Massey Discussion Forums > Massey Talk > Massey-Harris 12-20
Order posts by: 

RE:Massey-Harris 12-20

Now we have some Massey Harris 12-20 advertising, again the first two from another MasseyHarris Review Newspaper and then the foldout sales brochure for the 12-20.

Malcolm.
Attachments
Feb-13-032.jpgFeb-13-033.jpgFeb-13-009.jpgFeb-13-011.jpgFeb-13-010.jpgFeb-13-044.jpgFeb-13-045.jpgFeb-13-046.jpg

RE:Massey-Harris 12-20

Some clever advertising through the cast iron steering wheel of the 12-20, 25-40 and GP from both the Massey Harris Review newspaper and full line tractor catalogue of the 1930's.


Malcolm. 
Attachments
Feb-13-034.jpgFeb-13-012.jpgFeb-13-013.jpg

RE:Massey-Harris 12-20

The 12-20 was a very suitable sized tractor for the small British farm and field size of the 1930's, they were very popular in areas where a good dealer tried hard to get them out onto farms, that was hard during The Depression of the 30's and considering the price of a M-H 12-20 on steel wheels in 1933 was £260 against a British Fordson Standard on steel priced at £150, it is amazing how many 12-20's were sold together with other makes of US built tractors, of course this is why we see plenty of Fordson's surviving today they were out there in very large numbers and provided realistic power for many farmers who struggled to trade horses for tractors back in those days.

Here is a British 1933 price list and interesting to note both the agricultural and orchard 12-20 listed, together with both the 20-30 and 25-40 available at the same time, with only a difference of £30 between the two models.

Malcolm
Attachments
Feb-13-016.jpgFeb-13-017.jpgFeb-13-018.jpgFeb-13-020.jpg

RE:Massey-Harris 12-20

Here is some very colourful British advertising material for the 12-20 from the full line yearly catalogues during Massey's association with Blackstone and Company Ltd of Stamford, Lincolnshire.
Also note many of the photographs show the British solid cast iron wheel with rubber tyres fitted which were offered as a conversion.

Hope Tom and Joe are taking note of the full page advertising the M-H 12-20 Orchard.

Malcolm.
Attachments
Feb-13-021.jpgFeb-13-022.jpgFeb-13-026.jpgFeb-13-014.jpgFeb-13-023.jpg

RE:Massey-Harris 12-20

Malcolm:

Nice piece!!  I noticed it has a set back front axel, mine is up front like most regular 12-20s What's up with that??  Is it a 25 Orchard??

Joe

RE:Massey-Harris 12-20

Hello Joe,

I have several of these yearly M-H Blackstone full line catalogues and will post more later, in these wherever the 12-20 Orchard is photographed it shows the set back (short wheelbase) tractor. None of the Wallis 12-20 Orchards we have seen in preservation have this style and from memory the Nova Scotia M-H 12-20 recently seen at Portland Indiana has the regular axle, so was this something specific to Orchards in UK?
Of course later in the styled Red Pacemaker standard agricultural tractors we see both short and long wheelbase, maybe they learned something from these short wheelbase 12-20's and their ability to turn in tighter spaces.

No it's not a 25 looking at the smooth cylinder block on the left side behind the manifold makes it a 12-20 for me, the 25 bulges out at the top near the head surface.

Whilst we have been talking rubber tyres on early British tractors, here is a centre page advert from one of my GP, 25 and PA  US catalogs with a nice advert for rubber tyres.

Watch out for the next interesting photo I have found for you and Tom.

Malcolm.
Attachments
Feb-13-015.jpg

RE:Massey-Harris 12-20

I look forward to this new pictures you found. Hopefully it will show us the pto shield on an orchard 12-20!

This is the only 12-20 orchard of the 13 left that I have seen with a set back front axle. The front axle is not the only modification. The tag says Massey Harris but I would bet its a Wallis. I just remembered there is anothe 12-20 orchard in IA with set back front end.
Both seem to be changed as they are bolted instead of riveted.



Attachments
DSC05417.jpg

RE:Massey-Harris 12-20

Tom:

I bet everytime you look at that picture you get the same gut twisting feeling as Malcolm does everytime he thinks about the 12-20 he has been trying to buy for years.

Here is a 12-20 I would love to add to my collection someday. If someone out there has one I would dig all the way though the bottom of my pockets all the way to my socks if I had to but I would surely try to find the money to own one someday. or at least get the chance to see one in person someday.

This tractor has a bit different front support, looks like to hitch something to it? Also notice the single wheel brakes. Totally Cool Tractor!!!

Joe
Attachments
12-20IndustrialTractors.jpg12-20Industrial.jpgIMG_5863.jpgIMG_5864.jpgIMG_5866.jpgIMG_5867.jpgIMG_5868.jpg

RE:Massey-Harris 12-20

Thanks for the 12-20 Orchard photo with the set back axle Tom, interesting to hear about the bolted on rather than riveted axle pivot bracket, I have looked closely at the photograph I posted from the brochure and pretty sure I can see a rivet head.

Well Joe what can we say about the "Industrial 12-20" I think my socks would be off my feet and down on the floor praying east if I found one of them in a barn.
I have some photographs amongst my literature, but when that brochure came up recently on a well known site it just amazed me, not seen a Wallis brochure like that before, let's hope another one comes up one day.

Well here is a photograph for you to digest, "is it a Standard or Orchard tractor"?? The only Orchard features I can see is the lower air stack and exhaust elbow, so I am sure it is a Standard Agricutural spec tractor on British rubbers, with electrics and two Orchard features.
Back in the early 90's when I bought the Wallis 12-20 which I am restoring at the moment it had a Orchard exhaust elbow on, the original owner was certain it had always had that type and never recalled a vertical exhaust, until now I believed it had been changed, but looking at this photograph it could of been on there all it's life.

What do you guys think???

Malcolm.
Attachments
Feb-13-025.jpg

RE:Massey-Harris 12-20

For today we have a 1936 M-H Blackstone catalogue still offering the 12-20, I guess they had stock to sell before offering the New Green Pacemaker which came on the scene also in 1936.

Some very nice photographs of tractors at work here in UK.

Malcolm.

Attachments
Feb-13-027.jpgFeb-13-028.jpgFeb-13-029.jpgFeb-13-026.jpg