[AT] Why was the MH 555 dropped

[Grant Brians]

I am replying to this thread just before I head to farmers market up in 
the SF Bay Area and after loading the trucks. On Spencer's comment, 
those Char-Lynn Power steering units were added to quite a few tractors 
in that era. I don't have add on power steering on any of my tractors 
and don't miss it, but having said that, one of my Oliver77's has the 
factory power steering unit on it. Maintenance on those 1950 vintage 
units is challenging, so to be honest it has leaked a few gallons of 
hydraulic oil over the decades.... My 1953 Caterpillar D8 does have an 
add-on hydraulic pump to hydraulically assist the steering clutches and 
brakes, I don't quite count it as add-on power steering as it doesn't 
work the same as a steering wheel setup. When I acquired the tractor, I 
was told by a Caterpillar specialist that the power assist on that 
tractor was worth what I paid for the tractor initially. Over time it 
has had more money put into it, but an interesting note.
      As the thread has really moved into favorite tractors, I have a 
number of them. As the list knows, I am highly partial to the Olivers 
and I love the Fleetline/Super/770 series. I have Fleetline and Super 
series 77's in gas and diesel, a 770, a 550, a Super 88 but no Super 99 
or 990 GM or otherwise. When I started farming in the 1970's I envied 
those farmers with a D6C Caterpillar and I have one now. I hoped to add 
a Big Cat to the D4's that I started out with for field tillage and I 
have the D8. I liked the pipe racks mounted on the small row crop 
Farmalls and AC's and I have an AC C, two Farmall 100's and a Massey 
Harris Pony with mounted racks.
      The common thread of these units is that they are all for actual 
farming of vegetables and other specialty crops. There are certainly 
other tractors that I would love to have, but at before 5AM I can't 
think of them other than an orchard Caterpillar D4 for the Walnuts....
                Grant Brians - Hollister,California farmer of 
vegetables, herbs, edible flowers, orchard and hay
On 1/11/2019 8:53 PM, Spencer Yost wrote:
> I think I saw that MTA when I was at your place?   It had the 
> Char-Wynn (sp?) power steering I think...
>
> Problem is my real tractor shed isn’t big enough for my fantasy 
> tractors.....
>
> Spencer Yost
>
> On Jan 11, 2019, at 10:20 PM, Indiana Robinson 
> <robinson46176 at gmail.com <mailto:robinson46176 at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>> My Super MTA (gas) is, I guess, my favorite tractor... My Farmall 400 
>> is about the same tractor but they made a lot more of them. Next is a 
>> draw between my Ferguson TO-20 and my 1947 Farmall Cub.
>> I too have drooled over several 555's.
>>
>>
>> .
>>
>> On Fri, Jan 11, 2019 at 3:15 PM Dave Maynard 
>> <dave at themaplehillfarm.com <mailto:dave at themaplehillfarm.com>> wrote:
>>
>>     Plus finding a good Super MTA that you can afford is hard enough
>>     as  they go for a lot. I have seen real nice original one go for
>>     $8000 and it was gas. Diesels on the other hand seem quite rare
>>     to find. My son Mike's TD6 has that engine and you'ld love the
>>     way it sounds and runs. I can get you a link to you tube  video
>>     of me running it a bunch of years ago if you would like. Let me
>>     know and I'll go find it.
>>
>>     Dave Maynard
>>
>>     On Fri, Jan 11, 2019 at 11:51 AM Spencer Yost
>>     <spencer at rdfarms.com <mailto:spencer at rdfarms.com>> wrote:
>>
>>         I have always mentioned that  my “fantasy tractor shed” would
>>         have to have  a Farmall super MTA diesel.
>>
>>         The second tractor in the shed would be  the Massey Harris
>>         555 diesel.
>>
>>         Spencer Yost
>>
>>         > On Jan 11, 2019, at 9:50 AM, James Peck
>>         <jamesgpeck at hotmail.com <mailto:jamesgpeck at hotmail.com>> wrote:
>>         >
>>         > http://legacyquarterly.com/Calendar2019#
>>         >
>>         > The Issue 39 of Legacy Quarterly has an article Massey
>>         Harris Triples 333, 444, 555 The Last Massey Harris
>>         Tractors.  The article contains a photo of the Ferguson LTX
>>         60.    It may be that the same set of personalities who
>>         quashed the LTX 60 also did not want to update the triples. 
>>         The 555 sold poorly in 1955 58.
>>         >
>>         > Clearly the setting for the eventual bankruptcy were set in
>>         this merger.
>>         >
>>         > https://harryferguson.blogspot.com
>>         >
>>         > <winmail.dat>
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>>
>> -- 
>> -- 
>>
>> Francis Robinson
>> aka "farmer"
>> Central Indiana USA
>> robinson46176 at gmail.com <mailto:robinson46176 at gmail.com>
>>
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