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Indydirtfarmer
08-27-2003 04:17:56
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Re: MF35 MF50 MF65 History/Design Questions in reply to Bill, 08-26-2003 18:26:31
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I guess the only way to really know why, would be to ask the people involved with F-MF-MH-MHF at the time. My father bought a Massey 50, in 1957. We also had a Ferguson 40, which is essentially the same tractor. And they are much the same as a Massey Harris 50. He told me that the 50 was an effort to make the 30/35 into more of a rowcrop tractor. They were (and still are) very popular in this part of the country. Massey Ferguson has always been popular in the tobaco growing areas. (Don't know what the "link" is) The 40/50 is a bit heavier, lending itself to loader use. That's especially true with the heavier "rowcrop" axle. There are thousands of 20's,30's, 35's,40's,50's,135's, and 150's in this area. (Southern Indiana/Northern Kentucky) As I suspect there is about everywhere. The 50 isn't "rare" compared to some tractors, but it is still very much sought after, as is any small 3 pt. tractor. As I see it, from the mid 50's on, Massey Ferguson built, and perfected what is now considered the best "small" tractors ever built. Most tractor makers went in pursuit of the "big" tractor market that was exploding. Massey built bigger tractors, but they didn't neglect the small market in order to do so. I farm primarily with Deere equipment. I bleed green. But....Massey Ferguson built the best 30 to 45 horsepower tractors on the face of the earth. We still use the 50. It has been completely restored, and looks better than new. We tried to "replace" it with a number of tractors, but none of them ever match up to what Massey Ferguson did 46 years ago.
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