Info on MH SP Picker

Hey guys,

I bought one of these pickers in the fall of 09 at a sale. Gave a little more than I wanted to, but I bought it simply because you just don't see em everyday.. (and they haven't built them in ALOT of days now).

When I bought it, it was "dry stuck".. I got it broke loose, have rewired it, had starter/gen done, etc.. waiting on the weather to break a little to see if I can't get it to fire and run.

I got a operators manual, I know I got the later series (with the 6cyl).. I'd like to know some about them.. Shy of mine and the one a friend of mine bought a day before I bought mine, I have never really seen one up close.. and being 29, I have NEVER seen one actually working, so I'm just trying to learn something about this relic I now own.. (And I don't care if it was junk or not either.. I don't look to make money with it.. Or use it on a million acres.. I just plan to make it work and preserve it)

So, is there anyone out there that can educate me on this piece?

Thanks in advance,

Brad

I think they are really neat. I guess they worked ok unless it was muddy then they didn't steer very well, light on the back and a wagon hooked to it didn't help either.

Where are you located? Armand

If you want to use it, it"s a good reason to buy a wide-row planter. Fun never ends! If it"s like the MM Uni-Farmer, make sure you wear tight clothes- too many whirling open shafts and gears.

There are a couple of guys that bring one to Shelbina, MO Old Threshers. It is restored and they run it a little very neat machine

I'm from SE Lower MI.

I do plan to "play" with my treasure a little.. Which is why I'm trying to learn a little about them, however, at this time, I don't plan to restore it, just fix it's issues and make it function.. Possibly hit a few local shows. It has been mostly barn kept.. decent paint still (and still has a date wrote on the fuel tank, wrote in pencil (Sept 10, 1957 if I recall correctly) But no idea what the date means.. if it was put there at the factory, or the day it was purchased.. or maybe when he put gas in the tank.. who knows?

I bought it from a friends sale, who bought i off of ebay nearly 2 years ago (and he gave a LOT more than I bought it for from his sale).. he had good intentions.. But I have good intentions + ambition + determination... (he didn't even know it was stuck till after I bought it.. so shows you his level of ambition..

Brad

I owned and ran one of the 4 cylinder models back in the 50s. Under powered and very poor traction. Worthless on hills and hard to steer with a load on the wagon. Did an excellent job of husking. Nice to operate as you have good visibility.

I wonder if you could put some combine axle weights on it to make it steer better? I have seen a few pictures of them and I think one in person that was working, and it seems to me that a lot of guys used 2 wheel gears under their wagons and had the picker carry the front end of the load.

Brad was this the one at the Adrian sale? If so I saw it when Matt got it brought up to his house. I thought it was about the neatest this picker around. If I hadn"t been laid-off I would have tried to hsve bought it at the auction. I hope you get it running I"d love to watch it working. Good luck with it. Frank P

(quoted from post at 11:34:41 03/01/10) Brad was this the one at the Adrian sale? If so I saw it when Matt got it brought up to his house. I thought it was about the neatest this picker around. If I hadn"t been laid-off I would have tried to hsve bought it at the auction. I hope you get it running I"d love to watch it working. Good luck with it. Frank P

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Frank,

Yes, it is the one that sold in Matt's sale.. I'm not far from making it run.. I feel I bought it "right", however that can be argued.. My massey collector buddy feels I stole it, and a lot of other people claim I paid too much.. So I don't know.. But, I do plan to pick a few acres this fall.. My massey buddy has a neighbor that plants wide row corn and he ear picks for feed.. so we plan to take our "pair" of pickers to do his corn this fall (provided I get them both going LOL)

As for the previous question about adding some weights to the back, this was something I have been wondering myself.. I'm sure it can be rigged up to either use axle weights, or build a bracket to hold either slab or suitcase weights.. (but not weld the bracket on, make it bolt on under some existing bolts or something. One time a while back, I saw some uni picker that had a stack of wheel weights over the back axle.. I suppose if they'd fit somewhere that'd work as well.. (or load the tires in the rear.. OR use combine centers, as some of the masseys have some really heavy rear cast centers (I know where a few sets of them lay around.. ) I was told most of the above was common practice on 300's and 410's to offset the cornhead.. so I don't see why it couldn't be done here...

Massey Harris used a New Idea gathering unit , tin work and a husking bed on there SP pickers . Local M-H dealer sold New Idea to . That cut down on his parts invintory . Hope this little bite of info helps out .

This actually does help some... Any idea what model NI pickers would use same parts? (If I walked into the nearest dealer that deals with NI an told em it was for my MH they'd laugh me out of there I do think)

I'm pretty sure my AGCO dealer also deals NI as well...

Sorry ,I don t remember the model of New Idea picker even tho I have used one yrs ago. It was way before the "super pickers". It was a very popular N .I. in the mid 50 s AND earlier. Hope somebody can remember the model for you. oleclint.

the new idea picker series before the superpickers were the 310 1 row and 311 2 row, i believe. no idea if they fit the age of your machine, though dad bought a 325 superpicker new in the mid 60s, so the 310/311 should fit the era. i hadn't realized that new idea parts would work on the mh.
as far as weights for the back end, counterweights from old skidsteers or loader tractors might be easier to hang under the back axle than suitcase weights. i have one off a gehl HL3030 hung under the back axle on my 410 combine. it has slots cast into it so its easy to chain up.

Once upon a time I had a #10.. I know it's 1 row, but would that be close to the series I'm lookin for?

My massey buddy says he never knew the parts would interchange either, so... we're gonna do us some homework and see what we learn I guess LOL (as I do see one set of gears that are worn.. (not to a point that they won't work, but to a point that someday they might need changed)

So does anyone know about options? the OP manual shows a few.. but nothing much. Was lights available? I've seen them on some in pictures, but can't say they are supposed to be there.

What was it supposed to have for rear tires? were they supposed to be single ribs or?

I'd also like to have a "picker hitch" as I know them as (where you hook a rope to it and pull and it will automatically unhitch.. (anyone got one hangin around they'd part with? Don't have to be massey either persay.. I can make almost anything work)

Brad

The early MH SP picker was contemporary with NI #6 and 6-A 2-rows, the later SP with the #20 and #300. I doubt you'd find NOS parts at AGCO for them, but you never know. You might have to scavenge somebody's fencerow for parts . . . I don't think salvage yards would still have anything that old. Maybe Paul up there in Minniesoota has something around in his grove yet?

The Mechanical History Round Table located in Rochester, MN has a MH self propelled picker. I know we had the engine running a couple of years ago. The membership might be interested in selling (condisered a parts machine) If interested e-mail me [email protected] Zip for Rochester in 55901