harryt 281 #1 Posted February 8, 2016 I got this last week. I bought it off the second owner from the restoration, it was restored in late 2013 to an extremely high standard, one of the best i have seen, all it needs is a choke cable fitting, i was given the before pictures as well. Here are a couple of pics 12 slf-uk, Alan, pmackellow and 9 others reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diggerjames 543 #2 Posted February 8, 2016 That's nice great find 1 harryt reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wurzel 117 #3 Posted February 8, 2016 hi nice tractor is that the one of ebay i bet thats better than when it left the factory cheers Nick 1 harryt reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
harryt 281 #4 Posted February 8, 2016 Yes, it was on eBay, it probably better than when it left the factory Harry 1 Cub Cadet reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Triumph66 1,256 #5 Posted February 8, 2016 Nice find. I spotted that on EBay l a week or so ago. 1 harryt reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris 642 #6 Posted February 8, 2016 So did I Well as Harry is only round the corner from me. Its only fair I get 1st test drive 2 harryt and Triumph66 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pmackellow 2,738 #7 Posted February 8, 2016 That is very nice, good find Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tom 215 #8 Posted February 8, 2016 Very nice machine, no expense spared by the look of it. A great addition. Tom Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cub Cadet 613 #9 Posted February 8, 2016 I saw this on eBay, it looks like new. Very nice! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
harryt 281 #10 Posted February 8, 2016 So did I Well as Harry is only round the corner from me. Its only fair I get 1st test drive Of course Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slf-uk 914 #11 Posted February 8, 2016 Very nice tractor, I like that. Iain 1 harryt reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
meadowfield 1,900 #12 Posted February 8, 2016 That's a nice tractor, bought from near dunmow I guess, I know Nigel well... That's a nice tractor, bought from near dunmow I guess, I know Nigel well... Has he still got the cub? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HeadExam 1,783 #13 Posted February 9, 2016 The Massey 8 3 speed of yours was one of 2474 ever built with recoil start. If it is original. Yours is very unusual as it seem to be a very early model. The grill is not the same as later Massey 8 grills and neither is the muffler or tank, more like the older Massey 7. If you don't mind could you post the serial number so I could see what year it was? It should have a Tecumseh HH80 or OH80 for the motor. Thanks. 2 Triumph66 and harryt reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
harryt 281 #14 Posted February 9, 2016 The Massey 8 3 speed of yours was one of 2474 ever built with recoil start. If it is original. Yours is very unusual as it seem to be a very early model. The grill is not the same as later Massey 8 grills and neither is the muffler or tank, more like the older Massey 7. If you don't mind could you post the serial number so I could see what year it was? It should have a Tecumseh HH80 or OH80 for the motor. Thanks. 1 HeadExam reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HeadExam 1,783 #15 Posted February 9, 2016 The serial numbers are not clear enough for me to read them, sorry Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HeadExam 1,783 #16 Posted February 9, 2016 If the serial number is what I read, 15900125?, then it appears to be a very early 1969 Massey Ferguson MF-7 recoil start model, but that is not, or doesn't appear to be a Tecumseh engine, it appears to be a Briggs engine, which would be a replacement. The foot rests instead of running boards in the first picture was a clue as was the absence of the round cut out for the air breather on the rear left side of the grill, only 7's did not have the round cut out. Let me know if you need parts/service/owners manuals, I have them all on pdf files. They made the MF-7 from 1968-1973 and produced 12,927 units. My serial number list breaks down numbers by recoil start, 3 speed, and hydro models, each has a different set of serial numbers. 3 harryt, Cub Cadet and Triumph66 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
harryt 281 #17 Posted February 9, 2016 If the serial number is what I read, 15900125?, then it appears to be a very early 1969 Massey Ferguson MF-7 recoil start model, but that is not, or doesn't appear to be a Tecumseh engine, it appears to be a Briggs engine, which would be a replacement. The foot rests instead of running boards in the first picture was a clue as was the absence of the round cut out for the air breather on the rear left side of the grill, only 7's did not have the round cut out. Let me know if you need parts/service/owners manuals, I have them all on pdf files. They made the MF-7 from 1968-1973 and produced 12,927 units. My serial number list breaks down numbers by recoil start, 3 speed, and hydro models, each has a different set of serial numbers. thanks for the info, in there at the moment is a kohler engine. however before the restoration there was a lombardini engine in there, i will try and get a better image of the numbers I have made an interesting discovery, the Mf8 on the tag looks to of been changed, not sure if it is MF8 or MF& the serial number reads 1590012581 1 HeadExam reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HeadExam 1,783 #18 Posted February 9, 2016 It is in fact a Massey MF-7, It was built in 1973, in fact one of the last ones built, the last one off the line was 1590012928. This attached list is a reproduction of the original list that I found at Massey's Headquarters in Hesston, Kansas over 10 years ago. I went there and ask them if I could dig through their archives. I found serial numbers, production dates, price lists, and many many more things to do with Massey Ferguson push mowers, tillers, lawn tractors, and garden tractors. I don't mind sharing, but the owners/operators of more than a few forums took these as their own and reproduced and water marked them. They do the same with manuals to prevent people from selling them, but the forums neither bought the manuals or obtained permission to use the manuals, until they already had them in their reference libraries. The way I see it, if I use or take something that belongs to someone else, I should ask for permission, but as Native Americans found out all too well, that was not widely accepted policy. It still isn't in today's world of put it on Facebook, anything goes. What I am trying to convey by posting the forum copy instead of my copy is, they took it and made it theirs, so I will repost their copy and not my copy, the yellow, old, and slightly faded hand typed original. Masseyserialnumber.pdf 1 harryt reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
harryt 281 #19 Posted February 9, 2016 is that good or bad news 1 HeadExam reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HeadExam 1,783 #20 Posted February 9, 2016 I don't think it is bad news at all. You know now what Model the tractor is, what engine was in it (Tecumseh HH70), and what year it was made. like I said, if you need literature I can email it or post it in files. Do you still have the foot pegs? I personally would return it to original. The old HH70 or H70 engines are not uncommon, many came on tillers and cultivators as well. I'm not sure, but believe the 1968 was the only year the MF-7 had foot pegs instead of running boards, no other models came with foot pegs but the MF-7. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HeadExam 1,783 #21 Posted February 9, 2016 BTW, the first four numbers, in this case 1590, is the model series number for the MF-7 series, the MF-10 series model number is 1446 then the unit number follows. The series number for the Massey MF-14 is 1944. When they reproduced and watermarked my list the didn't get the prefixes, lol, and I didn't supply them later. It's not hard to figure out, but each model has its own identifier and within each model number the variants,m, such as 3 speed or hydro have their own set of production numbers 2 nigel and harryt reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dubscum 38 #22 Posted February 10, 2016 sexy MF 1 harryt reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the showman 4,074 #23 Posted February 10, 2016 Thats a nice Tractor and its red so would blend in with my others very well 1 harryt reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HeadExam 1,783 #24 Posted February 10, 2016 These really do a great job cutting grass, there gear box deck with the solid rear stripping roller and heavy built deck is far superior to other smaller machines. Massey Ferguson never made a riding mower or any other piece of lawn and garden equipment, they subcontracted the building to outside manufacturers. This series of of Massey Ferguson outdoor power equipment was known as the MF line and ran from 1966-1976 and was produced by AMF at their plant in West Des Moines Iowa. The first Massey Ferguson L&G tractors were the Massey 7 and Massey 8 Executives, they were yellow and they were built by the Duro corp in 1964 and 1965. Massey also produced a small 8 hp garden tractor for export, actually built in Europe, called the Massey ELF, also yellow, it was based on a small Gutbrod tractor. After the MF line had run its course a new line appeared, this group was built by McDonough Power equipment who built Snapper riding mowers, this line which features 8 to 18 hp lawn and garden tractors maybe some of the rarest as they were only produced for a few years, from 1977-1980. 2 nigel and meadowfield reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C-101plowerpower 548 #25 Posted February 10, 2016 i like that little mf, i see them for sale from time to time over here Share this post Link to post Share on other sites