matt knoeck
New User
Not long ago I managed to buy a 55 Massey Harris tractor, not just any 55 Massey but, one of up till a few years ago has been wondered about for years I've heard some stories about this tractor over the years about it going to the grave both physically & also the stories that went along with it. It was built in 1949, auctioned off it's original farm in 1969 at that time was bought locally had an expreimental backhoe attached to it and was sold once more alittle farther out of the area. At that time nobody heard anything about the tractor for about thirity years. During the later part of those thirty years I myself tried asking around the area where it last been seen and quite possibly still being used, but no luck. About four years later a longtime good friend of the family, who also new the tractor when it was on the original farm had come upon it at a local auction. To his surprise it still had the backhoe, now being that Massey Harris never equipped any 55's with a backhoe or are there any to be known otherwise, this had to of been the one. He bought it at the auction and found out it had been used to dig graves for the last 30 years, so in fact it did in a way, come back from the grave. Not long after him buying it, I had to see, by that time he had done alot of work to the 55 Massey, the backhoe had ben removed and factory parts had been reinstalled. Which brings us up to the present. Now I was given the chance to buy it and I'm now the proud owner of the 55 Massey Harris tractor that my Grandfather bought brand new in 1949. The serial number on the tractor even matches the old bill of sale from when my Grandfather traded in his Massey 101 senior and that cleared up any doubt anyone might have. It's still in pretty fair shape, it has both original rear tires and one in front has been replaced. The sheet metal is straight and still has what's left of the original paint and decals. During the life of it's grave digging duty the frame and other major parts of the tractor stayed in good shape and it seemed to have done minimal work. It runs like a champ but I need to clean some stuff out of the fuel tank due to it sitting for awhile. For now it's good to have it back in the familiy and I'll drive it as is, keeping it in good running condition and someday I'll restore it. I'll try to post some pictures of it in the near future.
