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MH 200 Series Registry

As you may or may not know, there is an effort being made to build a registry of the 200 series Massey Harris tractors.  I have had the opportunity to look over the list and unfortunately there are only about 58 tractors listed.  Looking thru our website threads I think at least that many have been discussed here!!

If you have a 201, 202, 203 Distillate or 203Gas it would be nice to have it listed.  They merely want to list the owner, town, State (or Country), model number, serial number and condition (original, restored, not running, etc) and anything different about the tractor.  If you do not have the serial number thats okay, too. I guess if you want to remain annomyous thats okay too but they would like to know about the tractor!!

Feel free to post the information here or email me ( masseyh@aol.com ) and I will get it in the correct hands.

They have already discovered some sequential numbers that have surprised the owners.

The plan is to publish the initial listing in the Clipper and Legacy Quarterly but they need the information now (or yesterday)!!

If you have a 200 series MH let us know!!

Thanks

Gary


 


RE:MH 200 Series Registry

HI Gary, I am surprise they have not found more people willing to share their serial numbers. Putting together a list of existing tractors is a lot of work and a lot of tracking stuff down to make sure you have found them all. There is a lot more searching for tractors rather than waiting. I know there should be at the very minimum a 12-15% survival rate for the 200 series tractors judging by the red and green OPA list I have been working on for 6 years or so. So judging by that and about a 3000 tractor production run there should be 500 on the list hopefully more. There is one collector friend of mine that is convinced there is more than 503 201's built because he claims he has seen them all, he always says it with a little grin. Good luck in the search.

RE:MH 200 Series Registry

Thinking about how many 200's should maybe exist I thought I would check it against the orchard list I have been working on. It is interesting to see that the older tractors exist in lower numbers and the newer ones of course are more popular percentage wise. Now this is all based on how many I have found so far. 12-20 orchards 250 made, 13 exist 5.2%. Unstyled OPA 152 made, 17 exist 11.2%. Unstyled VPA 41 made, 4 exist 9.7%. Styled OPA ~120 made, 23 exist 19.1%. I don't know why I cant create new lines it would be much easier to read.

RE:MH 200 Series Registry

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the interesting numbers.  You are correct - there should be many more 200 series tractors out there than we currently have listed.  Today we only have 69 tractors total!!  Not a real good list, but it is a beginning.

Another fun fact about the survivors.  There were only 25 MH I-162s made for the US Army and surprisngly I think there are at least 8 that have been identified as still being in circulation!  That is a pretty return!!

Gary

RE:MH 200 Series Registry

Gary,

Don't be surprised that you do not get a big response to your register!  Years ago I started one for MH equipment in the UK.  It is a thankless task.  Many, many people do not want to be recorded on registers for a variety of reasons including various aspects of privacy (which you have to respect) and of course general apathy!

Anyway - kep up the good work

John

RE:MH 200 Series Registry

Hi John,

I understand your comments and appreciate them.  I know it is a never ending project since they change hands, move around and some folks just don't want it known what might be in the barn!

I guess the best we can do is at least get the serial numbers and any additional information people want to share.  In just the handful we have, I am surprised how many sequential numbers of two or three there are.  Some could be surprised they are in the same state or area!!

Another registry that would be fun could be the miltary tractors. Definitely not as many of them and we know where most of the I-162s and I-330s are!!  The I-244s would be a bigger challenge but they are out there!

If any of you have a 200 Massey Harris just let us know.  We can protect your privacy if that is the only thing stopping you from participating!!

Thanks

Gary

RE:MH 200 Series Registry

Hi Gary
I have a few 200 series tractors
3 201s 1 restored 1 running original 1 stuck
2 202 s  1 running original 1 parts
1 203 mechanical rebuilt

I have had a few more over the years and sold or traded them.
Have seen at least 40 tractors in collection or at shows in western Canada.

Don

RE:MH 200 Series Registry

Hi Don,

Thanks for the information!! Would you mind sharing the serial numbers with me as well?

If you know the ones you have sold and the general area they were sent that would be great as well.  If you know of others or if you  would like to contact the owners for serial numbers and conditions we will add them to the list.

I need to wrap up this first attempt by the end of the week to meet the Legaacy print deadline.  I am sure it will continue to grow but the more we have now the better

Thanks

Gary

Feel free to email me if you want to go off line  masseyh@aol.com



RE:MH 200 Series Registry

Gary,

I'm not trying to pour cold water on your scheme but have you thought about the data protection laws?  I don't know if they are the same with you as with us.  When I started my registers for the Ferguson Heritage Club I had their legal man check out matters.  To cover the club (and me!) we hade to get every provider of information to sign that the data they were providing could be published.

Just a thought .............

John

RE:MH 200 Series Registry

Hi John,

Thanks for your concern.  As far as I know, we do not have an issue with publishing the information.  I do know we must get permission to publish pictures of youth but that is about it.  

As of today, it should not be to hard to get anything we need from participants since we only have 89 tractors from 29 individuals.  We do explain what the intentions are for the listing and give everyone the option to list them without using their name.

My only job is to get the list in a readable format for the end user.  If our publishing venues need additional information we can go back and retrieve it from the participants.

It is a good point to ponder on these colder winter evenings!!

Thanks again.

Gary