Trac-Tech said:
Very smart looking tractor, can you tell us all a bit about the 150? Havent seen that model down under? Looks like it has outboard dry drum brakes like a 135???? What engine is that? Does it have multi-power and ind pto?
What country was it built in? Canada-UK-France???
More'n happy to tell you the 150 story as I know it!
Things began way back in the mid 1950's. When Massey Harris and Ferguson began to merge, Massey Harris dealers wanted a tractor simular to the venerable TO35. MH engineers wanted to expand the line to bigger, more powerful tractors. Harry Ferguson resisted. He saw the market as still wanting tractors from the TO20/TO30/TO35 lineage. MH engineers were working on what would become the MF65 and a model that never saw production, the MF75. Dealers were still divided into Massey Harris and Ferguson, in some areas, in direct competition with each other. When MH designers started thinking about their rendition of the 35, they decided to build it just a little different. A true row crop tractor was what they had in mind. So, the Massey Harris 50 was born. It took the basic drive train of the TO35 and employed a heavier front axle, longer steering bolster, better steering, larger cooling system, bigger fuel tank, better instrumentation, and deluxe seat. The new steering bolster allowed a better mounting point for front end loaders and mid-mounted cultivators. A "standard" version with 24" or 28" rear whels was available OR a high clearance row crop version, called a "High Arch" was also available. It used 38" rear wheels. The high arch could be had with a wide front end or narrow front w/ choice of single or double wheels. Ferguson dealers weren't wanting to be left out, so the Ferguson F-40 was cloned from the MH50. They were almost identical with the exception of the grill and hood. MH50's were built from 1955 through early 1957. F-40's were available from mid production in 1956 to mid 1957. At that point, they both became the Massey Ferguson 50. They were available with a Continental Z134 4-cylinder gas engine, rated at 32 hp (pto) Sometime in 1958, the MF 50 became available with the legendary Perkins AD3-152 diesel 3-cylinder rated at 38 hp (pto) MultiPower was first available on the MF50. The MH50/F-40/MF50 was sold only in North American markets. They were built in Detroit michigan.
About the time the MF50 hit the fields, Massey engineers began working on the "DX" series as their first "in house" new design. They were what became the 100 series tractors. The 35 became the 135 and the 50 became the 150.
In late 1964, Massey released their new 1965 models in the US. The new 150's came standard with all the deluxe features available as options on the 135 (flat-top fenders, full lighting, Float-Ride seat, power steering, ect) The high arch option was retained. The hydraulic systems were upgraded. a seperate draft control and position control lever was now the norm. A new dry element engine air filter was added, and by 1967, another transmission option was available (besides 3X2 and 3X2+Multi-Power) with the 4X2. High Arch models used the same disc brake rear end as the 165. Standards used external drums like the 135's. At one point in their production, 150's got a Perkins AG3-152 GAS variant replacing the Continental 4-cylinder. Many Multi-Power units had independent pto's, the bulk had 2-stage clutch's and live power.
The MH50/F-40/MF50/MF150 was approx. 9" longer wheel base than the 35/135. That gave it better ability to handle heavy rear mounted implements, as well as it responded to setting track widths at a wider stance. That gave more stability on hillsides.
In 1965 when the 150 diesel was tested at the Univ. of Nebraska, it became the most fuel efficient tractor tested to date. It retained that honor for several years.
Massey Ferguson issued serial numbers for the entire 100 series intermingled after 1966. There is no way of knowing exactly how many 150's were built. It is estimated that there were well over a million 135's worldwide, but 150 numbers were estimated to be around 100,000 (or less) As the demand for big horsepower took over US markets, the 150 was either too big or too small. It sold well in certain regions. Kentucky and Tennessee were where it sold best.
When the 200 series was introduced to US markets in 1975, no direct replacement was issued for the 150.
I've always explained the 150 as a 135 on steroids.
Mine is a 1971, 8-speed w/2-stage clutch, diesel.
