Massey Discussion Forums > Massey Talk > Massey Harris General Purpose Four Wheel Drive
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RE:Massey Harris General Purpose Four Wheel Drive

The tires look good on there Joe.  Well done!

RE:Massey Harris General Purpose Four Wheel Drive

Been a long time since I've posted anything on here so I thought I would post something to get John's blood pumping...

I've been looking for this tractor for years and now it finally surfaced!! It is Serial # 301001 with no stamping on width but as you can see in the pictures it is a 40" or 50" depending on the wheel configuration.

Notice the California style steering linkage.

Joe
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RE:Massey Harris General Purpose Four Wheel Drive

Here is another GP that will keep John's blood flowing.... It is Serial # 300822-60  witch I think is a miss stamping as you can clearly see it is a 40" or 50" depending on wheel configuration.

As of now I believe there are Three flathead GP Industrials and Two overhead valve GP Industrials known to exist. Anyone out there know of any others?

Notice this one also has the California steering linkage.

Joe
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RE:Massey Harris General Purpose Four Wheel Drive

It's been a while since this thread has had a boost or any new information so thanks to Tom I can now lower the gap as to when the Serial number plate with the cut off bottom got changed to the serial number plate that is a full Oval.

As of now the highest Number with the cut off bottom is still 300720 and the lowest number with the full Oval plate is now 300735 so I am still am looking for 15 tractors with serial numbers between to see when the exact number was that they went to the new tags. It has always been my belief that the tags with the bottom cut off were leftover tags from when they switched from Wallis to Massey Harris 12-20 or 20-30 They cut off the bottom part that indicated 12-20 or 20-30 and just stamped the GP number on it starting with 300001. Notice the early tags with the bottom cut off didn't have a place to stamp the tractor tread width until the new tags came out that are a full Oval tag.


Joe
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RE:Massey Harris General Purpose Four Wheel Drive

After boring you all with Serial #s here is something I got sent to me that I think Looks pretty cool....

The great people at the Massey Harris factory were even thinking of the man who wanted to take his honey to the Prom.. They made the Stretch Limo Version of the GP!!

Joe
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RE:Massey Harris General Purpose Four Wheel Drive

Joe,

Looks like you have been digging up some interesting GP pictures, from the back ground detail the tractor has certainly not made it to Minnesota yet ! but someone has used their ingenuity to extend the wheelbase and possibly make it much more stable on hillsides.

I am sure that's what M-H were doing when they put that extended casting in the centre tube, think I have seen two of those one at Dome Valley which went to Belgium and another at the 1992 Camp Creek Expo at Waverley Nebraska, expect you know of more.

I have just been sent some photo's of a GP in England, it is a 76 inch with TVO manifold, thought you would be able to add another serial number to your list, it has the cut off plate and from the blurred photo I think the it is number 300582.

Malcolm.

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Malcolm

RE:Massey Harris General Purpose Four Wheel Drive

Hi JoePoncelet,
I have tie rod ends on my GP that have me searching for their origin. Hoping maybe you have come across them.
Ref. 1930 MH gp  s/n 300182. 66
gasoline engine, crank start
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RE:Massey Harris General Purpose Four Wheel Drive

Sorry it took me so long to reply. Yes, I have come across these style steering knuckles before. I believe I've seen at least 6-8 tractors with this set up on, All the tractors were from California at some point in their past. I may be way off but i believe it is very possible that the Kay Brunner Steel company made these as they made alot of wheels for GPs and others. This style you have would be a great improvement over the original MH set up with the piece of tin bent over the ball. Yours set further forward and would give much advantage with the extra leverage turning the front wheels. 
Your Serial number plate still has me scratching my head as I believe someone replaced it at some point earlier in it's life as your tractor should have the bottom cut off the oval serial plate.
Joe
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RE:Massey Harris General Purpose Four Wheel Drive

Thanks for your response to my query. 
Based on your thinking that Kay Brunner may have made aftermarket tie rod end/ steering parts for the GP tractors, I went searching.  Found a possible connection. Part number on my GPs steering part is P2512, plus maybe another digit, not sure.  I found a reference to a cast wheel weight with Kay Brunner Steel Produsts INC on one side and P2148 on the other. Ref. Yesterday's Tractor Company,   Farmall & IHC Tractors discussion board,  post by Dave in CT, May1 2004
So JoePoncelet I believe you may be correct about Kay Brunner having made those parts.
As for the tag being replacEd, that is intriguing.  What s/n do you think the tag change occurred?
I can send some closeup pictures on my tag if that would be helpful. Perhaps the size or style of the stamp used to stamp the tag may tell you something. Just let me know.
 
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RE:Massey Harris General Purpose Four Wheel Drive

The highest serial number I know of with the cut off tag is 720 and the lowest serial number I know of with the full oval tag is 735 so I have to find the 15 tractors in between these numbers to tell exactly when the cut off bottom tags switched to the full oval. Your tractor is the only tractor I have ever come across with a full oval tag with that low of a serial number.
Joe