Title: Sunshine H.S.T. Model Ground-Drive Header Harvester
Record No: 0006

Product Type: Harvesters
Product Line: Header Harvesters
Subjects:

Brandname: Sunshine
Model/s: H.S.T. Header (Ground-Drive)

Manufacturer: H.V. McKay Massey Harris Pty. Ltd.
Where Made: Sunshine, Victoria, Australia
Distributor: H.V. McKay Massey Harris Pty Ltd (and local agents)
Production Dates: 1936 [1] to 1948 [11]

Size/Capacity & Weight:

8 ft. or 10 ft. width of cut and later also 6 ft. cut (by 1938)
Weight: 8 ft.cut machine 38 cwt 2 qtr 0 lbs (1,956 kg); 10 ft.cut machine 42 cwt 1 qrt 0 lbs (2,146 kg) [1]


Function:
Drawn by team or tractor, the H.S.T. Header Harvester completes in one continuous operation the work of gathering, cutting, threshing and cleaning the grain. Designed for use on wheat, rye & barley crops. 

Features: [1,2]
* Ground wheel drive
* Horse team or tractor drive
* Harvests every condition and type of crop, including down and tangled crop
* Primarily used for harvesting wheat, oats and barley but also harvested peas, lupin, sudan grass, lucerne, rye, millet, etc
* New straight feed twin spiral reel front
* Roller chain drive with adjustable speed

Options/Attachments:
Various accessories were offered to enable harvesting of a wide range of crops, improved crop handling, and, to better manage the harvesting of  'down' or storm-damaged and weed-infested crops:
* (by 1935) 'Shipard' Lever-Controlled Crop Lifter for Sunshine Header Harvesters
* (by 1929) 'Sunslope' Ear Lifter for Sunshine Header Harvesters
* (by 1934) Canadian Type Crop Lifter for Sunshine Header Harvesters
* (by 1932) Adjustable Divider for Tangled Crops for Sunshine Header Harvesters
* (by 1939) 'Sunsweep' Chokecutter for Sunshine H.S.T. Header Harvesters
* (by 1927) 'Sundump' Chaffsaver for Sunshine Header Harvesters
* (by 1923) Pea Harvesting Head for Sunshine Header Harvesters
* (by 1929) Feed Table & Straw Elevator for conversion to Stationary Threshing Machine
* (by 1938) Power-Take-Off Attachment for Sunshine Ground-Drive Headers
* 2-Horse Swingletrees and/or Pole for transport
* Double wheel forecarriage
* Tractor Hitch
* Hillside Attachment
* Baffle reel with drive for 8 ft. cut Header Harvesters
* 23-bushel Grain Box in lieu of 17-bushel Grain Box (8 ft. cut machines)
* Bagging Platform in lieu of Grain Box
* Bagging Platform with Tipping Tray
* Three-step Riddle in lieu of standard
* Canvas Extension for Straw Walker Case
* Additional Grease Gun

Other Information:
Invented by Mr Headlie Shipard Taylor, whose name led to the H.S.T. initials given to this 1936 upgrade of his original design. Headlie Taylor had worked indepedently on the development of this first reaper-thresher or 'header' harvester designs on the family farm near Henty, New South Wales, between 1911-1914. In 1916 he was employed by H.V. McKay. [3, 4]

Compared to the earlier Sunshine Header Harvester (later known as the Sunshine Standard Header), the H.S.T. model Header was equipped with a 'New Front Spiral Reel has greater capacity and draws the heads straight back, thus eliminating comb wear. It is larger in diameter and of much heavier steel. Wider and stronger comb fingers, with an extended (and renewable) ledger plate of the finest heat-treated steel, are provided also. The knife is stronger and cuts cleanly and with exceptional smoothness. The rear spiral runs at a much faster speed, so that the incoming crop is quickly and positively conveyed to the front elevator and drum.' [2]

Patents:
Shippard Crop Lifter, Sundump Chaff Saver

Price:
1936 - prices for delivery on rails at Sunshine: [1]
¼ cash before starting; balance 1st Feb following.
With standard-size steel wheels:
8 ft. cut with 17-bushel grain box        £168/-/-
10 ft. cut with 23 bushel grain box      £195/-/-

1947 [10]
With Steel Wheels
6 ft. cut                                                 £264/-/-
8 ft. cut                                                 £276/-/-
10 ft. cut                                               £306/-/-

With Wood Rims:

8 ft. cut with 12" main   £286/10/0
8 ft. cut with 14" main   £292/10/0
10 ft. cut with 14" main   £320/10/0

With Flanged Steel Wheels:
6 ft. cut with 13¼" main £268/5/0
8 ft. cut with 13¼" main £280/5/0
10 ft. cut with 13¼" main £314/0/0

Preceding Product: 1921 Sunshine Header Harvester (Reaper-Thresher)

Suceeding Product: 1949 Sunshine No.6 Ground-Drive Header Harvester

Related Products:
1914   The Prototype Headlie S. Taylor Reaper Thresher ('Nil Desperandum')
1916   The Taylor Reaper Thresher (Header Harvester)
1917   'Sunlight' Header Harvester (Reaper-Thresher)
1921   Sunshine Header Harvester (Reaper-Thresher)
1921   Sunshine (2 Cylinder) Engine-Functioned Header Harvester
1929   Sunshine (4 Cylinder) Engine-Functioned Header Harvester
1936   Sunshine H.S.T. Model Power-Take-Off Header Harvester
1936   Sunshine H.S.T. Model Engine-Functioned Header Harvester
1939   Sunshine H.S.T. Model (Engine-Functioned) Rice Header Harvester
1948   Sunshine No.6 Ground-Drive Header Harvester

Cataloguers: J. O'Callaghan; J. Douglas; L. Dale; H. McGeehan, J. Long , Tony Green

Date Created: 14/04/2004

Last Modified: 29/10/2025 

References: (All items from Museums Victoria Collections unless otherwise noted)

  1. TL 41016, Price Book - H.V. McKay, Victoria Price Book, 1936.
  2. TL 10727, Catalogue - H.V. McKay Massey Harris, 'Sunshine & Massey Harris Farm Implements', Victoria, 1936.
  3. HT 7155, Memorandum of Agreement - H.V. McKay, Hugh Victor McKay Machinery Manufacturer & Headlie Shippard Taylor, Mar 1916.
  4. HT 30862, Manuscript - H.S. Taylor, "The Genesis of the Sunshine Header", circa 1940.
  5. MM 018608, Photograph - H.V. McKay Massey Harris, Farm Equipment Manufacture & Field Trials, Sunshine, Victoria, Dec 1935.
  6. MM 018576, Photograph - H.V. McKay Massey Harris, Horse-Drawn Header Harvester at Work, Katunga, via Numurkah, Victoria, Jan 1935.
  7. TL 00968, Publicity Brochure - H.V. McKay Massey Harris, 'Sunshine Header Harvesters', Victoria, 1947.
  8. MM 018608, Photograph - H.V. McKay Massey Harris, Farm Equipment Manufacture & Field Trials, Sunshine, Victoria, Dec 1935.
  9. TL 000957, Publicity Brochure - H.V. McKay Massey Harris Pty Ltd, H.S.T. Header Harvester, Sunshine, Victoria, 1936.
  10. TL 39738, Price Book - H.V. McKay Massey Harris Pty Ltd, 'Sunshine and Massey Harris Farm Machinery Agents Price Book No.47', Victoria, 1947.
  11. Handbook - 'Massey-Ferguson Grain Harvest Handbook', Sunshine, Victoria, circa 1964.

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