 250.
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| Radiator grille
is represented by graphics. |
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| View
underneath. The model is marked as number 2874. |
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| Counterweight
provides balance. |
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| The hole at the
front of the engine is for the connection of the blade
cylinder in the original D9G version of the model. |
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| Hook is reeved
as a single line. |
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