Fifties shades of Grey Massey..... just added another vehicle to the fleet...

[alexander72]

Just bought a 1950's TE20 Ferguson tractor that runs on petrol/kerosene mixture....  not sure on the diff ratio or what it will rev to but will be getting it down to Troy early next week for a rolling road set up 

 

will post some pics when I pick her up 

 

 

ferguson-te20-standard-02.jpg

 

[User0083]

Looks set for a wood burner conversion!

[XTR2Turbo]

Cool

 

I am always tempted to buy a classic tractor when I go to steam rallies.

 

David

[alexander72]

David, I saw it in the village and needed something more modern for our 8 acres of grass but when i heard the price - £1,000 with V5 and numberplate I had to have it... it's a thing of engineering simplicity but it reduces the chance of me buying your chassis... :-(

[Norman Verona]

You bought a little grey Fergie for £1000. Is it your birthday?

[alexander72]

actually Norm the tractor was £750 and a set of chain harrows and a hay tedder was £250....

[Norman Verona]

That's amazing. I thought they were much dearer than that.

 

Used tractors, like cars, are expensive over here as they are used to the death.

[alexander72]

Norm, I know i got a bargain but i twisted his arm.......  James 

[ajpearson]

Well norm, come over here and buy one, then drive it back to France

[alexander72]

Norm, you can have mine for £4500 Euros....   (joke) I havent even picked it up yet.....

[Davep1]

On a similar note, I bought my old 1970's International Harvester for around £600 including a tipping trailer, rear loader and various spares.

Looks a dog, but it hasnt failed for over 6 years now and starts first time any weather....

 

Bit pricy on hydraulic oil as it takes around 40 litres though!

[iain m]

On my Dads farm in the late 1940/50s we had Fordson Majors for the heavy work and a grey Ferguson my Mum and I ( aged  7 ) were allowed to drive (  very few women drove anything) as a runabout  they started life as petrol but due to petrol shortages were converted to TVO, tractor vaporising oil or paraffin. The posh model had a single headlight on the bonnet and fold back side light arms  each side. If it's an early one there should be a very thick spacer between two head gaskets to lower the compression to cope with TVO. There there will be a small petrol tank under the bonnet and a brass tap on the bottom of the carb. To start, turn off the TVO tank, open the carb tap and drain out the TVO in the bowl, close the carb tap and open the petrol tap, start engine, and off you go, the clever bit is to remember when the engine warms up to switch the petrol off and the TVO on. Petrol was about  1 shilling and 9 pence then  ( 8 of your new pence ) but you needed a ration coupon. TVO was just a few old pence.  When Massy bought them this model was painted red and grey for a short period before it was completely changed, check the king pins are ok, just go flat out down the road and the front end will go berserk. I trust you will have great fun, they have been a tractor icon for over 60 years. I won't tell you what they cost new. 

[Norman Verona]

Dave, that's what I've got a 744 IH (case). Made in France.

 

Mine came with a side cutter and a bailer. paid 2000€ when that was about £1600. It wasn't a case cheapest on the market, more like only one on the market. I was told about an English farmer who was returning to England and wanted to sell everything off. I popped round and bought it.

 

Our step grandson came with us when we moved and I taught him how to drive the Saab that had been left here. He got some logs and made a figure 8 track in one of the fields without me knowing. I asked him to pick all the logs up but he missed some. By the time I had bought the tractor the grass was knee high and I didn't see the logs he'd left. They smashed the hubs on the side cutter and the whole thing eventually fell to pieces. The best replacement was a topper on sale at about half price as it was the show model and had been left outside. I can now only cut dry grass. If we ever get 4 consecutive days without rain I'll cut the grass.

 

Assuming I can get the rad repaired and the new battery in.

[exboeingboy]

Fordson Major!!  Now we're talking about proper tractors!  I sent off for a brochure for one as a school project in 1948.  Also remember the entire Mason family - five of them - turning up at church (Broughton Mills, South Lakes) perched on their new Fergie complete with 'back box'.

[alexander72]

Mine has the TVO tank on and  a back box.. i'm dead excited to get it home now.... then i can go and top the grass at Gurston before i try and mow it with the underside of my westfield :-)