Massey 135

[Cbennison]

Hi there

was wondering if anyone can help, just purchased this 135 but it has no documents with it. I’m trying to identify the year, just wondered if there was any easy way to do this? I have attached a picture of it helps. There are numbers on each axel and on the block but unsure if they are relevant for trying to work our year. As you can guess I am a complete novice with regards to the tractor.
thanks

 

[MassiveMassey]

hi, if you look at the serial number on the dash you can work out the age... try this,

Massey Ferguson 135 Serial Numbers | Vintage Tractor Engineer

Massey Ferguson 135 tractors, serial numbers and data. 1965 to 1979

vintagetractorengineer.com

 

[timff]

Yep, simplest to look on the serial number but if it's missing, its swept axle, so between 1965 and 1970.
Narrowing it down further....if the rear wing hand grab handles are a single (slightly dropped) bar and are part of the wing (rather than an alloy bolt on fixture) then it's between 1967/68 and 1970. Process of elimination - but then again, the wings may be newer replacements!
Let us know

 

[MassiveMassey]

I think im right in saying before 1978, you couldn’t tell what age the Perkins engine was. I think it was after then they included the year of manufacture?

 

[agrimax]

Wrong way round timff..... The alloy grab handles went out with the alloy headlight surrounds and the swept front axle in '70. The newer wings with integrated handle came in with the straight axle and plastic headlight cowls.
The op's picture shows replacement wings and headlights but the swept axle....I see there is no sediment bowl on the lift pump but perhaps it has been replaced with a cheaper version?

 

[timff]

Ah, yes well spotted Agrimax! What I meant to say was, from what I have seen in the past, it was the alloy grab handle until about G reg (1968) then integrated handle all the way through until the QD cab of circa 1977. So, I reckon some swept axles (1968 ish to 1970) had the integrated handle.

 

[Campbell]

Is it registered by DVLA ? check on the website......

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

135, the square mudguards with alloy grab handles replaced the shell mudguards in 1965, in 1967the alloy handles were phased out and one piece pressed tin was brought in to end of production around 1977, all through production the shell mudguards were fitted to export tractors, yet some still came through to the UK market due to demand,
the alloy headlight surround came in at start of production and ran to 1969, when a plastic surround was brought in, this change in 1969 also led to other updates, like straight Front axle, a deeper 14" grill and higher bonnet to take a bigger fuel tank, and rev counter clock moved off centre, been in middle up to that time,
the longer pto shaft was updated in 1974 for easier use
safety updates were brought about in 1970, with different mudguards, a longer tail skirt at back to cover the safety frame, foot plates were 1" longer at the back to reduce the gap, and the pickup hitch rods were replaced with chains to stop fingers getting trapped,
the same skid unit is shared with the 148, but has a spacer in the gearbox to allow a 4 forward speeds instead of 3 if a 148 was a multi power the a 3 speed box not 4 was fitted, if a 148 or above was fitted with multi power, then ipto was standard, only a double clutch on non MP,

 

[agrimax]

I'll differ with you on the alloy grab handles PP,as mine was built in '68 and still had them.I assumed they went out with the swept axle,but perhaps not.......

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

no alloy grab handles went out18 months before straight axle

 

[WullieG]

I had a 1968 135 that was still original when I bought it, it didn't have the aluminium grab handles, but it did have the aluminium headlight housings....

 

[SMID]

The first straight axle one I remember was an H plate. E reg ones had the offset rev counter D reg ones maybe not all of them had red centres and the early gauge layout.