[linuxfarmer]

I found this old pull type in a bush... anyone know what model it is? or anything more about it?
Here are some pics.

 

[combiness]

It was made after WWII and before 1953.

 

[redpainter]

I think it was a number 17 built from 1937 - 1950. There was a 15 and a 17. Same basic machine I think. The 15 had a 6 and 8 ft header. The 17 problably for dry areas with 10 and 12 ft header. they had 24.5 inch cylinder with probably a wider rear body as most combines of the day. It had a 31 hp engine.

 

[combiness]

Red, I told Linux in chat, it was either of those two, but nowhere is there any designation. I just need some pics to exact a judgement call.

You're right on about the production years, except production of these was halted during the War. Massey-Harris only made SPC's during the war. The only other brand of combine, period, was IHC, and those were PT. Then, after the War, production of all combines by all manufacturers resumed, but save for only the Baldwin [Gleaner], every combine built, was painted.

As a side note, all of the really small, PTO-powered combines such as the All Crops and straight-throughs, were also painted before and after the War.

 

[combiness]

That's exactly what I thought, but there's so much brush in the way, that just from the photos, I could not clearly see there was no engine or placement for one. Since you were there, you can see way more than we do, from just the photographic perspective.
Unless a puller was really big, aux motors were actually also quite rare during that vintage, simply due to materials stocks by the manufacturer. One has to realize that any castings and such for engines, were way more in demand for tractors, trucks and even autos back then, due to the recovery/rebound from the War.

 

[redpainter]

They were offered with pto or Hercules engine according to "The Grain Harvesters" by Graeme Quick and Wesley Buchele

 

[linuxfarmer]

this combine is a PTO drive. I will have to go measure the cylinder.

 

[combiness]

That's true and if you can find an old, early 1980's issue of Wild Harvest you will see some pics of those, showing both options. I just said why the engines were not immediately available just after the end of WWII.

I know where a beautifully restored Model 15 used to be, and it was often taken to local shows in NE and NC Kansas during the early to mid 1980's.

 

[gleanerman]

Re: A Really Old Massey Harris

Yes it is a M-H 15 or 17, Dad had an engine driven 15 when I was a youngster and I spent many an hour riding on the platform above the motor. We had both the pickup and straight cut attachments for it and it was nearly a days work to change over. It involved adjusting a great long double spring under the hitch to balance the table and one had to dig a hole in the ground to get clearence to swing the wrench. We must remember that many tractors of that era didn't have PTO's, we pulled ours with a Twin City KTA. Some machines were galvanized but ours was painted. The one in the picture has the Scour-Kleen attachment but the straw spreader is missing. They were a good reliable machine and put out a nice clean grain sample. The only problem with ours was the engine magneto gave problems and it was very difficult to remove and reinstall. I thought ours had a Continental engine ..but that was a long time ago and I could be wrong.. Massey tractors of that vintage used Continentals..

 

[[email protected]]

Yes it is a M-H 15 or 17, Dad had an engine driven 15 when I was a youngster and I spent many an hour riding on the platform above the motor. We had both the pickup and straight cut attachments for it and it was nearly a days work to change over. It involved adjusting a great long double spring under the hitch to balance the table and one had to dig a hole in the ground to get clearence to swing the wrench. We must remember that many tractors of that era didn't have PTO's, we pulled ours with a Twin City KTA. Some machines were galvanized but ours was painted. The one in the picture has the Scour-Kleen attachment but the straw spreader is missing. They were a good reliable machine and put out a nice clean grain sample. The only problem with ours was the engine magneto gave problems and it was very difficult to remove and reinstall. I thought ours had a Continental engine ..but that was a long time ago and I could be wrong.. Massey tractors of that vintage used Continentals..

We had one in 1050 on our farm in North Dakota it was a 17 with a 12 foot platform. It had a continental engine. We pulled it with a Case DC4. good machine

 

[whtbaron]

Might have a couple similar machines parked in our bush too. The 4 cyl flathead was removed from one for the PTO conversion that was pulled with a POS Fordson Major. Dad bought a new 720 about the time that machine needed to be parked.

 

[whtbaron]

Well…. at least I think they're still there....