Looking at a mystery massey ? 135?

[atlarge54]

Looking at what might be a 3cyl diesel massey ferg. I'd swear it has 24" rear tires. Tractordata shows most models have 28" rears. What are the odds that it's had different rims and tires put on? I have a spare 24" tube on the shelf so I was kind of paying attention to the rears since one is flat and both tires look pretty darn nice.
 

[135 MF]

14.9 (13) x 24 tires are probably the most used on
135's. I think the 28" rims had had 13.6 wide tires.
I don't know what Tractordata is smoking!
 

[Bob N.Y.]

14.9 x 24 was a common tire on the 135. Don't believe everything you read on tractordata.
 

[atlarge54]

Well I just got home from making the deal----$600 cash and I'll go get it tomorrow. I looked at it better and think it's a MF230 #9A336957 which might be a 1980?

When I went back there were some men at the garage sale and they said the owner passed away a couple years ago. They seemed to think it'd run with a battery.

I'm a total diesel virgin. I think I'll winch it on a trailer and get it indoors before I do anything.

Any and all tips welcome.
 

[atlarge54]

The rear tires are 16.9x24".
 

[Inno]

Sounds like you did good! Sounds like you did REAL good!
How did it go from being a 135 to a 230?
 

[atlarge54]

Didn't check it out too well on the first visit. Numbers on the hood were faded. When I went back to pay I got the ser. no. and some pics. The goofy truck snow tires on the front make it look bad.

It's set a few years w/o running but it looks like the important stuff is pretty decent.
 

[Inno]

For that price you can't go too wrong, at the very least you have at least that much in parts, probably a whole lot more.
 

[MF Poor]

Not so....Maybe on UK versions, but somewhere north of 95% of US market 135's were 28" rears. I've only seen a couple 135's w/24" rears here and this is a VERY MF friendly area.
 

[135 MF]

16.9 x 24 is an oversize tire for a 135.
 

[135 MF]

I've always seen 14.9 x 24's on 135's but maybe it is a regional thing? Regardless, the 24 inch rims were very common on 135's and other similar MF tractors.
 

[MFPoor]

A few Massey Harris 50's had 'em here, VERY few Ferguson F40's, and a few MF50's and 65's. Next to no 135's, I've seen exactly ONE MF150, and a few 165's with 24" rears. I did auctions where I bought and sold tractors from 15 states in the midwest and mid south (US) 24"'s weren't very popular here back in the '50's, 60's and 70's. Most US Market tractors had either 12.4 X28 or 13.6 X 28 rears.
 

[ReillyG]

Might be 135 Orchard model. They have wider, shorter tires and wheels.
 

[495man]

13.6-28 seemed to be the MF 135 size of choice here as well.

$600 is a steal for a 230....