Reviving the old Massey 135

[Johndeere3720]

Those new tires look pretty good. Are you gonna use your tractor to haul the brush hog home?

 

[Mike476]

Coming along Bill. It is nice to work on something that is over-engineered by today's "exacting standards" isn't it. New rubber and bearings / grease, she'll drive like a new one!

 

[Mur386]

Hi Johndeere3720 and Mike476
The bushhog is already at the farm, just got to find it. And clear a path for its removal.
Over-engineered is a understatement, I have seen hub seals on automobiles cracking that were less than ten years old. So maybe a new automobile line is in order, catch phrase would be "Built like a Massey Fergurson, IT will survive." If only I had the money.
Bill

 

[Mike476]

Money and time, the warranty could state "when maintained, we guarantee 40 years from now you'll sell it for at least twice what you paid for it", don't see that as much these days!

 

[Texas Blues]

And the most important thing, it will say Made in USA!
Nice tires mur, mine still has car tires on the front. Is that a continental motor in it, or a perkins? I couldnt tell from the pics if it was a gasser or a diesel. TB

 

[Mike476]

Indeed, engineered by a couple of us northerners, with some strong Irish influence, and taken over in 95' to keep it moving.

 

[Mur386]

Well made it to the bushhog, geesh what a nightmare, this could take a while, and found what appears to be a sickle bar mower, in the middle of a jungle. Heres some pics.
Billy
ps the engine is the perkins diesel and starts and runs pretty good, needs more tlc lots of it!

 

[Mike476]

Looks like you've got your work cut out for you.

Any luck getting them out to see what shape they're in, kinda like looking for buried treasure.

 

[Mur386]

Looking for buried treasure is right. The picture shows the pathway directly in front of the tractor, that I have driven the tractor over three times, after pulling the larger trees out of the ground, still pretty wild looking. Only took 2 1/2 hours saturday morning, scouting and pulling, then 3 hours Saturday evening, using the tractor with the armor plating and grille guard to make it to the bushhog. Sunday morning 2 more hours for more tree removal at the site for access, *summer heat 97F is not the best time for this type work* including what my Dad called a ironwood tree that was very difficult to remove, chopping the surrounding roots was like striking metal pipe with the axe, and I had gloves on. That hurt. Sunday evening, wife says "I want to go too," and the look of apprehension on her face as we entered the pathway was priceless, but she stuck in there and even drove the tractor for me as we pulled some dead tree logs out of the way. After getting to the bushhog and seeing its current state, she said "that thing is not gonna move. Its to buried up." I just smiled at her and said "but we have help, we have a Massey" Well it did take several attempts before the ground gave up its hold on the bushhog. Then my Wifey drove the tractor as we hooked up to the bushhog "after explaining to her about the three point hitch and how we had to get the pins lined up." She earned a gold star at that point from me! I Love my Wife! We got it out and will soon be checking it out!
Billy
ps I now have a chainsaw, the world will never the same.

 

[Mike476]

Aren't wives great, mine has certainly been there for me when those second set of hands made the difference of getting it done or not, and even more often to get it done safely. :thumbsup:

Teaching my daughters how to use the 135 was fun too, not able to drop what I was doing each time they wanted to drag our riding arena, made me proud and maybe intimidated a couple of potential boyfriends who came over often to watch them train the horses, double the fun! :laughing: