LQ #53 Outtakes & Photos

The January issue, LQ #53, was in the mail at the end of the first week in January. Delivery will be a little slower than usual because the printing company and the mail house were closed four days for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

Christmas Greetings from the UK

This issue also concluded what was a memorable year that celebrated the 175th anniversary of Massey. I think that it was nicely summed up by UK collector Malcolm Robinson who sent along this Christmas greeting from he and his friends at the Eastern England Massey-Harris Museum.

Inside Front Cover

In keeping with the theme of company history, the inside front cover was the 1922 Massey-Harris Company Catalog, from the collection of Ontario resident, Ken Reichert. The 1920’s saw the major shift from horse power to tractor power. It also signaled the transition to mechanical harvesting, leaving the back-breaking work behind. It is also an excellent example of the high-quality graphic design and art work that was the hallmark of Massey-Harris.

Massey History, Part IV

The four part series of our extensive history of the Massey Company was concluded with this issue. We have covered a lot of information during the past year and I hope that you have enjoyed it. There was a long list of contributors who made this detailed history possible. They were: Joe Beckerman, Jeff Miller, Gary Wermuth, Mike Popp, Carl Morrison, Len Holo, Daren Meyers, David Morrison, Tony Fox, Dave Nichole, Ray Bianchi, Jim Norton, John Farnworth, Brian Stemm, Dale Fredritz, Harold Lang, Steve Bughi, Jim Esbenshade, Dave Wawak, Myron Smith, Arid McCombie, the late Ward McConnell, the late Rich Onesti, the late Kerry English, and the late Frank, Vieira.

The fourth and final installment of company history began with the year 1958–the beginning of the new Massey Ferguson Company–and ended in 1988. That year was the beginning of the hard process of bankruptcy in which the AGCO Corporation purchased the Massey Ferguson brand.

Massey Ferguson 65 (#4 and #5)

The new company’s first in-house designed tractor was the Massey Ferguson Model 65 which was released with much fanfare. The new Model 65 followed closely the traditional Ferguson design with the sheet metal painted Massey red while the body of the tractor was finished in flint-metallic gray. The US version heavily favored the Massey-Harris 50, whereas the UK version closely resembled the Ferguson 40. This, however, was where most of the similarities to the earlier models ended.

The American version used a Continental four-cylinder, 176 cu in engine in both the gas and LPG versions. In 1958, the gas model was tested at Nebraska, test # 659, in which the tractor produced 46 hp on the belt and 41 hp on the drawbar. The diesel version tested in 1960, during test # 745. It was powered by a 4-cylinder 204 cu in Perkins engine with a 3.6 x 5.0 inch bore and stroke and produced 48 PTO horsepower and 42 hp on the drawbar. In 1960, using a newer, higher compression, Perkins engine, test # 808, showed that the horsepower on the PTO had increased to 50.98

Moline and Oliver Built Tractors (#6, #7 and #8 and #8-A & 9)

The Model 65 was a good seller but that company needed a larger horsepower tractor to complete with other companies. Until larger tractors could be designed and built, it was decided to purchase tractors from a reliable outside source and re-badge them as Massey Ferguson. The first of these new transitional tractors would be built by one of Massey Ferguson's major competitors, Minneapolis Moline. It was a rather unconventional idea and it was very obvious that the MF 95 and MF 97 were a Moline Model GBD and a G-VI.

On October 28,1959, the first twenty-five Massey Ferguson 98’s began to roll out of the Charles City, Iowa factory. The remaining 475 tractors were built the following year. Counting the three prototypes that were built, the run would number 503 units. Each tractor had a tag that clearly stated, Massey Ferguson 98, built by the Oliver Corporation. Since the Massey Ferguson 98 was a straight drawbar tractor, there was no Ferguson System 3-point hitch. Instead, Oliver supplied a heavy duty, swinging roller drawbar. Being mainly a plow tractor, there was little need for a PTO.

MF 85, 88 and Super 90 Tractors (#9-A)

The Detroit-built rollout started with the Model 85 and 88. These models were followed by the highly successful 100 Series tractors and finally the 1100 Series. The MF 88 was a Western-style tractor with non-adjustable wheels, no three-point hitch and a straight drawbar. The Model 85, built 1959-1962, filled an important niche in the horsepower line-up. The MF 88 belongs to Myron Smith, the MF 98 and Super 90 belongs to Jim Norton.

Massey Ferguson Articulated Tractors (#10)

The first big articulated Massey Ferguson arrived in 1971 in the form of the MF 1500, which was powered by a 573 ci Caterpillar V-8 engine. There was also a more powerful MF Model 1800 producing 180 hp introduced at the same time. In 1975, the MF 1500 became the MF 1505 at 135 hp and the MF 1800 became the MF 1805 with a Caterpillar engine producing 210 hp.

The 4000 Series Tractors (#11)

Considered one of the most successful models that the company produced, the 4000 Series tractors became the flagship of the Massey Ferguson fleet in the late 1970’s. This tractor was well built, had a powerful and reliable Cummins power plant and featured a host of new innovative features. In June, 1980, Massey Ferguson added the MF 4900 to the model line-up. This gave customers a choice of four different models in the 4000 Series line-up: (photo #19-B)

Innovative features on this model were many but in the most notable were the transmission and the electronic three-point hitch. The new Massey Ferguson designed and built transmission was used on all four models. The 18-speed transmission featured a 3-speed shift-on-the-go which permit shifting without bring the tractor to a complete stop, allowing the operator to get more work done in less time.

MF 2000 Series (#12)

By 1977, Massey Ferguson released a new line of high horsepower, two-wheel drive tractors called the 2000 Series. They were the 2770 rated at 160 hp and the 2800, rated at 190 hp. This made the MF 2800 the most powerful two-wheel drive tractor on the market. These were later upgraded to the 2775 and 2805. An option was a twenty-four speed, Power Shift transmission. These tractors were probably the most technologically advanced machines on the market at that time.

The production of the Massey Ferguson 2000 Series tractors ended in 1982 with the closing to the Detroit plant. In the end, only 13,525 total tractors from the entire 2000 Series had been built. Most people will agree that the MF 2805 was a bigger, more powerful and more technologically advanced tractor. Maybe another year in field-testing would have made all the difference in the world. The rush to beat Deere, Case, International Harvester and the others was in hindsight, just too much pressure.

The End of Massey Ferguson in North America (#13)

The building of the 4000 Series tractors were moved to Brantford, Ontario. As the company continued to unravel financially, production ended there in 1988. Massey Ferguson became the Verity Corporation and all tractors sold were built outside of North American.

As bankruptcy loomed, creditors lined up to take whatever assets they could. On October 24, 1988, MCC–Massey Combine Corporation and its assets were put up for sale by its receiver and were auctioned off in about 1,000 lots. One of those parcels was the 4000 Series tractor and the entire remaining inventory of parts. It was purchased by McConnell Tractors Ltd. of Kingston, North Carolina, who marketed it as the Massey Ferguson 5200. McConnell gave buyers the choice of two different 6-cylinder engines–the Detroit Diesel 390 hp Series 60 or the 375 hp Cummins NTP 855.

MF Industrial Equipment (#14, #15, #16, #17 and #18)

The Last Massey Combines, Part I (#19 & #20)

Much has been written about Massey combines and what happened to Massey Ferguson combine production. There have been several books written about this subject and it is very complicated. What we are trying to do is explain what happened and maybe why. We are fortunate to have Quebec contributor and writer Gordon Barnett, who was willing to take the time to sift through all of the interviews and photos to produce an understandable and readable account.

The January issue begins with Part I, starting out the Massey-Harris model 20 combine and on to the hardy and reliable Model 21A of Harvest Brigade fame. It includes the TX900 Rotary combines and includes many unpublished photos taken as snapshots by the engineers and field test guys that were building and testing them. (photos #21, #22, and #23)

LQ #52 Outtake Photos

LQ #52 was mailed out the first week of October. The main feature was History of the Massey-Harris Company Part III. Like the first two parts, it was quite an extensive undertaking and contained many formerly unpublished photos.

Also included was an additional lookback at some topics–suggested by readers–that were omitted from Part II. They included Massey-Harris bicycles, Cream Separators, Stoves and Kitchen Ranges, Washing Machines, Home Freezers, Stationary Engines, Rite-Way Milkers, Windmills and self-propelled Corn Pickers. All of these products were an important part of the company’s overall bottom line.

This issue also contained a story about the Carter Historical Farm in Wood County, Ohio. The farm uses a 1930 Massey-Harris Challenger to do the bulk of the farm work. The farm staff provided many really nice photos of the farm operation and some of the animals. This is a self-sustaining, working farm that raises its own seed and breeding stock.

Bob Sybrandy wrote an excellent history of the Ferguson-Ford lawsuit that really delved into the background of this huge court case. The article also contained many rare photos and documents.

We also covered the 2022 Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa. The AGCO Company went all out to focus on the 175th Anniversary of the Massey Brand. The company brought together a group of fifteen exhibitors from all across the United States to showcase the history of Massey tractors. I was asked to display my Ferguson T0-35 tractor. As you can see from the article, the whole display was quite impressive. (photo #1)

Lastly, LQ #52 included an article about the I-500 snowmobile race in 1974. It was written by Butch Fossell, who as a high school senior, was sponsored by Massey Ferguson to race a Ski Whiz 304T. Included were several of the old photos that Butch has saved over the years. By the way, he still has the original Massey sled.

Don’t forget to order your 2023 Legacy Quarterly calendar. You can still get it in time for Christmas. Click here for the order form.

Also, we have made available, wall size, reference charts–12” x 18”–from previous issues on various topics: 1) two different posters on MF Lawn & Garden tractors. 2. Dura Corporation built Lawn tractors sold by Massey Ferguson. 3. Pony tractors and accessories. 4. Ski Whiz Snowmobiles covering all models. 5. Wallis tractors. 6. Massey-Harris Stationary Engines. See ad and order form on this homepage.

Lew Stoms, made it down to attend Jim Esbenshade’s “Golden Harvest Days” event. Sue and I were tied up trying to get some hay baled and were unable to attend. Lew was good enough to stop by our place on his way to Oklahoma and pick up a model of the “Black Combine” that Dave Nicolle had made for Jim. Dave wanted to recognize all of Jim’s hard work putting together a world class museum that would showcase the Massey brand. The photo includes from left: Lew Stoms, Barbra Esbenshade, Jim Esbenshade, Dave Link and David Hitchner. (Golden #5)

Don’t forget to check your renewal date on the upper right-hand corner of your carrier sheet that is packed with your magazine. If you renew on time, it saves Sue a lot of extra work. Thanks, Gary

LQ #51 was mailed the first week of July. This is the first issue that includes a modest rate hike. (Please note the enclosed form). The heart of this issue was the extensive feature, History of the Massey-Harris Company, Part 2. It was a detailed account of the company with the second part starting in 1930–with the release of the first company built tractor, the M-H General Purpose. The feature ended in 1953, when Massey-Harris bought out the Harry Ferguson Company.

You can pre-order your Legacy Quarterly 2023 Calendar. They will be mailed the last week of October but to avoid being left out, you might want to consider a pre-order. We ran out last year, right after Christmas. See ad and order form here.