Massey Discussion Forums > Massey Talk > Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25
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RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

Tom,

I am surprised you have not got one in your collection yet, when I bought my first one in 1983 at an auction in Warwickshire UK they were a very scarce tractor, I knew of one other original styled 25 at that time in East Yorkshire, both these tractors came over to England on the Lease Lend Scheme in the war from the USA, mine was new to Derbyshire War Agricultural Committee and I have the original registration document which shows it was new in 1942, so I am sure it had been hanging around in the Racine for a long time not sold to a US famer and eventually put on the boat to England.
Interesting you mention the wheel size, yes mine is on 28inch F&H wheels with the original US front tyres still fitted which it was enw with and the owner had put one new set on the rear at the end of it's working life, he also had a styled Pacemaker and found it more useful to use than the 25, so the 25 never did a lot of work. The other original import tractor in East Yorkshire is on 32 inch F&H rear wheels and looks so much taller.

On my early 1990 trips to North America I never saw any styled 25's for several years, eventually seeing several in Western Canada makes me beleive the majority of them sold out there for working the Prairies, the past few years we have seen them appear down in the US amongst Massey collections and several more worked their way across the pond here too.

Here is a photo of my Lease Lend tractor which has been in my collection 29 years and one of my favourites.

Malcolm.
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RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

Further to my previous post about the styled 25 Lease Lend Tractors from the USA, each tractor which travels on the road in Great Britain has to be road registered with a document and registration number on  the tractor, so attached is the copy of the original document for the 25 showing it was first registered on 7th April 1941 and it's registration number for life being HNU 387.
The tractor serial number is 74748 and engine number 74277 and first registered to Derbyshire War Agricultural Executive Committee, followed by a few name changes before it eventually passed into private farmer ownership.

Of the three original Lease Lend styled 25 tractors I know of surviving in UK here are the serial numbers, 74386, 74745 and 74748, there are five more recent imports I know of all with the serial number starting with 7, plus one Australian recent import of a H V McKay Sunshine with number 74700,
 All these nine styled 25 tractors are all "A" Gears.

"B" Gears in Great Britain are all recent imports and serial numbers all start with 8 and so far I know of four tractors, mine featured above in this thread, on steel wheels is number 85398.

So as far as I know we have 13 styled 25's in preservation this side of the pond.  Please let me know if any one knows of any more.

Malcolm.
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RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

We have just seen this tractor in the "Xmas Day Start Up thread", but thought it would be good to add the progress to this thread too, as a few people have been following the progress of this restoration during 2012. 
The next jobs are to fit the hood and new fenders, hopefuly then in the spring I can get it in the field and give it a bit of work to bed everything in and see if we have any weak spots anywhere.
It is always nice to get another one running and move under it's own power, after many years of sitting in the weeds.

Malcolm. 


  
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RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

I was wondering if anyone can shed any further explanation on the styled 25 front radiator grill mesh.

Of the original import to UK "A" gear tractors with serial numbers starting with 7, the front grill chaff screens are the usual M-H fine mesh.

The recent import "B" gear tractors with serial numbers starting with 8 are all a large diamond mesh chaff screen.

Has anyone else noticed this difference? I have seen several diamond mesh tractors in North America and Canada, but can't recall any fine mesh ones.

Malcolm.

First picture shows the fine mesh on tractor number 74748
Second picture  shows the diamond mesh on 85398
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RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

Malcolm,

Here is a photo of the current grill on MH 25 s/n 74634 that I saved from the junk man this summer.  I had just presumed that this was not the original grill screen since all the 25's I remember seeing have the "expanded metal" grill screens...    I'm still inclined to believe what is on mine is not original, but interesting to compare it to your tractor with fine mesh grill screen that is very close in serial number...

Cheers,

JB
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RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

I have seen them either way Just have not paid much attention to them. Here is my MH 25 SN 85481 with the small screen mesh in the first picture and the second picture is of the MH 25 in Minden, NE SN 85162 with the stretched steel mesh.
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RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

Thanks John and Joe,

A very interesting mystery which needs further investigation, but pleased to hear you have some small mesh ones across there.

You recent addition John looks to be a good project for you to get stuck into this winter in your shop.

Malcolm.

RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

One thing I have noticed with these 25 grills is the fine mesh seems to be on the higher serial numbers both 7 and 8 series so I think they changed from big mesh to fine during production.

RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

I have started to make a list of Massey 25 serial numbers, so far there seems to be a lot more A gears starting with 7 than B gears starting with 8. Malcolm has the highest A gear and I have the highest B gear 85503 if any one knows of any 25s higher than these I would be interested to know.I also have the lowest B gear 85046. Malcolm, Do you know any of the serial numbers of the original importsit would be interesting to see if they are higher numbers
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RE:Valve Spring Failure on Massey 25

This is B gear 25 number 85046 it is missing a few parts. The lowest A gear 25 I know of is here in Manitoba number 73147.
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