Recalling the MF 65 plus the World Tractor Show

Massey Ferguson’s 65machinewas unveiled more than 60 years ago in bid to take on big two

After the Massey Ferguson (MF) 65 tractor was launched at Smithfield in December 1957, shipments began to move out to dealers and customers.

This was the tractor Massey Ferguson put up against the Fordson Major and the Nuffield which were popular sellers in the larger power bracket.

MF held sway among the smaller-sized tractors they wanted to make an impact in the medium horsepower sector as customers strove towards greater efficiency.

Before the Massey Harris buyout, Ferguson had been working on designs for a larger tractor to complement their hugely popular T20 model.

The project was called the LTX (large tractor experimental) and it was like a T20 on steroids including a bigger engine producing 60hp.

Several prototypes were produced and in trials it is said it pulled like a train and was a fantastic machine.

However, shortly after the Massey Harris buyout, Massey management cancelled the project in favour of a larger North American-designed tractor using their preferred method of fitting a well-known tried and tested, bought-in engine.

Taking its design cue from the 40 and 50hp models from across the Atlantic, the new tractor went along a much cheaper route of using back-end components with added epicyclic reductions from the Uk-produced 35 model and used a Perkins diesel engine.

However, the time between cancelling the LTX project and the 65 being introduced meant a lot of farms had switched from Ferguson to Nuffield and Fordson to get a big tractor capable of heavy draught work on stronger soils.

Although the MF 65 was an excellent tractor, it came too late to stop the Fordson Major from capturing a huge portion of the large tractor market.

In November 1960 a much improved version of the 65 was launched as the Massey Ferguson 65 MKII.

Among the changes was an increase in horse power by fitting a new Perkins power plant.

There was a wedged shape filler between the sump and the bell housing on the MKI version which helped differentiate between the two types.

A multi-power version was offered in 1962 which made the tractor a very capable machine but its higher price tag meant the Major always outsold it.

In 1964 it was replaced by the equally capable and popular 165 model.

An undated picture of a Massey Ferguson 65 tractor and drill.