Massey-Harris Model 101

Last updated
Massey-Harris Super 101 with louvered side cowling Massey-Harris Super 101 tractor PA1.jpg
Massey-Harris Super 101 with louvered side cowling

The Massey-Harris Model 101 was a tractor built by Massey-Harris (later Massey Ferguson) from 1938 to 1946. [1] Developed under the guidance of James S. Duncan, who gambled corporate losses would drop and won, the 101 introduced the Chrysler L-head inline six. The six would compete with Oliver's straight-six Model 70, while saving money on development of a whole new engine as well as taking advantage of Chrysler's existing parts and service network. [1]

Contents

Specification

The 101 used the 201 in³ (3,292 cc) six, taking advantage of its stock electric start, a first in a tractor. [1] Run at much lower revs than the truck engine, the 101 came in the usual standard and row-crop models, with four-speed transmission, and was capable of 20 mph (32 km/h) on roads. [1] The row-crop model offered adjustable rear wheel spacing and rear wheel brakes, as well as PTO. There was also a rare model with a single front wheel. [2] They also featured hood sides with dozens of louvers, which disappeared late in 1941. [3] The Super was upgraded to the 217 in³ (3,554 cc) Chrysler in 1940, [1] giving it almost 50 hp (37 kW) at the belt, making it one of the most powerful tractors on the market that year. [1] It continued to be used in the 101 Super until 1940, when it was supplanted by the 217 in³ (3,554 cc). [1]

Pricing

With a base price of around C$1100, [4] the 101 was about C$200 more than the John Deere A. [5] and competitive with Ford and Ferguson-Brown models of the period. [4] [6] Yet the top-selling tractors were all lighter and much cheaper. [7]

Model 101 Junior

To address this, the Model 101 was joined in 1939 by the "entry level" two-plow [2] Model 101 Junior with Continental's inline four, while the six-cylinder model became the 101 Super. The Junior, comparable to the Deere Model H, [8] used the same 124 in³ (2,031 cc) engine of the later 81 and 20, [5] [9] and produced 31 hp (23 kW) at the belt, [10] Manufactured by Continental, it was used in many Massey Harris tractors at the time, [6] [9] as well as by the Cockshutt 20 and Oliver Super 44. The comparable kerosene (tractor vaporising oil, or TVO, in Britain) [11] version was known as the 102 Junior. [7] In 1940, the 124 in³ engine was replaced by a 140 in³ (2,293 cc) Continental [7] of 19 drawbar/23 belt hp (14/17 kW) [5] and in 1943 with a 162 in³ (2,654 cc) version. [7]

Production

While the C$895 [5] Junior sold nearly 28,000 units by 1946, it could not match the 60,000 each of the Deere H and Allis-Chalmers B, 180,000 of the Farmall A, and was barely a fraction of Ford's 260,000 9Ns. [5] The Model 101 Super ended production in 1942. [12] The 101 Junior persisted until 1946, while the waning sales of the 102 Junior saw the name pass to overseas sales. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tractor</span> Engineering vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort

A tractor is an engineering vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery such as that used in agriculture, mining or construction. Most commonly, the term is used to describe a farm vehicle that provides the power and traction to mechanize agricultural tasks, especially tillage, and now many more. Agricultural implements may be towed behind or mounted on the tractor, and the tractor may also provide a source of power if the implement is mechanised.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Massey Ferguson</span> US company; manufacturer of agricultural equipment

Massey Ferguson Limited is an American agricultural machinery manufacturer. The company was established in 1953 through the merger of farm equipment makers Massey-Harris of Canada and the Ferguson Company of the United Kingdom. It was based in Toronto, then Brantford, Ontario, Canada, until 1988. The company transferred its headquarters in 1991 to Buffalo, New York, U.S. before it was acquired by AGCO, the new owner of its former competitor Allis-Chalmers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chrysler flathead engine</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

The Chrysler flathead engine is a flathead automotive engine manufactured by the Chrysler Corporation from 1924 through the early 1960s. The flathead engine came in four-,six-, and eight-cylinder configurations and varying displacement, with both a cast iron and cast aluminum cylinder head. It was installed in Chrysler, DeSoto, Dodge and Plymouth branded vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferguson TE20</span> British agricultural tractor produced 1946–1956

The Ferguson TE20 is an agricultural tractor designed by Harry Ferguson. By far his most successful design, it was manufactured from 1946 until 1956, and was commonly known as the Little Grey Fergie. It marked a major advance in tractor design, distinguished by light weight, small size, manoeuvrability and versatility. The TE20 popularised Harry Ferguson's invention of the hydraulic three-point hitch system around the world, and the system quickly became an international standard for tractors of all makes and sizes that has remained to this day. The tractor played a large part in introducing widespread mechanised agriculture. In many parts of the world the TE20 was the first tractor to be affordable to the average farmer and was small and light enough to replace the draft horse and manual labour. Many TE20s remain in regular use in farming and other work and the model is also a popular collector's item for enthusiasts today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farmall</span> Model and brand of tractors

Farmall was a model name and later a brand name for tractors manufactured by International Harvester (IH), an American truck, tractor, and construction equipment company. The Farmall name was usually presented as McCormick-Deering Farmall and later McCormick Farmall in the evolving brand architecture of IH.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Massey-Harris Model 20</span> Tractor

The Massey-Harris Model 20 was a two-plow tractor built by Massey-Harris from 1946-1948. Introduced to commemorate Massey's 100th anniversary in 1947, the 20 was virtually identical to the earlier Model 81, which first appeared in 1941. About 8,000 Model 20s were sold, in row crop or standard models, with the choice of gasoline or kerosene as fuel. The Model 20 was replaced in 1948 by the Model 22.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Massey-Harris Model 81</span>

The Massey-Harris Model 81 was a two-plow small-farm tractor built by Massey-Harris from 1941-1948. Introduced to replace Massey's General GG, the 81 was paired with the Model 82 and was very similar to the Model 101 Junior, which first appeared in 1939. It was offered in standard-tread and row-crop versions, as was the Model 20 that followed it. The Model 81 was joined in 1946 by the Model 20, both of which survived in production until 1948.

Continental Motors Company was an American manufacturer of internal combustion engines. The company produced engines as a supplier to many independent manufacturers of automobiles, tractors, trucks, and stationary equipment from the 1900s through the 1960s. Continental Motors also produced automobiles in 1932–1933 under the name Continental Automobile Company. The Continental Aircraft Engine Company was formed in 1929 to develop and produce its aircraft engines, and would become the core business of Continental Motors, Inc.

John Deere MC is a crawl type tractor that was manufactured by John Deere from 1949 to 1952. It was the first crawl type tractor manufactured by John Deere. It was derived from the conventional, rubber wheeled "M" row crop tractor, and utilized John Deere's two cylinder gasoline engine sometimes referred to as a "Johnny Popper" because of its distinctive sound. Many of the parts for the engine, transmission and sheet metal are interchangeable with the M tractor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farmall H</span> Row crop tractor

The Farmall H is a medium-sized two-plow row crop tractor produced by International Harvester under the Farmall brand from 1939 to 1954. It was the most widely produced of International Harvester's "letter series", with approximately 390,000 produced over the 14-year run. It succeeded the Farmall F-20. The H was incrementally updated with new model numbers as the Super H, 300, and 350, but remained essentially the same machine. The original H used an International Harvester C152 4-cylinder in-line engine. Production of all versions lasted until 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farmall M</span> Row crop tractor

The Farmall M is a large three-plow row crop tractor produced by International Harvester under the Farmall brand from 1939 to 1953. It was of International Harvester's "letter series". It succeeded the Farmall F-30. The M was incrementally updated with new model numbers as the MD Super M, Super MD Super M-TA, but remained essentially the same machine. The original M used an International Harvester C248 4-cylinder in-line engine. Production of all versions lasted until 1954, when it was replaced by the Farmall 400 which was essentially the same machine with updated sheet metal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farmall C</span> Row crop tractor

The Farmall C is a small two-plow row crop tractor produced by International Harvester under the Farmall brand from 1948 to 1951. The C was developed from the Farmall B as a slightly larger, more versatile implement, raising and moving the B's offset operator seat to the centerline and increasing the wheel size to allow a straight, widely-adjustable rear axle. The C kept the International Harvester C123 engine that had been used in the Super A model. The tractor was heavier and more robust, and featured hydraulic capability from the beginning. The C was incrementally updated with new model numbers as the Super C, 200, 230 and 240, but remained essentially the same machine. The closely related successors to the C were produced until 1962.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farmall B</span> Row crop tractor

The Farmall B is a small one-plow row crop tractor produced by International Harvester under the Farmall brand from 1939 to 1947. It was derived from the popular Farmall A, but was offered with a narrow set of centerline front wheels instead of the A's wide front axle, allowing two-row cultivation. The operator's seat was offset to the right to allow better forward visibility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farmall A</span> Row crop tractor

The Farmall A is a small one-plow row crop tractor produced by International Harvester under the Farmall brand from 1939 to 1947. The tractor was popular for its set of innovative features in a small, affordable implement. It succeeded the Farmall F-14. The A was incrementally updated with new model numbers as the Super A, 100, 130 and 140, but remained essentially the same machine. Like the smaller Farmall Cub, the Farmall A features a distinctive offset engine, displaced to the left over wide-set front wheels, to allow vision straight ahead. An International Harvester C113 4-cylinder in-line engine was used for early models, increased to an IH C123 with the A-1. The most significant change was the introduction of hydraulics with the Super A. The series was produced until 1973.

The Farmall 04 series tractors are a family of row-crop tractors with four-cylinder engines, continuing the tradition of four-cylinder engines in Farmall and parent company International Harvester for general-purpose and row-crop tractors. In the early 1960s demand for more power led to the 06 series with six-cylinder engines. Four-cylinder engines were reserved for tractors equivalent to the Farmall H and smaller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farmall 06 series tractors</span> Row-crop tractors

The Farmall 06 series tractors are a family of row-crop tractors with six-cylinder engines, providing greater horsepower than the parallel product line of four-cylinder Farmall 04 series tractors. Until the late 1950s, Farmall and parent company International Harvester tractors used four-cylinder engines for general-purpose and row-crop tractors. Demands for higher performance and greater horsepower led to broader use of six-cylinder engines, with the bulk of International's production moving to the larger engines. The Farmall 806 and 706 were introduced in 1963, with production running to 1967. The Farmall 1206 was introduced in 1965 as the most powerful tractor of its time, using a turbocharged diesel engine. Production of the 1206 also ran until 1967. The 06 series sold well and was regarded as extremely successful.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Deere Model GP</span> Row crop tractor

The John Deere Model GP tractor was a two-plow, and later a three-plow row-crop tractor produced by John Deere from 1928 to 1935. Initially called the John Deere Model C, the name was changed to GP as a result of difficulties in distinguishing between the Model C and Model D over the telephones of the time. It was intended as a response to the Farmall Regular line of general-purpose tractors produced under the Farmall brand by International Harvester..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Deere Model H</span> Row crop tractor

The John Deere Model H tractor was a row-crop tractor produced by John Deere from 1939 to 1947.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Deere Model M</span> Row crop tractor

The John Deere Model M tractor was a two-cylinder row-crop tractor produced by John Deere from 1947 to 1952, with successor models produced until 1960. It was succeeded by the updated 40, 420 and 430 models, as well as the 320 and 330 models that occupied the market positions left vacant by the more powerful 400 series models.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cockshutt 50</span> Row crop tractor

The Cockshutt 50 row-crop tractor was a row-crop tractor produced by the Cockshutt Plow Company, from 1953 to 1957. It was the largest of a series of Canadian-produced tractors that started with the Cockshutt 30, and was based on the Cockshutt 40 with a more powerful engine. The 50 was a large four or five-plow tractor for general use. The 50 was sold in the United States as the CO-OP E5.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Pripps, p.61.
  2. 1 2 Pripps, p.71.
  3. Pripps, p.64.
  4. 1 2 Pripps, p.79 cap.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Pripps, p.72.
  6. 1 2 Pripps, p.78.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Pripps, p.70.
  8. Pripps, p.73.
  9. 1 2 Pripps, p.104.
  10. Pripps, p.77.
  11. Pripps, p.131.
  12. Pripps, p.63.

Sources

Further reading