Massey Discussion Forums > Massey Talk > Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25
Order posts by: 

RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

Very nice looking tractors there Malcolm!!

In the pictures above, I can't believe how red the soil is there it is almost the shade of red as the Massey. You could blend in out there and not be seen, Is this why John Deere painted there tractors green around here so they couldn't be seen in the field??

Back to the other pictures now that I think about it when I was at Gary's back in 1998 looking to buy the 25 there were two other Styled 25s on rubber there for sale one with A gears and one with B gears. I believe he only wanted $1,800.00 each wich seams cheap now but at that time funds were scarce.

Joe

RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

Joe,

I am glad you are taking notice of our various soil types here in UK, your recent trips across here have given you a good indication of our country, but next time you are here I must remember to take you to a small place in the Wolds called "Red Hill" you will be amazed at the colour of the soil.

I like your J-D theory but we had better not go into that on here.

For today's viewing here is a styled 25 sitting in the weeds in Manitoba during one of my visits of 1998, the next photo is of the same tractor after restoration in the shop in 2001, this tractor is fitted with the Robin manifold conversion.

Malcolm.
Attachments
25-003.jpg25-005.jpg

RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

That one looks very familiar.

RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

Nice looking tractor  Before & After!! 

Malcolm, I got to thinking we have been keeping track of many surviving tractors with lists like the ones that David Parfitt has on his site. We should also be keeping track of the tractors that we know have not stood the test of time and have been deleated from existence.

Here is a front of a Massey Harris 25 that I got with one of my 25s in Desoto, Kansas back in 2010. I am sure this tractor is long gone or used for parts, I believe it is Serial Number 70282 or 70288??  Malcolm this is very close to your Serial # 70271 that has survived the test of times with flying colors (literally) Still nice looking paint!!

Joe
Attachments
IMG_5541.jpgIMG_5543.jpgIMG_2862.jpg

RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

That's true Joe we always seem to lean towards surviving tractor serial numbers, always looking for first or last production numbers, but as you say to build a true production picture of any model the listing of all known numbers would be good, I am going to recommend Tom for the job, he is a real numbers person and young enough to remember all this stuff, as I used to be just the same at his age, but now the memory is just not as good as it used to be at remembering, do you experience the same problem??

Interesting on your unstyled 25 front plate being very close to my tractor number, bet they were not far apart on the production line in Racine, here is a challenge for the "Racine Researchers" to find a photograph of unstyled 25's rolling down the line. I have just enjoyed seeing the G-P and combine photograph underneath the water tower in the "Racine Tractor" thread, keep all these interesting photographs and history rolling out for everyones benefit.

You mention the paintwork on my green 25, well back in 1993 when I bought it from down in Dorset, it was seized solid when I got it home so put it in the back of my shed filled the cylinders with diesel and left it soaking for a few years, I kept looking at the tractor and thinking "one day that will look nice restored and running" as the years went on and other projects came in front of it, then my mind changed towards originality rather than glossy paintwork, so this tractor narrowly escaped the destruction of years of working patina.

I am now very pleased with how it looks and runs.

Malcolm.
 
 

RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

This styled 25 is a recent import and was seen at the two working events organised by the late Ian Robertson on his farm in Scotland.

Malcolm.
Attachments
25-002.jpg

RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

Here is the sales brochure for the styled 25 and one of my favourite coloured front covers, it measures 9 X 12 inch and interesting to note on the back cover both the Trafford Park, Manchester UK address and  business connection of that era with Blackstone and Company of Stamford UK.

As we see in a few M-H brochures of that era I guess some of you will recognise the photo's and name of the young man ploughing, again Massey Harris connections which continued through their families generations and into the collecting era of today in Ontario.

Malcolm.
Attachments
25-brochure-001.jpg25-brochure-004.jpg25-brochure-007.jpg25-brochure-002.jpg25-brochure-003.jpg25-brochure-005.jpg25-brochure-006.jpg

RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

Man, this post series sure puts a lot of pressure to make a working tractor out of that "parts tractor" styled 25 I saved from the junk man this past fall....  And it has been pretty far down the list of ones I need to be working on...

Perhaps I should post my list of parts needs here and you all can start sending your spares my way??

First and foremost needs:  Oil sump, carburetor.  Anyone??

This one also has that aftermarket manifold... which is busted...

Thanks,

       JB

RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

Thought I had attached a photo...    try again
Attachments
25-Styled-as-purchased-15Sep12-04.jpg

RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

Just in case anybody was wondering - yes, that is an unstyled 25 parked next to the styled 25 in the barn,  Here is a better photo of the unstyled. 

Interesting story about the unstyled 25.  Bought it at an auction in Illinois.  It was a miserable, rainy day.  Muddy as all hell.  Trucks and trailers were stuck in the field where they had us park.  My good friend Jim Dawson had purchased a Challenger at this sale.  He and some Ohio friends had been trying to get it started, without success.  I figured I was going to have to wait on the one backhoe/loader to get around to my purchase to load...

But my friends said, "Let's see if we can get your 25 started."  I scoffed...  There was a large hole in the gas tank, and it didn't look like it had run for some time.  But, what the heck.  We found some gas, and poured it into the tank of the 25.  Feeling not much hope, I grabbed the crank while Jeff Noah worked the choke.  On the second pull of the crank, it fired!  We were all shocked.  On the third pull, it was running!

We then used it to pull Jim's truck and trailer out of the mud onto the road, and then my truck and trailer out of the mud onto the road.  We then used it to pull Jim's Challenger over to his trailer, and then push it up onto his trailer before I loaded it onto my trailer.

The unstyled 25 never spit, sputtered, or missed a beat during that whole process.  We were all quite amazed. 

Of course, after the ride back to Indiana on my trailer, the needle and seat in the carb have never worked right again....  Oh, well...   ;-)

Just thought I'd share that story with those of you who haven't already heard it.

   - JB
Attachments
Unstyled-MH-25-002.jpg