Thank you for your presentation. I grew up on a mixed tenanted farm in the 60's and 70's ,and am from a long line of farmers. I became a vet but loved my childhood on the farm,and drove a selection of MF tractors from a youngish age. We had a MF35 & 65 originally, and then joined by a 178. Later a 185 replaced the 65. Later the 185 was replaced by a 590 and so on. My favourites were the 35,65 and 178. Happy memories. The 35 and 178 stayed on the farm right up until Dad retired.. Wonderful reliable machines.
I drove one for a few years, back in the late 70s. Mostly ploughing (whic it excelled at), rotovating with a 12 foot rotovator which it struggled with (at 8" deep), and road work (which was fun, but it was slow and very bouncy on the road - however the flame from the exhaust, when pulling a decent load up hill, was something to see). Cab was great place to work - I did many 12 hour days in there, and during potato season 18 hours was not unusual - not too harf. This tractor was seriously underpowered, and the lift arms were weak, however when you got it onto stiff ground with a plough it was unbeatable - the grip was tremendous. I used to pull 4 furrows in hard, hard ground in low box, but the tractor would do it all day. I have been mocked by owners of much bigger tractors, but I never had any of them able to pull the same equipment on the ground I was on. Bear in mind this was the late 70s early 80s,. if the tractor had more HP, and a stronger lift system from the getgo, it would have been unstoppable.
A great tractor superb, we used one in the late seventies. We had a hydraulic pump belt fail once, to replace you had to remove the engine /transmisson coupler, and losen the engine mounts to move the engine foward a small amount, so whilst we were at it we changed the power steering belt too. And should they fail in the future we installed a spare pair over the coupler, and tied them out of the way. That way if they failed again it was an easy jobe to change them.
Nice video, my dad got a mf 1200 new with mf 260 reversible plough in 1976 on the farm he and my grandfather worked on in northumberland. The tractor was on the same farm for 10 years and was replaced in 1986 with a mf 2645 electric. Mf 260 plough was replaced with a kverneland model e in 1985 but the mf 1200 hydraulics where weak after years of ploughing and would not lift the plough when the tractor was hot.
Hi we ran a 1200 in the 80s as I remember there was a rubber cuppling between the engine and transmission which gave us a bit of trubble great tractor to drive good luck
Hi I had a 1200 that I bought off a land drainage contractor it had a fifth wheel on the back for a stone trailer I used it on a dump trailer for a couple of years it had a optico turbo sticker on it although it didn't have one on it the drainage contractor had worked it hard and it was on its third engine the one in it came out of a combine I sold to a dealer in Ireland ,it was a 1978 model . If it was my tractor I would keep the turbo on for sure as thats part of it history but that's just my opinion really enjoyed vid it took me back thanks 😀
The farm I worked on had one new in 1975 and i did the ploughing with it using a new Ransom TSR109 4 furrow. It was a better ploughing tractor than the 188 with a two furrow.
Just found your channel. I used to work for MF dealer. And have several friends with 1080’s they are a great tractor. Never seen a 1200 before. We used a 5200 on the farm and they had 4840 and 4880. I’m a JD guy but Massey made a lot of good tractors and equipment
Just came across your channel great channel will be following the 1200 progress closely as it’s one of my dream tractors do you have I have a few Leyland 285’s MF135 and a Ford 5000 myself great to see classics being looked after
Would be a more useful tractor with the turbo. That makes it probably the about 140 hp as its the same as the 2725 depending on the fuel pump. A 100hp articulated machine sounds like working a sick horse to be honest
Always loved the Massey artic range. Would love to own one too but space and cash limitations dictate! Great video that, i will be keeping up with you to see how it goes. I would also keep the turbo, just get it sealed. All the best with it.
I had the later 1250 as a main ploughing tractor before we got the TW-25. The 1250 gripped better than the 25 and would outpull many bigger tractors of its time. We pulled a 4 furrow DP7E. The hydraulics however were weak and soon became tired. Your Opico turbo is a dealer fitted option and very much of that era. I would be inclined to keep it as it is nice to see one with that option. The nose section around the rad is a single piece casting like a huge front weight so combined with the engine out front, the grip is incredible. 16.9/34 tyres were standard. I look forward to seeing your progress !
Thanks for sharing your experiences, it's great to hear from someone who operated these machines. As almost all comments on this video mention keeping the turbo on, that's what I'll be doing.
If you take the turbo off, it won't pull near as good ;). Those lift arms look like the ones on dads' 285. On the 354 (like our 1135 and combines) seemed like they used the same amount of fuel all the time (idling or turbo'd), so you just as well work em all the time!
I owned and restored a 1200 a few years back. Had it for 10 years. Great piece of kit but nothing prepares you for the shock of when you take up the cab floor and look down at a gearbox casting that wouldn't look out of place in a 35 - even has the the mounts that you'd attach the foot pegs - lol
I have a MF 1200 that I bought that was all apart I can not figure out where the small line on the inspection cover next to the PTO arm goes If anyone has any pictures of that area I can help me with where the line goes to I would really appreciate it thank you very much
There's a drop box behind the gearbox, drive for the back wheels and PTO shaft head to the back axle, drive to the front wheels goes forward to the front axle.
A friend has a 40ft boat i go out in 2 days a week ... it got the perkins 6354 .. 6cyl non turbo .. 124 hp...KEEP THE TURBO....on the tractor from NEW...😊... fron ireland...😆
Lookin forward to seein this in work, I used to drive a 595 four wheel drive turbo alongside a 1200 an 595 was much better tractor always felt the 1200 without a turbo really underpowered 🤔 how are the pivot pins on that one ....
Thank you for your presentation. I grew up on a mixed tenanted farm in the 60's and 70's ,and am from a long line of farmers. I became a vet but loved my childhood on the farm,and drove a selection of MF tractors from a youngish age. We had a MF35 & 65 originally, and then joined by a 178. Later a 185 replaced the 65. Later the 185 was replaced by a 590 and so on. My favourites were the 35,65 and 178. Happy memories. The 35 and 178 stayed on the farm right up until Dad retired.. Wonderful reliable machines.
I drove one for a few years, back in the late 70s. Mostly ploughing (whic it excelled at), rotovating with a 12 foot rotovator which it struggled with (at 8" deep), and road work (which was fun, but it was slow and very bouncy on the road - however the flame from the exhaust, when pulling a decent load up hill, was something to see). Cab was great place to work - I did many 12 hour days in there, and during potato season 18 hours was not unusual - not too harf.
This tractor was seriously underpowered, and the lift arms were weak, however when you got it onto stiff ground with a plough it was unbeatable - the grip was tremendous. I used to pull 4 furrows in hard, hard ground in low box, but the tractor would do it all day. I have been mocked by owners of much bigger tractors, but I never had any of them able to pull the same equipment on the ground
I was on. Bear in mind this was the late 70s early 80s,.
if the tractor had more HP, and a stronger lift system from the getgo, it would have been unstoppable.
A great tractor superb, we used one in the late seventies.
We had a hydraulic pump belt fail once, to replace you had to remove the engine /transmisson coupler, and losen the engine mounts to move the engine foward a small amount, so whilst we were at it we changed the power steering belt too. And should they fail in the future we installed a spare pair over the coupler, and tied them out of the way. That way if they failed again it was an easy jobe to change them.
Nice video, my dad got a mf 1200 new with mf 260 reversible plough in 1976 on the farm he and my grandfather worked on in northumberland. The tractor was on the same farm for 10 years and was replaced in 1986 with a mf 2645 electric. Mf 260 plough was replaced with a kverneland model e in 1985 but the mf 1200 hydraulics where weak after years of ploughing and would not lift the plough when the tractor was hot.
Great video and awesome tractor likes both a lot !
Loved the sound of the 1200 👌
Keep the turbo, it was offered as an option from new, so it wouldn't affect authenticity
Ploughed many acres with an MF 1200. Mine had a radio too.
Sorry, forgot to add, with a 4 furrow Dowdeswell plough on good old London clay.
Hi we ran a 1200 in the 80s as I remember there was a rubber cuppling between the engine and transmission which gave us a bit of trubble great tractor to drive good luck
Hi I had a 1200 that I bought off a land drainage contractor it had a fifth wheel on the back for a stone trailer I used it on a dump trailer for a couple of years it had a optico turbo sticker on it although it didn't have one on it the drainage contractor had worked it hard and it was on its third engine the one in it came out of a combine I sold to a dealer in Ireland ,it was a 1978 model . If it was my tractor I would keep the turbo on for sure as thats part of it history but that's just my opinion really enjoyed vid it took me back thanks 😀
Nick Hill who was the dealer? One of the brogans
@@ferguson20diesel49 sorry I can't remember it was back in 1994
Fantastic look a round will be great to see it working in cab and outside 👍👍
Very nice video, most informative. You know what you are doing.
Thats a cracking tractor, glad your not going to spoil it with a total reespray/ restoration.
Keep the turbo unless your having overheating issues ,otherwise just buy a pyrometer gauge and fix the leaks.
The farm I worked on had one new in 1975 and i did the ploughing with it using a new Ransom TSR109 4 furrow. It was a better ploughing tractor than the 188 with a two furrow.
Just found your channel. I used to work for MF dealer. And have several friends with 1080’s they are a great tractor. Never seen a 1200 before. We used a 5200 on the farm and they had 4840 and 4880. I’m a JD guy but Massey made a lot of good tractors and equipment
Just came across your channel great channel will be following the 1200 progress closely as it’s one of my dream tractors do you have I have a few Leyland 285’s MF135 and a Ford 5000 myself great to see classics being looked after
Also I’ve subscribe to your channel I’ve a channel myself but just finding time to upload and edit vids
Be great to see a video with the 1200 ploughing in the future
Nice video Dan. Thanks for sharing, hope you got a great deal on it, considering how much you need to fix. Hopefully nothing too serious.
U need to keep the turbo it’s the history of the tractor
agreed
Would be a more useful tractor with the turbo. That makes it probably the about 140 hp as its the same as the 2725 depending on the fuel pump. A 100hp articulated machine sounds like working a sick horse to be honest
Very interesting 😊
I used to enjoy the old multi power you got that feeling going down hill you were never going to stop 🙈🙈
I think it might be dead without that turbo !! Good video thanks.
Always loved the Massey artic range. Would love to own one too but space and cash limitations dictate! Great video that, i will be keeping up with you to see how it goes. I would also keep the turbo, just get it sealed. All the best with it.
I had the later 1250 as a main ploughing tractor before we got the TW-25. The 1250 gripped better than the 25 and would outpull many bigger tractors of its time. We pulled a 4 furrow DP7E. The hydraulics however were weak and soon became tired.
Your Opico turbo is a dealer fitted option and very much of that era. I would be inclined to keep it as it is nice to see one with that option. The nose section around the rad is a single piece casting like a huge front weight so combined with the engine out front, the grip is incredible.
16.9/34 tyres were standard.
I look forward to seeing your progress !
Thanks for sharing your experiences, it's great to hear from someone who operated these machines.
As almost all comments on this video mention keeping the turbo on, that's what I'll be doing.
Lord Muc
If you take the turbo off, it won't pull near as good ;). Those lift arms look like the ones on dads' 285. On the 354 (like our 1135 and combines) seemed like they used the same amount of fuel all the time (idling or turbo'd), so you just as well work em all the time!
great original tractor, it looks too good to paint
It is, and it won't be!
I owned and restored a 1200 a few years back. Had it for 10 years. Great piece of kit but nothing prepares you for the shock of when you take up the cab floor and look down at a gearbox casting that wouldn't look out of place in a 35 - even has the the mounts that you'd attach the foot pegs - lol
Good video! Turbo off!!!! I'm trying to put a turbo on mine!!! Hahaha!
Nice tractor 👌
Very original 1200 😀
Great video
I have a MF 1200 that I bought that was all apart I can not figure out where the small line on the inspection cover next to the PTO arm goes If anyone has any pictures of that area I can help me with where the line goes to I would really appreciate it thank you very much
nice video, just subscribed and really like your content. could you do a farm tour sometime though??
how does the 4wd work on these? I assume the 4wd shaft that would be on the 1080 goes forward to the front axle? I've never seen pictures.
There's a drop box behind the gearbox, drive for the back wheels and PTO shaft head to the back axle, drive to the front wheels goes forward to the front axle.
@@CowfarmerDan cool. is the drop box a repurposed oem tractor part from common models, or was it custom made for the mf1200.
Unique to the 1200
i thought i was a cool cat in a 2wd 575.....until local contractor pulled up in mint 1200....
I would love to own a 1200 your a lucky guy!.ye i would keep the turbo too......
Thanks, turbo is staying now, due to popular demand!
Nice ! Greetings from Belgium . MF fan
A friend has a 40ft boat i go out in 2 days a week ... it got the perkins 6354 .. 6cyl non turbo .. 124 hp...KEEP THE TURBO....on the tractor from NEW...😊... fron ireland...😆
Will ya be doing work with that 1
Yes, I'll be using it as and when I can.
Lookin forward to seein this in work, I used to drive a 595 four wheel drive turbo alongside a 1200 an 595 was much better tractor always felt the 1200 without a turbo really underpowered 🤔 how are the pivot pins on that one ....
The pins are ok, the previous owner looked after it very well.
Can a 1200 Massey Ferguson spread and load slurry
Yes.
Are you still running the tractor with the turbo?
Yes, turbo is staying on.
is the gearbox out of a 1080 ............?
Standard 100 series as far as I know.
Looks like Yugoslav imt 5000 serie! I enjoyed this video!
It looks Like yugoslavian IMT tractors, from 5000 line, IMT 5200, 5300..
what other masseys do you have on the farm
A few grey Fergusons, a few 35s, 65, 135, 178, 265, 698, 1200, 5712 SL, 7614
4345
CowfarmerDan will you make a video of all the classics on the farm.
Great 👍
i like your ifor williams trailer
Are ya gonna do the tractor up dan
I'm not going to paint it, but will make sure it stays mechanically sound.
I would keep the Turbo
I will.
Looks to me like a typical none maintained tractor .
I am more shocked by you having no beard!
👍👌❤🇨🇦
Türkiye de hiç bundan yok
I quite agree.
Tenkyoov