Original Is Best!

Peter Love travelled to Shropshire to take in a very original Massey Ferguson 65 Mk2 that its owner purchased some 15 years ago. Yet it is only now that he has got it out of the shed and taken it to a couple of events. At Tractor World Autumn at Newbury Showground in October, it took 'Best Exhibit in Show' and quite rightly so, writes Peter. We find out the best way to clean up a tractor like this and get the best out of it, at the same time keeping the original look

Richard Sherratt was a successful branch manager for Sharrocks, starting in the 1960s and working his way up as an excellent salesman in the era of the 100 series, before setting up his own company with his wife Ann.

He offered his customers good 24-hour service for parts and suchlike related to keeping the tractor, arable and grassland equipment (and so much more) going on the farm. He later patented a farm heating system that was sold off upon his retirement. Today he is fully occupied with his restorations and his excellent original-style 100 series seats and more.

Which is better? NP Super Major or 65Mk2?

In Richard's youthful working days the earlier 65s and 35s were very much about, even when the 100 series era was on-going, and these earlier tractors were taken in as part-exchange. As I have written before, the 65 is a much-underrated tractor and, as Richard says, was a better bet than a Fordson New Performance Super Major.

For a start it was easier to get off and on the footplate, which was slightly wider than the Fordson making it more comfortable with better spacing of the pedals and so on. You had more power from the Perkins 203 diesel engine with a better choice of gear ratios and, of course, stronger and more reliable hydraulics capable of lifting more with the lift arms directly in line over the rear axle. One has to remember the Ferguson System was patented and others had to work around it, giving Massey Ferguson a big advantage - and the tractor was certainly well built with a good and reliable pto.

Multi-power

This example is fitted with Multi-Power, which gave you 30 per cent more power and, if the farmer read how to operate the system properly, he had more advantages than with other makes of the time. Nevertheless, it was not fool-proof owing to drivers trying to take short cuts, particularly when freewheeling down a hill then pulling the lever up! BANG!