People are attracted to classic tractors for all sorts of reasons. For some it’s all about rekindling childhood memories or maintaining links with a grandfather or favourite uncle who worked the same model back in the day. For others its more about a straightforward appreciation of the engineering involved. Tractors from the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s were designed with genuine longevity in mind. They were built to last, over-engineered in many respects and, in comparison to the models that came later, deliver a much more DIY-friendly ownership proposition.
Simon Wright falls into the latter category and, for him, it’s all about the engineering. He’s a great admirer of the agricultural equipment that was around in the 1970s and, in particular, has a real soft spot for Massey Ferguson 100 Series tractors. So far he’s restored two of these popular machines, and he’s the first to admit that he gets enormous pleasure and satisfaction from the practical mechanics of a restoration project.
“Everything is carefully photographed, stripped, cleaned, bagged and labelled. I’m certainly not one of those people who likes working surrounded by piles of oily bits”
An enjoyable process
“I finished restoring my first tractor – an MF 165 – in 2013 and, because I’d enjoyed the process so much, was very keen to repeat the exercise with a different model,” he explained. “I’m a big fan of 1970s tractors and the quality of engineering that went into them, and the 100 Series machines are a particular favourite of mine. So it seemed obvious to opt for another red and grey tractor from that era.
“I had, of course, considered an MF 135, and was actually offered one by a neighbour, but he was asking too much money for it.
