Massey Ferguson 35 with Perkins Diesel
Model Year: 1960
When I bought this tractor a guy on a discussion board told me that "A Massey 35 is about as handy as a shirt pocket." I've never had reason to doubt his assessment. This was my beginning tractor. An old loader went onto it and it has served faithfully for loading logs, moving huge stones, work around buildings, even loading manure, as well as the bulk of the mowing for my tree farm for six years. Without power steering it's a load to steer, but as another guy told me, "You get used to it." It locks between gears occasionally, so a new owner has to learn the simple trick to get it back out of gear. The diverter valve is a pain when running the loader, but I bought another tractor that had the same set-up, so it mustn't be that bad.
Pros: Dependable, long-life, versatile tractor with a comfortable ride and sound.
Cons: The hydraulic system's crude, it and transmission have a learning curve.