Massey Harris Manure Spreader On Steel

19665 Views 15 Replies 9 Participants Last post by alleyyooper, Jun 5, 2016

gordon1121

Discussion Starter · Jan 6, 2013

I went to a auction yesterday and this spreader cought my eye. I know it pretty much depends on the dealers that were around at the time but Massey Harris equipment is scarse in this country had a odl man tell me there was a man who sold them out of his store years ago but he was the only one ever around. and I got one of those wild hairs and brought it home. The guy that owned it said it worked good and when i tried it it seems to do good. Its a #8 and I was wondering if any body had any idea when they were made. I would like to know if anybody has any information.

You can see the rod that sets the speed of the beaters has been broke but still works and I'll try and make a little smoother fix.

The Massey Harris is still Plenty readable on both sides.

Don't know if it came with it but a tool box on the front.

If any body knows anything about them I'd welcome the info.

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1 - 16 of 16 Posts

Stephenscity

· #2 · Jan 6, 2013

That is a great old spreader. Now I am curious that looks like an old horse spreader and I didn't know Massey made horse equipment?
Like your operator helper there!!!!!

Stephenscity

· #3 · Jan 6, 2013

http://www.zimmermanmotors.net/1900_Mas ... 759112.veh
Gordon found this looks exactly like yours. Says it is a 1900 Hope this helps.

gordon1121

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 6, 2013

Thanks Mike. I'm like you I figured it was pobably horse drawn in the begining and sombody put a tounge in it. thanks for the link.

Sugarmaker

· #5 · Jan 6, 2013

Nice find.
Yes I would have guessed horse drawn spreader also. Ground driven, four wheels. They usually had some type of foot or hand controls up near the dog end, to allow the driver to engage the unit.
Regards,
Chris

wizzard

· #6 · Jan 6, 2013

one like that would bring $1000 to $1500 up here. probly why we dont have any massey implements to go with tam's 20

prwttsh

· #7 · Jan 7, 2013

Excellent find. Thanks for sharing with us

gordon1121

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jan 7, 2013

Thanks for the comments. To be honest I was ashamed of what I gave because I thought it was to much but like I said it just caught my eye and it was just one of those impuls buys. I gave $350 for it and to beat it all my wife liked it so I guess I did OK.

BigDaveinKY

· #9 · Jan 7, 2013

You did good Gordon for a working spreader,

and it looks like that one was working up 'till you bought it.

missouri massey man

· #10 · Jan 7, 2013

Gordon, we had two of that style and one much newer version on rubber and only two wheels. The one was never used from the time I was a kid, but the other one was mine to run each spring when we spread the winter's manure pile from the dairy barn. I got to pull it with our little 101 Jr that my brother still has, and my dad ran the rubber tired one behind one of the 44's. I'd got to start spreading by myself by the time I was 10 or so, about the same age as when they cut me loose with the same 101 Jr to cultivate corn. The thing I remember most was if you got going too fast in third gear, you'd feel a moist wad of fragrant "material" plop on your neck, shoulders, back, legs and the hood and fenders would become spotted with the same stuff. Man, the good old days, who needs a cab on a tractor anyways....

I remember at the farm auction in '82 (when the 36" planer went for $6.00) a fellow bought both of the steel wheeled spreaders for $2.50 !!!! After the auction, he removed the 8 steel wheels and left the remnants lay in the dirt down behind the grainery bin. I asked him why and he said he could sell the wheels for a buck apiece and make money !!! We burnt the wood, then the beaters and chains etc ended up at the junk yard with tons of other left over stuff that now is worth a fortune. :? :? :?

I'll ask my much older brother any particulars he may remember and verify that the two were in fact MH's or not. I am positive of the rubber tired one being MH.

Ya done good sir, especially since you put a smile on your brides face with the purchase....always a plus.

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gordon1121

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jan 8, 2013

BigDaveinKY said:
You did good Gordon for a working spreader, and it looks like that one was working up 'till you bought it.

Thanks Dave the guy that had it said the only reason he was getting rid of it was because he got rid of his horses. He said he probably should have cleaned it up a little I told him I'd rather seen that it still worked.

missouri massey man said:
Gordon, we had two of that style and one much newer version on rubber and only two wheels. The one was never used from the time I was a kid, but the other one was mine to run each spring when we spread the winter's manure pile from the dairy barn. I got to pull it with our little 101 Jr that my brother still has, and my dad ran the rubber tired one behind one of the 44's. I'd got to start spreading by myself by the time I was 10 or so, about the same age as when they cut me loose with the same 101 Jr to cultivate corn. The thing I remember most was if you got going too fast in third gear, you'd feel a moist wad of fragrant "material" plop on your neck, shoulders, back, legs and the hood and fenders would become spotted with the same stuff. Man, the good old days, who needs a cab on a tractor anyways....

I remember at the farm auction in '82 (when the 36" planer went for $6.00) a fellow bought both of the steel wheeled spreaders for $2.50 !!!! After the auction, he removed the 8 steel wheels and left the remnants lay in the dirt down behind the grainery bin. I asked him why and he said he could sell the wheels for a buck apiece and make money !!! We burnt the wood, then the beaters and chains etc ended up at the junk yard with tons of other left over stuff that now is worth a fortune. :? :? :?

I'll ask my much older brother any particulars he may remember and verify that the two were in fact MH's or not. I am positive of the rubber tired one being MH.

Ya done good sir, especially since you put a smile on your brides face with the purchase....always a plus.

I've had my share of that fine scented "mud" in my hair and every where else for that matter myself and to tell the truth wouldn't change a thing. I always liked to ease out to the road with the tires packed put it in road gear and go, loved it when a big clod came off the back tire and hit the front and watch it sling it straight up for what looked like twenty feet. Funny how a person can find ammusement sometimes. Never needed a cab either look at all a person would miss fresh rain,wind chills that just can't be measured standing up leaning out and grabbing the stack till your gloves started to smoke so you culd bend your fingers again. Some good memories.

I figured I got burnt but two for $2.50 it was worse than I thought. Reminds me of what you said about keeping what you threw away and throwing away what you kept.

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prwttsh

· #12 · Jan 8, 2013

gordon1121 said:
Thanks for the comments. To be honest I was ashamed of what I gave because I thought it was to much but like I said it just caught my eye and it was just one of those impuls buys. I gave $350 for it and to beat it all my wife liked it so I guess I did OK.

If Mama is happy ......everybody is happy!

gordon1121

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jan 8, 2013

prwttsh said:
gordon1121 said:

Thanks for the comments. To be honest I was ashamed of what I gave because I thought it was to much but like I said it just caught my eye and it was just one of those impuls buys. I gave $350 for it and to beat it all my wife liked it so I guess I did OK.

Click to expand...

If Mama is happy ......everybody is happy!

Truer words were never spoken and I try vry hard to keep it that way.

prwttsh

· #14 · Jan 8, 2013

gordon1121 said:
prwttsh said:

gordon1121 said:

Thanks for the comments. To be honest I was ashamed of what I gave because I thought it was to much but like I said it just caught my eye and it was just one of those impuls buys. I gave $350 for it and to beat it all my wife liked it so I guess I did OK.

Click to expand...

If Mama is happy ......everybody is happy!

Click to expand...

Truer words were never spoken and I try vry hard to keep it that way.

I hear ya.

horseman

· #15 · May 30, 2016

Massey Harris spreader

[of QUOTE=prwttsh;27079]I hear ya.

[/QUOTE]

Hi My dad and grandpa bought a Massey Harris manure spreader in the spring of 1946. I would guess they bought it from a machinery dealer in Mankato, Minnesota ,as they lived just a few a miles from Mankato. Farm machinery was still hard to get because of the war. They had to assemble it. It had front and back steel wheels that made a high pitched sound in sub zero weather. About 1959 dad had a neighbor convert the front wheels to rubber tires. It was in use until 1961 when the frame gave out from rust. I still have it and hope to restore it. I never have seen another spreader like it.

alleyyooper

· #16 · Jun 5, 2016

Here is a picture from 1930 of a Massey Harris # 8 in use.

I have had the pleasure of using several New Idea spreaders in my early years Spent many a hour hand unloading because of broken apron chains.

Was one happy kid when dad bought a Massey Harris # 11 tractor spreader in 1956.

Al

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