Massey-Harris and Massey-Ferguson Combines

G Willikers

G Willikers

Sponsor
This may not be the place for this, but I think the folks who may have answers are more likely to tune in here?
MH, MHF, and MF made combines in Toronto/Weston and later in Brantford, Ontario. The former Brantford combine works and Perkins engine works still stand but have other uses.
My question is, how great was Massey combine production in the USA and was it chiefly done at Racine? When did it start and when did it stop at Racine?
Thanks for any help.
 
M

Molinegb

Active member
Know factory Massey plant burnt in late 50's. Part of reason MM supplied 95's and 97's for them. Have a Massey Super 92 which has first Ferguson decals. Sunshine was also part of Massey.
 
casertractor

casertractor

Subscriber
G Willikers said:
This may not be the place for this, but I think the folks who may have answers are more likely to tune in here?
MH, MHF, and MF made combines in Toronto/Weston and later in Brantford, Ontario. The former Brantford combine works and Perkins engine works still stand but have other uses.
My question is, how great was Massey combine production in the USA and was it chiefly done at Racine? When did it start and when did it stop at Racine?
Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...

Are the ones at the OAM/CHP in Milton Canadian produced?
 
H

halcon

New member
Massey played a big part in our family when there combines were doing real well, my father sold a lot of them. I can only relate to the pre 410-510 era. I have never saw a number plate with other than Toronto Ont. on it. The tractors on the other hand----44s, 55s, 444s, 44 specials ect all showed Racine on the tag. then after the Ferguson merger most of the utility style came from off shore, but weren't a good seller in this aria.
 
H

halcon

New member
G I think there was a plant in Great Briton that made machines for the European market. I never heard of any other north american plant.
 
O

Oilpulled

Active member
I found this old Massey Harris combine on Friday 10th May 2019. What year and model is it? What engine? I will not try to restore it but I will try to get the magneto if owner will sell. I'll also investigate the engine & radiator. The clutch is Brown & Lipe.
If anyone is interested in restoring or parts, let me know. I will donate the magneto to it if it gets restored. I did not find the fold down header section, but that is a big woods.
 

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halcon

New member
I think you have found an old Massey number 9 combine Ed built in the 1930s also believe the engine will be a Leroi.
 
M

Molinegb

Active member
Some Massey combines in UK has Sunshine decal. Dad's first combine was a 1941 Massey 15. Galvanized body with steel wheels. Had 4 cylinder Continental. We converted to pto later. We used up until when dad got a Massey 80. It had straight attachment and also a Welger baler. Dad didn't get baler. Then 92 Massey. Dad had looked at a Sunshine combine at Massey dealer. Grandpa didn't want it as he said there would be no straw for animals like threshers straw piles. Grandpa had a Gaar Scott,Sawyer Massey and couple wooden Aultman taylor threshers. I would say all Massey combines were made in Canada an UK.
 
G Willikers

G Willikers

Sponsor
The Sunshine combines were built by an adjunct of Waterloo Manufacturing Co., Waterloo, Ontario - the same company which made steam engines and threshers.Sunshine made other goods, including bicycles.
 
T

Trail twister

New member
"Although the Massey Harris was a Canadain company virtualy all Massey Harris combines (AKA Clipper, 1938 a stright thru design) were built in its Batavia New York facility.

The 3000 pound combine came in a 5 foot model and a 7 foot model both with 5 foot cylinder and seprating table.

In its first two years 1938 & 1939 it cut a major swath in the Allis All Crop Market. the simple design small size and low price made it a hit with farmers."

Published July/August 2004 issue Belt Pulley Magizine.

:D Al
 
G Willikers

G Willikers

Sponsor
Trail Twister,
Thank you for the lead. That makes sense because the Batavia Works was formerly the Johnston Harvester Co. There is conflicting information on line. One site seemed to be reliable until it said that Massey took over the "Harvey" Ferguson Co. which made front end loaders!
It looks like Batavia closed in January 1958.
I hope to be seeing some M-H experts this weekend and plenty of original documents, so perhaps more will come of that?
 
D

DTurner

Member
I have a number 26 Combine , I believe they were the first self propelled combine . They open up with a feat that ten or more combines went from Canada to Texas to proved the reliability.
Ours had a Chrysler industrial six engine.
I combine wheat with it. Also soybeans with minimal success. The reeel was to fast and beat the beans on the ground. Not thinking to put the larger reel sprocket on ,also needed more chain ,to match,
I still have the combine, not in good shape. Still have books
 
FWurth

FWurth

One Millionth Post
We have a couple of Massey combines here, one is a 60 pull type. Fairly modern machine that is pto driven with it's own hydraulic system. The other is a 82 sp Massey Ferguson here that we saved from scrap. Local dealer traded it in for a 410 I think. Someone had put a recon motor in and the thing soon developed a miss. We got it to run and zero compression on one cyl. Backed it into the shed and the engine gave up. Seems the one piston had broken the top off and as long as it stayed up in the bore it was ok. But it ended up in the pan along with part of the camshaft as well. I found a used engine and cleaned it up and put it to use as the rest of the combine was in good shape. It does real well in beans, we put on a Hume pick up reel on it and it does well in down crops. Never did find a corn head for it but am told they did well in 2 row corn, just a pain to change over to the corn head. I don't believe I've ever checked the tag to see where they were actually built. That 60 pull type must have been some of the last of their kind as I've only ever seen a few of them and never found any newer style pull types by Massey.
 
G Willikers

G Willikers

Sponsor
Talking with experts recently. Aside from Batavia, combine production was in Toronto, later in Brantford. Brantford Combine plant also made four-wheel drive tractors near the end - 4800 series.Perkins engines also. The building is still there and used by various companies.
 
Oldtech

Oldtech

Subscriber
DTurner said:
I have a number 26 Combine , I believe they were the first self propelled combine . They open up with a feat that ten or more combines went from Canada to Texas to proved the reliability.
Ours had a Chrysler industrial six engine.
I combine wheat with it. Also soybeans with minimal success. The reeel was to fast and beat the beans on the ground. Not thinking to put the larger reel sprocket on ,also needed more chain ,to match,
I still have the combine, not in good shape. Still have books
Click to expand...
The 21 was the first self propelled I believe. When the super 27 came out it was a big hit out west here. It had a mechanical variable speed and good capacity. Also had the sweetest sounding motor. A 265 Chrysler with a straight stack.
 
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