Massey Collectors

We have recently purchased what is definietly an MH 101 Senior tractor as verified by its serial number being 360134 which gives it the year

of 1944.  However the same serial number tag has above the number 102 SS or maybe GS.   Can anyone explain this please?

Thanks

John

John,

Quote from Keith Oltrogge's Massey Tractor Data Book:

"As kerosene became less popular, the later 102 models were merely an export model designation of the 101 Senior domestic models."

I'm guessing that 102 GS was added to the tag to indicate it was an export 101 which was gas and not kerosene.

Of course, I could be wrong!

Ike

Thanks Ike,

The theory that I have independantly developed is that on the day they were short of 101 tags and simply put the 101 number on a 102 tag.  The tags were pre printed 101 or 102 but the serial number would be stamped in on the day of production.

However am still open to more theories!!

John

Hi john, I have seen many 102's that are marked 102 with 101 serial numbers. almost every one I have seen around here have 101 numbers in fact. we have a 102 jr with a 101 jr serial number. So I highly doubt it was just a one day occurance, but a commonplace with these 102's. apparently they sold much better in other countries than in the U.S.

Tom,

Thanks for responding.  Do you really mean that you have seen many 101s with 102 tags??? - but obviously with 101 numbers.   My enquiry was about the Seniors and not the Juniors.  Have you seen the same applying to them?

Thanks

John

Hi John, yes there are quite a few 102's around here that have 101 serial numbers and 102 model designations on the tag. Here is a picture of a 102 senior I saw lately. it is serial number 362828, which is a newer 101 senior number and it clearly says 102SS on the tag.

 I have seen more 102 juniors with 101 serial numbers than the same deal with the seniors.

 

 

Hey john, have you talked with malcolm lately? I have been trying to email him and I do not think they have gotten to him.

 also john, do you know anything about the pacemaker orchard that it described in this magazine? is it yours?

here is the link to the website.   https://classicissues.com/bidetail.asp?AutoNo=1001947

102s were sold in canada as both gas and kerosene...    Gases  i.e. the G behind the 102(G) in the decal...   were 101s with an export number of 102.   the reason for this is to identify them as export . .   the reason they were not given a separate serial number series is that the parts books for that serial number were the same from 101 to 102G , so no problem getting parts...  Massey only changed serial number series when there was a major part change. (engine,transmision,hi alt,orchard,lp or such) until 1953.  .........most 102K went overseas, I can only speculate that the 102 number would be easy for those customers to identify with, as the 101 number was here in the states. remember Masseys main goal was world wide and not so much  in the US.

hope this sheds some light on the subject.

 

 

bill

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william weber

Tom,

 

Malcolm is very much alive and kicking and I have been in contact with him by e mail and phone this last couple of days.

I don't get that magazine but looking at the web site you quote the text by the side of the front cover shot says the PA is in N Ireland.  Don't know whose it is

 

Regards

John

Thanks Bill.  This particular 101 Senior actually came to us from Michigan originally.

To start another query on 101 Junior and Seniors - we were on the point of ordering some lower side panels (beneath gas tank for both our junior and senior.  However have subsequently discovered that the early 101 Juniors didn't have them.  This I observed from successive operators manual front covers.  So we fortunately don't have to spend on this tractor!

For the 101 Senior I am still wondering if there were earlier models that didn't have these side panels.  What puzzles me most on ours is that there is nowhere for the single bottom catch to latch on to.  Ideas appreciated....................!!

Regards

John

 

Hey Bill, There is a serial number series out there for the 102 seniors. and I have seen some of those that were 102g's.

there is a separate serial number series for the 102 senior kerosene. I have been looking for a 102K row ccrop for a long time. i have only ever heard of three..  one in NC and 2 in canada...     the two in canada have rearends with 101jr serial numbers but 102 senior kerosene frame tags.  so never say never.   i have seen 82K that were gas...   I have studied the serial number listing and compared them with alot of our tractors and other tractors.  what i said before i generally true...   it was not uncomon for dealers and on the black market(another story) during those early years to switch things around to make the customer happy....John as far as your 102 it is possible for it to have been sold close to the border. i have seen a few 102s that were sold in the states.  Massey did have its problems at the factory so they would fill orders the best they could... some of these observations are based on the fact that other companies did the same darn thing.
they just wanted to sell tractors. . as a customer you got what you wanted.....   so my Massey moto is NEVER say NEVER...

Bill

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william weber

John

 I have not seen a 101 senoir without those side panels. many time they were discarded but the parts books all show the panel... it is very posible that the tabs are missing. i have seen this on a few tractors..   When you work on the transmission input shaft you have to remove the battery tray and the tabs are under the bolts that hold it down.  So why put them back on if you are not using the side panels.

 

That is  the only idea i have.

 

 

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william weber

Thanks a lot.

I subsequently remembered that a mate had a late 101 Super with the 101 Senior type sides.  Fortunately it has the side panels and I was able to see how they fix top and bottom.  Now all clear and i know what I have to order!