I wanted to get into Antique tractor pulling late 1980's. Had been pulling my farm stock Ford 5000 gasser so watched a lot of the old stuff.
I decided on a Massey Harris because my brother in law was the only one who pulled one a 101 senior with a 6 cylinder engine.
Also as a Kid an uncle had a Massey Harris 44. Not sure how I happened to go to or thru Caro Mi where I saw this sorry mess of a 1951 Massey 44 setting on their used lot. Had broken hubs at one time and some one enginnered some thing that held the rear wheels on so you could move it. Wheels were bastards one from a Oliver I believe and the other had a JD stamped on it. PTO shaft was gone and a plate covered the hole.
I knew I would never have it ready for that seasons pulling but set to work on it. Saw a tractor dealer half way across the state was having a auction to clear out some used tractors and other equipment. One of the tractors was a 1951 44 special diesel. Told my boss I would probably be late to work that day, only late because I worked the night shift.
Went to the sale and ended up buying that 44 diesel with a seized engine. Had to borrow my Brother in laws trailer to get it home as mine was to tall to load a dead tractor. What an adventure that was, drive 3 hours from home to get the trailer on a Saturday after the aucton. Start pulling the tractor on the trailer and the come along broke. Rear wheels of the pick up were off the ground so couldn't move it, walk to a near by house and ask about useing the phone to call a tow truck. Fellow tells me he would see if he could pull the tractor up the rest of the way on the trailer with his 4x4 truck. It worked so we chained the tractor down and headed for home. About 35 miles from home a tire on the trailer blew out and no spare. Found a wide drive way going into a farm field and parked trailer. It is Saturday afternoon late about 7:00 PM. No near by tire stores were open, so I drive home with the Idea I would call a few salvage yards. Sunday morning I am on the phone calling to find a tire no luck. Remember a hunting partners son worked for a tire store not far from the trailer so I call my hunting partner and ask if his son could get me a tire? He called back in a hour and said he could and where was the trailer he would meet us there.
Met them at the trailer got it jacked up and pulled the blowen tire off, Kid got it off the rim. Installed the new tire and saw the cause of the blow out a broken spring leaf had rubbed on it. Beat it back in place and wrapped it with a bunch of duct tape to hold it there. Kid had drove the shop truck so we could air the new tire up and get it on the trailer. Finally got it home late Sunday night and pulled off the trailer.
My dad came down to visit the next week end and see my two new to me tractors. He looked at the diesel and said that tractor is to nice to part out and the engine can be freed up. so all winter wife kids and i drove back roads with a pair of binocs looking for a Massey Harris in a fence row. Kare said we should just start collection them, so we did start buying some.
We had about 12 when Kare (has an eye for Massey fender shape.) saw a Massey behind a barn near corners of two roads. It didn't appear to have a engine in it but looked like the wheels were there.
It was Febuary cold windy day with snow flurrys but I knocked on the door of the house and inquired about buying it. Fellow said he would sell it. I tell him I need to see if the parts I need are still good on it. Wade knee deep snow and get to it. It is a model 30 hubs are still good and both fenders are repairable. engine is torn down but still setting mostly in the frame.
Guy came out there whoile I was looking at it so I started dickering with him. got it for $50.00 new replacement hubs would cost $75.00 each.
So in April I went and got the parts tractor and removed all I needed for the 44. In June it was ready for paint and I bought some ACE hardware Vermillion red paint $25.00 a gallon cheaper than TSC stuff for my first time at painting a tractor.
I never did get to pull that 44. I let my dad pull it, the tractors first time on a sled dad took second place in the 5000 pound class as it was to heavy for 3500 pounds and yet was 1500 pounds light for the 5000 class even with some borrowed weights.
Where we were pulling was sort of a club. You had to dyno your tractor and had to dyno less than so many HP per thousand pounds. Been so long I don't remember what that number was. the John Deer people were not very happy because they could not get a B or A with a power block in the 5000 class. they had to pull 6500 pounds and were PO all summer. Winter meeting there was a preposel for a rule change. Antique tractor only had to appear stock and meet the weight limits. I keep telling people never assume and attend meetings.
So the guys that wanted to spend a bunch of money (john deer guys) started winning every thing. We did two pulls and were beaten by about 4 JD b's and 6 A's so we stopped going. Today the club has been gone for about 20 years and antique tractor pulling isn't even fun to watch. Last one I saw a 1934 case won and it flew down the track with the sled. Bet it couldn't have did that speed on the road stock.
Any way this my 1951 44 row crop, Have a 1951 44 standard, the 1951 44 special diesel, a 1953 44 Butane too.
Al
I decided on a Massey Harris because my brother in law was the only one who pulled one a 101 senior with a 6 cylinder engine.
Also as a Kid an uncle had a Massey Harris 44. Not sure how I happened to go to or thru Caro Mi where I saw this sorry mess of a 1951 Massey 44 setting on their used lot. Had broken hubs at one time and some one enginnered some thing that held the rear wheels on so you could move it. Wheels were bastards one from a Oliver I believe and the other had a JD stamped on it. PTO shaft was gone and a plate covered the hole.
I knew I would never have it ready for that seasons pulling but set to work on it. Saw a tractor dealer half way across the state was having a auction to clear out some used tractors and other equipment. One of the tractors was a 1951 44 special diesel. Told my boss I would probably be late to work that day, only late because I worked the night shift.
Went to the sale and ended up buying that 44 diesel with a seized engine. Had to borrow my Brother in laws trailer to get it home as mine was to tall to load a dead tractor. What an adventure that was, drive 3 hours from home to get the trailer on a Saturday after the aucton. Start pulling the tractor on the trailer and the come along broke. Rear wheels of the pick up were off the ground so couldn't move it, walk to a near by house and ask about useing the phone to call a tow truck. Fellow tells me he would see if he could pull the tractor up the rest of the way on the trailer with his 4x4 truck. It worked so we chained the tractor down and headed for home. About 35 miles from home a tire on the trailer blew out and no spare. Found a wide drive way going into a farm field and parked trailer. It is Saturday afternoon late about 7:00 PM. No near by tire stores were open, so I drive home with the Idea I would call a few salvage yards. Sunday morning I am on the phone calling to find a tire no luck. Remember a hunting partners son worked for a tire store not far from the trailer so I call my hunting partner and ask if his son could get me a tire? He called back in a hour and said he could and where was the trailer he would meet us there.
Met them at the trailer got it jacked up and pulled the blowen tire off, Kid got it off the rim. Installed the new tire and saw the cause of the blow out a broken spring leaf had rubbed on it. Beat it back in place and wrapped it with a bunch of duct tape to hold it there. Kid had drove the shop truck so we could air the new tire up and get it on the trailer. Finally got it home late Sunday night and pulled off the trailer.
My dad came down to visit the next week end and see my two new to me tractors. He looked at the diesel and said that tractor is to nice to part out and the engine can be freed up. so all winter wife kids and i drove back roads with a pair of binocs looking for a Massey Harris in a fence row. Kare said we should just start collection them, so we did start buying some.
We had about 12 when Kare (has an eye for Massey fender shape.) saw a Massey behind a barn near corners of two roads. It didn't appear to have a engine in it but looked like the wheels were there.
It was Febuary cold windy day with snow flurrys but I knocked on the door of the house and inquired about buying it. Fellow said he would sell it. I tell him I need to see if the parts I need are still good on it. Wade knee deep snow and get to it. It is a model 30 hubs are still good and both fenders are repairable. engine is torn down but still setting mostly in the frame.
Guy came out there whoile I was looking at it so I started dickering with him. got it for $50.00 new replacement hubs would cost $75.00 each.
So in April I went and got the parts tractor and removed all I needed for the 44. In June it was ready for paint and I bought some ACE hardware Vermillion red paint $25.00 a gallon cheaper than TSC stuff for my first time at painting a tractor.
I never did get to pull that 44. I let my dad pull it, the tractors first time on a sled dad took second place in the 5000 pound class as it was to heavy for 3500 pounds and yet was 1500 pounds light for the 5000 class even with some borrowed weights.
Where we were pulling was sort of a club. You had to dyno your tractor and had to dyno less than so many HP per thousand pounds. Been so long I don't remember what that number was. the John Deer people were not very happy because they could not get a B or A with a power block in the 5000 class. they had to pull 6500 pounds and were PO all summer. Winter meeting there was a preposel for a rule change. Antique tractor only had to appear stock and meet the weight limits. I keep telling people never assume and attend meetings.
So the guys that wanted to spend a bunch of money (john deer guys) started winning every thing. We did two pulls and were beaten by about 4 JD b's and 6 A's so we stopped going. Today the club has been gone for about 20 years and antique tractor pulling isn't even fun to watch. Last one I saw a 1934 case won and it flew down the track with the sled. Bet it couldn't have did that speed on the road stock.
Any way this my 1951 44 row crop, Have a 1951 44 standard, the 1951 44 special diesel, a 1953 44 Butane too.
Al
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