IMT in Europe

[kbt kubota]

Just thought you might be interested.... I found out they are still making Massey Ferguson 35s under the IMT brand in Serbia.

They were initially licensed by MF to the former Yugoslavia. After various changes at IMT they are now owned by the Indian TAFE conglomerate. But they're still making them.

I wanted one because I learned to drive on a Fergy 35x as a small boy. Brand new it's €13,000 with a 1 year warranty which seems a bargain. Only problem is I now live in Bulgaria which is in the EU, and the tractor doesn't have an EU certificate so I can't road-register it. Not really a problem as I'd only use it on a hobby farm. I'm still working on how to import it, and will keep you posted. Meanwhile if any fellow Europeans has any ideas or suggestions they'd be welcome!


Mike

 

[masseyrider]

They sold here in Kanukistan sometime in the 1980/90s.
That would have been the Yugoslavian edition back then.
My father was interested saying that for the price of one Massey Ferguson of like size he could get 2 of these.
When I looked into it at that time they were similar to the real MF35 but very little was directly interchangeable.
We didn't pull the trigger because of concern for a sketchy dealer network, parts availability and factory support.
They have long disappeared here.

 

[kbt kubota]

Update: I have found out that they are made in India by TAFE now - and only assembled in Serbia, at the old factory that used to actually make them.

I presume they were also manufactured under licence in India back in the day. Does anyone know where else?

I'm hoping to sort out import issues related to the lack of EU certification and to get it later this week.

Mike

 

[kloko]

You are missing some points in this story.
Decades ago, IMT was established manufacturer of farming equipment, tractors were also in their production line. At the beginning, some tractor models were based on MF licence, so they were similar to MF35, but not exactly the same. There were other IMT tractors, not based on MF design and appearance.
But IMT story has ended, all production stopped over decade ago.
In India, there are also manufacturers, producing tractors based on MF designs. One of them, TAFE, used opportunity and bought rights for "IMT tractors" trademark, when IMT corporation went into bankruptcy. I suspect, their goal was to get into europen market with their products under established trademark. But there is small problem, Serbia is not part of European union and who knows, when it will be.
Now TAFE is importing Indian tractors into Serbia and gluing "IMT tractor" stickers onto them. For now, they can not sell this on European market, probably missing some certificates.
As for the tractor(s), some TAFE models have similar appearance as former IMT 533/539 models, but this is it. Engine used is not the same, transmission is not the same, but they look similar.
All this does not mean TAFE-IMT is "junk" compared to old IMT tractors, just that it is not the same. But for modern times and performance expected from modern tractors, both are very outdated and maybe not worth buying...

 

[ZJ_HR]

Tafe or IMT…same kind of “sh**t”.
Only advance is that you can repair them with axe and crowbar…

 

[kbt kubota]

 

[kbt kubota]

Here she is. Definitely made in India, parts shipped to Serbia, and assembled at the old factory that used to make them there in the Yugoslavia days.

Apart from the 4 speed box and foot throttle (MF 135 developments, I believe) and the high sprung seat, it feels just the same as the old 35

 

[masseyrider]

Here she is. Definitely made in India, parts shipped to Serbia, and assembled at the old factory that used to make them there in the Yugoslavia days.

Apart from the 4 speed box and foot throttle (MF 135 developments, I believe) and the high sprung seat, it feels just the same as the old 35

Congratulations!
Hope it holds up like the Masseys of old.
Looks good.

 

[Dftodd]

The truck bed on my service truck was made by IMT. But I'm thinking way separate companies.

The company that built the bed is actually Iowa Tool and Molding.