1/64 Variations
By: Dan Adamson

I am looking forward to the National Farm Toy Show next month. Make sure you stop by the TTT table and say hi to Jason. He will be located in the museum gym.

Ertl introduced the 1st combines in 1/80th scale just prior to the release of the 1/80th scale cotton pickers. Collectors had the option of an IH Axial Flow combine with a grain head or a JD Titan combine with a corn head. The initial release of both of these models came with heads that could not be removed from the combine.
The first variation of the JD combine was released with a black unloading auger.

This combine is rare, but can be found at large toy shows. These augers were held to the body with a simple press fit pin. The black auger model uses a steel pin.


The green auger models use a green plastic pin. The plastic pins are easily removed. Not only is the black auger unique to the first JD combine, but the reel on the grain head is yellow.

Just like the JD 8850 and round baler, the first JD combines were painted the wrong color green. The first few variations were painted a lighter green. The second variation still only comes with the grain head. Now it has the green auger and black real that we are all familiar with.
The third variation introduced the interchangeable corn and grain heads. The JD model used the front axle to attach the head.

A simple notch was used to slip the heads on and off. Unlike today’s models, these were made of a soft plastic and did not break the first time you changed heads. The last JD model was made as a Titan II and the yellow cab top was changed to green.

There are at least 4 IH combine variations. The first combine has a black auger like the JD model, only the IH combine with a black auger is extremely rare. I have never seen one, and don’t know of anybody with one in their collection. Here is a picture from the 1982 Ertl toy catalog.

The first IH combines were also a different color.

They had a darker red paint than the normal IH red. The first IH combines came with a non-detachable corn head that was held to the body with a rivet or a steel pin.

This was later changed to the detachable corn and grain heads that were held on by small posts.

Unlike the dark cab glass on the JD combines, the first IH combines had clear cab glass, but there is no interior detail. The later model cabs have black cab glass. The earliest IH models have a hole in the rear gusset.

This would later be filled and made to hold the two body halves together. Lastly there is a large and a small decal variation.

The early models have a small IH decal compared to the large decal of the later models.
There are a few other variations to look for where the size of the decal was mingled in with other feature changes.
Have fun at the show in a few weeks. Maybe this will give you something to look for.

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