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Hopefully It’s Good News

We think the problem is now repaired!

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For anyone who hasn’t noticed, for a few months now it has been possible to subscribe to a topic/discussion – so you get a notification when someone replies to your question.

Hello, I have the 23C Engine Rebuild & MF 35 Hydraulics Repair DVDs, they’re great. Any chance you could do one for the 20C engine, the TE20/MF35/MF135 G/boxes including Multi Power? I really enjoy the intelligent pace of the videos… Ian instructs very well and assumes correctly the level / ability of his audience… his style really suits me anyway! Best Regards, John S.

Well John,

Thanks for your kind message about the previous DVD’s you have purchased from us. I am glad you have enjoyed watching them and found them useful.

We have a 20C engine waiting to be done at the moment, but another tractor has just come in from a customer (MF 35 3 cylinder Perkins) so we are going to film that one first. The 20C DVD will come eventually, but I don’t just know how long it will be before we get it done.

As for the gearboxes – Well on the whole they are just so reliable that we didn’t think we’d sell hardly any DVD’s for gearbox refurbishment. Obviously the multi-power is the exception to this rule and so that may be the place to start with gearboxes.

We get lots and lots of requests for different DVD’s or guides on how to refurbish rear axles, steering boxes, brakes, alternator, wiring, etc. etc. As time goes on we hope to make all these tutorials available for MF35, TE20 and then the 100 series tractors and also probably eventually the 500 series (as people are starting to collect and restore the 500’s as well now). So much to do and so little time!

Many thanks for your requests. If you keep an eye on the website then no doubt all these things will become added in the future. There is a subscribe button on the website, if you enter your email address into the box the system will email you whenever a new page is posted up so it is then easy to keep up to date with what is happening.

We’re working as fast as we can!

Anyone who reads Vintage Tractor Engineer regularly will know that we just love tractors here.  Local repairs  is our business and then we make the DVD’s and post up the little tips and tutorials on the website so that tractor enthusiasts all over the world can get help and advice.

We like what we do here at VTE and enjoy the contact with customers.

We hope everyone gets useful information from the site and the videos and we will slowly add more and more tutorials as we go along.

Steve and Ian.

But before we give you our favourites, we’de just like to wish all our customers and visitors a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

The VTE website has now built a worldwide community of tractor owners and we thank you for all your comments, photos, videos  and letters sent in over the year.

Our Favourites…

Massey Ferguson 35

Well I think this had to be the most comprehensive article we’ve published this year.  The subject is of course the Massey Ferguson 35 tractor, model variants, production runs, colour schemes etc.  It brings together lots of information and of course the MF35 is the most written about tractor on this website.

Hedgerow Grey Fergie Tractors

A bit of fun.

Just a few photos of various ‘hedgerow’ tractors.  We’ve all seen them along country lanes, in an old orchard, at the back of a shed, covered in chicken/pigeon droppings, standing outside driving a flat belt to power a grain mill etc.

Dave’s FE35, Nearly Restored

We get a few emails from Dave all the way down there in Australia.  This is a few photos and a video of the nearly completed restoration of his red and grey FE 35 (VTE loves the Ferguson badge on this one!)

It just reminds us that we are all working on our tractors all over the world.  Not only in England (where this website is based), but also in n the Western Isles, Wales, Norway, Denmark, Botswana, US, Ireland, France, Aus and New Zealand, Canada etc. etc. etc. to name but a few.

Enlargine Pre-Combustion Chambers, 23C Engine

If you’ve been wandering about doing this to your engine then read this article.  This was the only modification made to an engine and the owner reported a distinct difference in starting performance.

The technical  reasons why enlarging this port aids starting are explained here.

DVD Not Just For Tractors

Paul used one of our DVD’s to help refurbish the twin 23C engines in his historic boat.  The whole cruiser had been renovated and VTE thinks it looks great.

Stolen FE35

Unfortunately this isn’t a happy story.

We’ve added this one to the list just to refresh everyones minds that tractor theft is on the rise.  Modern tractors are very valuable and organised criminal gangs are targeting farms.

Just be aware that vintage tractors are now also the target of these criminals, who either sell on the tractors as a whole or break them for parts.  If you see anything suspicious let us know at VTE, and we’ll spread the word.

If you see this tractor please inform VTE or the police.

Burnby Vintage Day

Just a video of one of our local vintage working days.  This was held on our cousin’s farm at Burnby near Pocklington, East Yorkshire, England.

Perkins A3.152 Engine

Specifications and a few quick details and adjustments.

Thankfully these sights are becoming less common today, as enthusiasts buy them up to restore.  I just thought I’d show you a few of my favourite photos of Fergies that have been left to deteriorate.

Vintage Tractor Engineer isn’t an expert on the styling of the MF135.  However I do recall reading an article in Classic Massey magazine about a 135 serial number 106 (they started at 101).  The article is on page 68 of the May 2010 issue.  There isn’t a lot of info in this article, but it does say that it is quite original condition other than the rear fenders have been replaced.

The current owner of the tractor is a cider producer and the website is Ralph’s Cider And Perry.  I can’t see any photos of the MF on Ralph’s website, although I did see a David Brown and Ralph has some great photos of vintage cider making equipment.  An old horse driven stone cider mill has been sourced and is now in operation.

Vintage Tractor Engineer can feel a visit to Ralph’s farm coming on next time he is over in Wales.

If you have any information, photos or details of early MF135 tractors please leave a comment below.  I’m sure Christian will appreciate any information he can take back to Sweden for his restoration.