Joe,

A superb shot of possibly a rare combination of a tractor model and combine.

I am intrigued by the fact that the Challeneger had an exhaust silencer or muffler as I think that you over there call them.  Do you think that this was standard or maybe optional in N America or simply after market?  I've never seen a Chalenger with one fitted before.

John

Great original period photo Joe,
Please keep them rolling as most of the older generation who remebered working with these new "U" frame tractors are no longer with us, for us collectors these photos offer so much valuable information for the preservationist / restorer.

As John  said, it is the first time I have ever seen reference to an exhaust silencer / muffler, not seen any in the original sales literature of the time.
Also for me it brings back memories of what my dad told me as he remembered many "U frame Massey's" new in this area, he always said front wheel hub caps and rear wheel nuts and lock washers were always painted black.
Looking at this Challenger photo it looks like the Challenger rear axle and wheel taper lock is completely black too? just like the front wheel hub caps. Great to see the fine detail.

Earlier in this thread you asked about the model of horse drawn grass reaper (mower) which no one has answered yet, I will have a stab at a No 33 ???




 

Malcolm & John,

I believe Tom S. has found the answer to your million dollar question about the Styled Challenger Muffler. For $3.60 you could save your self from getting a hearing aid years later. Heck you would pay more just for the taxes on a new muffler for a Challenger now...  I wonder what's up with the two different part numbers. What's the difference between Twin Power & Standard muffler?
Joe

Joe - it's tyhe good thing about this hobby - we live and learn!  I wonder was a muffler also offered for the Pacamakers?
John

This next picture is very awesome, but it really has me scratching my head to make sense of it. All the Challengers pictured are fitted with the straight pipe like we are used to seeing. The sign in the backround is very awesome, I don't believe I've seen one like it but it is possible I have. The two signs on the left and the right of it I know I have never seen before. The big question to me is this appears to be a showing of the new Styled Challengers in 1937 but the two Wallis tractors on the right should be about ten years old by the time this picture was taken. The Wallis you can see best has "Massey Harris" on the hood and this appears to be a very early Ji Case Plow Works Wallis with the wide front wheels and crank pawl sticking out the front for the removable hand crank. Also the front wheels appear to match the yellow on the Challenger wheels. I'm thinking this Wallis was a trade in and repainted and they put the newer Massey Harris decal on the hood?? The Wallis on the far right appears to not have the same color front wheels like it may be still in it's working clothes.. I didn't think the Massey Harris decal would have been on a tractor until later years but could be wrong. After taking a closer look at the Wallis hood, it appears to have a big dent and also smaller dents like a ten year old tractor would have before painting. Also what's up with the ghostly guy peeing on the new Challenger wheel? is he a John Deere man?? Any comments are very welcome..

Joe

Great information on the Challenger mufflers Joe.

I can only presume the difference in the two different styles are:-

32193A  Muffler 4 1/2 inch diameter for the Twin Power, this will be to fit the hole in the hood and slide over the manifold stub pipe on the gasoline only tractors.

6038H Muffler 4 1/4 inch diameter for the Standard Manifold Distillate Vaporizer, this will slide inside the exhaust elbow with flaps on the "dual fuel" tractors, intersting it is a slightly smaller diameter.

What lovely signs on your last post, I've never seen those before. 



 

Another awesome picture from when life was not so hectic. Appears to be a Massey Harris #8 hay rake. Don't know what the difference is but most I've seen are #11s. 
Joe

Joe - another superb period photo.  And besides agricultural machiney history it shows how light crops were in those days.  It's a very small swath (windrow) from a wide area of cut.  The days before fertiliser!

John

John,

I'm glad you enjoyed that photo. Here is another from simpler times but with a more bountiful crop. Don't know if you have ever seen one of these hay loaders in action but they really do work great. I've seen several over the years working at shows and it will give 3-4 men a good workout on the wagon leveling it off and stacking it up as it comes up from the loader. This is a Massey-Harris No. 6 A
Joe

Joe,

Another great photo which I can readily relate to.

My Grandfather had this or a very similar model and I recall as a very young lad helping with the loading along with  two or three  men.  Of course in this era we had gone over to tractors and one had to have great faith in the driver not to go too fast or else one was indeed soon buried.  I also recall driving my Dad's grey Fergie to pull the outfit and being raged at when I went just a little too fast!! It was used for picking up fresh cut grass for silage and hay.  My Dad alos used it to collect straw after the combine - he used to compost it for vegetable production.

When the machine had become redundant Dad took the pair of small rear carrier rear wheels - one can be seen here - and mounted them on a Ferguson tool bar to give better depth control for his pair of cabbage transplanters - recycling!!

John