Value of 1967 MF135 or is it a 203 ??

DanO · Mar 14, 2007

My dad bought this tractor used in 1976.
I had always thought of it as a MF135 altho it is painted industrial yellow.
Maybe it is a MF203 or ???
Serial #9A-24246
motor #152UA38412D
Any help indenifying this tractor would help.

I will be selling this tractor and am trying to figure out the value of it.
Starts easy and runs good
The PTO jumps out of gear every 15 min more or less
Strong Hydraulics, I had the pumps rebuilt a few years ago.
The pictures will tell the story.

Thanks in advance for any help

JerryG · Mar 14, 2007

It looks to me like you have a 135 that has had a yellow paint job put on it. Even the tag that you showed has yellow paint on it. When they came from the factory, there wasn't any thing but black and natural aluminum on the tag. Does it have a back swept front axle?
Looks to be a 1967 model.

Farmwithjunk · Mar 15, 2007

That appears to be a 2135. (Solid front axle, but otherwise just like a 135) They were "light industrial" tractors intended for use in the "turf industry" (read; golf course)

JerryG · Mar 16, 2007

Farmwithjunk said:
That appears to be a 2135. (Solid front axle, but otherwise just like a 135) They were "light industrial" tractors intended for use in the "turf industry" (read; golf course)

I didn't blow the picture up until now, but you may be right about it having a solid axle, even if it had the standard caps. It's hard to tell what it is, but it has had a different paint job. Most 2135 had shuttle transmissions and I think they had 165 rear axles like the 135 Orchards did. It has been to long since I worked on them.

Farmwithjunk · Mar 16, 2007

JerryG said:
I didn't blow the picture up until now, but you may be right about it having a solid axle, even if it had the standard caps. It's hard to tell what it is, but it has had a different paint job. Most 2135 had shuttle transmissions and I think they had 165 rear axles like the 135 Orchards did. It has been to long since I worked on them.

Over the ages, whenever I've needed to make "a little extra money", I've bought dozens of rough used tractors and "revived" them, sold them and vowed to never do it again. (Got another sitting in front of the shop now, sadly enough) On a few occasions, I ran on to several "special order" tractors that had been spec-ed for government use. (i.e. mowing at military bases, ect) You'll run into all sorts of odd combinations there. Also, with tractors of some age, it's not unlikely to run on to one that was made out of the best parts (or WORST parts) of several salvage tractors. I'm "negotiating" with a friend right now to buy a tractor that's the back half of a 1980 model 255 and the front half of a 1974 135. That ought to drive 'em crazy at the parts counter

That 125/2135/203/???? might well be a former "municipal mower tractor" of some sort. That solid front axle has something to do with it's history.

JerryG · Mar 16, 2007

If you wanted it, Massey would build it if they had the parts for such. I saw a 3165 a while back that literally had a 8 foot wide rear axle. It was ordered as a grounds care tractor for a golf course. I didn't' have a camera or I would have taken a picture. It was a 3165 gas with 8' axle and oversize turfs. Would have made a very strange picture.

Farmwithjunk said:
Over the ages, whenever I've needed to make "a little extra money", I've bought dozens of rough used tractors and "revived" them, sold them and vowed to never do it again. (Got another sitting in front of the shop now, sadly enough) On a few occasions, I ran on to several "special order" tractors that had been spec-ed for government use. (i.e. mowing at military bases, ect) You'll run into all sorts of odd combinations there. Also, with tractors of some age, it's not unlikely to run on to one that was made out of the best parts (or WORST parts) of several salvage tractors. I'm "negotiating" with a friend right now to buy a tractor that's the back half of a 1980 model 255 and the front half of a 1974 135. That ought to drive 'em crazy at the parts counter

That 125/2135/203/???? might well be a former "municipal mower tractor" of some sort. That solid front axle has something to do with it's history.

DanO · Mar 19, 2007

I want to Thank you JerryG and Farmwithjunk guys. Your comments have been most helpfull. And it all makes so much sense. My dad bought this tractor from a guy that had a contract with the electric company (cleco or gulf states utilities) to mow thier right of ways. So it spent the first 8 or 9 years of its life pulling a bush hog, always being left outside. I am enclosing pictures of the front axle and rear end. It has a ordinary transmission, high and low 3 forward and reverse, and not a shuttle transmission.
Thanks again
I think everybody here is apprecietes the comments from guys who have spent the years working on these machines.
DanO

Farmwithjunk · Mar 20, 2007

Always glad to help. That is a "regular" 135 rear end/tranny. Front end is 2135/MF20 style "industrial". I've got stacks and stacks of MF sales literature I've collected over the years. I'm picking my way through some of it to see if there's any info on industrial 135's. SO far not much luck.

JerryG · Mar 21, 2007

Looks like what someone did was to put an industrial axle or an orchard axle under it in the front. Both the 2135 industrial and the 135 orchard used the non-adjustable heavy front axle and a MF 165 rear axle.

mlauk · Mar 21, 2007

If it has drum brakes, it is a 2135. Disc brakes - 205. Also, I can't tell from the pictures, but it looks like it is a diesel.

There is some info on the 2135 and the 2135 turf model on Puddingsworld.

Also, Big Dean's web site, he has a lot of info on massey ferguson including industrial.

MF2135-Drum Brakes
Years Built-1964-1968
Engine
Perkins AD3-152
3 Cyl.Horse Power 40
Fuel Diesel
Continental Z134
Horse Power 37
Fuel Gas
Transmissions
8 Speed 8/2
6 Speed 6/2
Manual Shuttle
Serial Numbers
Year Starting NO
1964 ---- 646000001
1965 ---- 646000190
1966 -----646001465
1967 ---- 9A10001
1968 ---- 9A39836

MF205 Disc Brakes
Years Built 1961 - 1969
Engine
early -- Perkins A3-152
Late - Perkins AD3-152
Fuel ---------- Diesel
Horse Power 38
Transmissions
6 speeds 6/2
Manual shuttle
Instant Reverse
Serial Numbers
Year starting NO
1961 ------- 659100000
1962 ------- 659100376
1963 ------- 659100712
1964 ------- 659100970
1965 ------- 659101165
1966 ------- 659101447
1967 ------- 9A1001
1968 ------ 9A 213451
1969 ------ 9A 215910