If you get as far as replacing the drive belts for the Hydraulics and Power Steering you have to split the drive shaft from the engine. loosen the engine mounts to get both belts in position on the pumps, back in the day when we had a MF 1200, the belts were not known for their longevity, so we used to put a second set over the drive shaft and tie them out the way. You could then change the belts without splitting the shaft from the engine. And in your case it looks like this has been done already.

Ive seen much worse than that.. I know of one that has only about 1000 hours on it, but it was parked for 25 odd years in a bog.. Im guessing the Irish peat factory's were using it for something and then just left it.. They had a habit of buying new tractors and dogging them to death in a hurry.. My guess is something went on it on the job, and instead of towing it back or fixing it, it got left on the long finger. They used to drag diy giant harrows over the peat, all day long.. Couldn't have been a worse environment for destroying tractors, Just too much dust and making too much money to look after the tractors. Its a tractor graveyard out in those bogs..

Hi Olly good luck with the 1200 in my experience the only time they don’t leak oil is if they haven’t any in them lol I drove one of the first ones when I was 17 for a contractor in Wiltshire a fantastic tractor in it’s time in my years I have owed a 1200 and a 1250 I wish I hadn’t sold the 1250 as there value has rocketed good luck again I think more than a months work

It looks like your 1200 has been a beach tractor I wish I was closer as I would love to help to restore it. As you say it is all flat metal and can easily be fixed, good luck with it and I will watch your progress on it.

It runs and drives thats the most important thing, leaks are just an inconvenience, and bodywork just takes time. She'll be an absolute monster when she's done

Thanks Olly, love what pops up in your vlogs. I hope you do find some help with the MF. Love the hats. Take care and about 75% today, just sick of wading through mud!!

You just need to put a little bit of gentle heat onto those stickers so they come off intact and then, once they’re saved, build a completely new tractor to stick them onto and weigh the old one in.😀👍🏻

Get in touch with “cow farmer Dan” he’s knowledgeable in owt vintage Massey!!

Great video as always. Look forward to the restoration👍🏼 Will also keep an eye out for the new hats. Cant wait. Thanks again

Nice project Olly take some time but knowing you it will turn out good how long it takes steering wise check the power steering filter also has it got enough oil in it but farmer Dan as one who might put you in the right direction.

You got to admire that glass-half-full attitude! 👍 Good luck with the Massey

I’ve had 2 1200’s and a 1250. Great tractors. I once saw an advert for a used 1200 with No Oil leaks. I rang the guy up and said there was no such thing. It must have been either brand new or all the oils had leaked out!

At least your oil leak isn't as bad as our rally prepared Mini - but the rust is a bit worse!! Great looking tractor though and will be a fun project! Great news on the amount raised on the tractor run!

Brilliant! Looking forward to seeing the restoration!

Can't wait to see the final result of that restoration, looks like a lot of work needed to bring it back to some kind of o natural.🙏🤣❤

It could be a the priority valve on the pump, there will be ample pressure to the pump but the the valve maybe sticking that sends pressure to the steering. Had the same issue on an 1188 V8

Nice future project with the 1200, and a locally built tractor to you, built at the massey ferguson industrial factory on Barton Dock Road Manchester. Side panels on the engine are a nice touch, normally get taken off and lost.

Farmer Phil in Ireland on KZfaq are the Massey boys, his Dad, Father Phil is the man who’s the fountain of knowledge!!

Definitely interested in coming to an open day in the summer. That 1200 is going to keep someone busy!

You have taken on a good project with the MF 1200 Olly. No doubt when sorted it will look spot on. Good luck

Dont worry about the 1200 Ollie when you gone through it it'll be a great bus it'll be just some project keep you going a while another great video Ollie hope the open day went well and raised a bit of money Eddie

Another excellent blog Olly, - surely somebody living “up north” could reply to Ollies request for help with his MF1200? It would be lovely to see it fully restored.

I think, the steering and multi power are driven by the same pump. It might draw its oil from the drop box. There’s a fill plug at the back of the drop box. If oil is low the steering will be heavy. Also, in high multi power, the steering will always be a little slower. The other pump is for the auxiliaries, the oil for this is topped up in beside the front left wheel. The auxiliary tank is is also below the cab, on the left side. Still a fairly simple tractor. Picture of rear of half axles will show whether brakes are wet or dry type.

She's going to take a fair bit of love. Best of luck in restoring her.

Almost. Ought the same 20 years ago, to pricy and in great shape. Great tractor. Drycracks in the thres, ouch🤑

I got one of those hot chocolate things at Christmas as well - fantastic things although bloody expensive to run with Hotel Chocolate chocolate!

In 1978 we had 4 did all our plowing, I was always a ford man myself, 67% today

Good vid Olly when I worked on a farm our contractor had a 1200 used to love a ride Farmer phill has got one 2 do up yuo might get some tips

Hi Olly Nice video the1200 looks like it been in the sea a few times Claas looks a nice model Thanks Again

Good luck with the 1200 she definitely looks like she has been a Beach Tractor I have never seen corrosion like that on a 1200 cab they were built fairly local to you at Barton Dock Road in Manchester

I'm with you Olly the old 1200 should have some work done to at least stabilise it 👍

Great video, that rust reminds me of some of the rig’s offshore lol

The 1200 looks a challenge that's for sure. The fudweasel is another channel I would suggest getting in touch with. He loves his masseys and may be able to give some help.

I Admire Your Optimistic Attitude🤔❓ That's A Full Resto & Very Deep Pockets Needed 💰💰💰💰🙈🙈🙈👍

Doing some googling I found a config that has a front blade 'Massey Ferguson 1200 Skidder' for forestry, not sure if that's the same deal as yours or not, couldn't find any pics with the mounts.

Bateman is the wrong way round in the shed!!! Ooopppsss, jump start may be a bit difficult, Doh!!! 😬😂😂

You said "was there anyone who liked tinkering with tractors" abit of an understatement I fear. Good luck with Project 1200.

my guesss that 1200 sat a while maybe used as a stationery engine saw bench etc i think it will look amasing when done

Good video Olly. Who ever takes it on has their work cut out. I wonder if it work in forestry with the blade brackets.

Use our hotel chocolat machine every day. Milk in and spoon of coffee - brilliant latte! Awesome!

There’s a couple,of comments suggesting that it may be a pump issue which apparently affects the steering I don’t know but it sounds a possibility costs nothing to have a look! Either way it’s a great tractor and we’ll worth restoring as it’s mainly flat metal which is easy to repair.

Great video olly a lot o& work in the massy but will look well when finished

My Father recently sent off his MF 550 for restoration and the old boys that are doing the work said "never again" to a Massey cab that looked almost as bad as yours!!😂 Good luck👍

Have a little look on ebay at the case 1394 equal wheeled tractor. Be a nice addition to the fleet.

That’s going to be some project but will be good to see the difference

I wonder if the Massey has been near the coast or been putting in or pulling fishing boats out the sea or on a pig farm its like a freeking tea bag !

Have a word with Chris next door, looks like a project that would suit him😀

Be prepared for a shock when you take the seat and floor out. That first moment you feast your eyes on the goodies under the floor and then realise its just a massey 35 gearbox casting with load of pipes - looks like its on a drip - lol

Hi Olly I just wanted to say Great video today and the 1200 look well done UP and I am a 100% today

Hi Olly, hope you didn't pay too much for the 1200. Looks like it been a beach boat launcher in the past with the amount of rust. They were quite popular for that as they could go quite deep as the engine is high up. The oil leak looks too black to be from the back end ( unless its been filled with used engine oil),it, could be from the clutch / gearbox area. Seat and floor panels are easy to remove and should give you a much better idea where the leak is. Pipework to the hydraulic pumps will be easier to check as well. Personally I would think hard about spending too much time and money on it, especially due to the rust. Get it under cover if possible, paint it with oil if not, and keep your eyes open for another one and make a good one out of the pair.

Brilliant video thank you very much❤👀👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

Hey Olly, that old 1200 is a massive job for someone eh? Id love to come up to a summer open day, the wife and I could ride up from Canterbury on the big Yamaha - would the old weighbridge cabin be available for the night lol

Top blog mate defo up for a toure in the summer 👌

lord muck has a channel about restoring old tractors. hes a mine of information

I would love to have one like that, what a gem.

Hope you do better with 1200 than me ..bought mine 15years ago and still haven't got it done up .good luck👍

G&m farm models great company, not used them recently but great service.

The 1200 must have been in sea air to be that rusty throughout, has it been pulling fishing boats up a beach?

For a proper classic massey need a 595 or something from 1 series like a rare 175 or 188

i recon it had a winch in front to pull boats of out the sea

Probably gone round the clock to look in that state looks like it's been shot with a shotgun a few times, probably worked next to the coast or pulling boats, but will be a good project and more content for the channel👍

Definitely get in touch with cow farmer Dan as he has a mf1200

well OMG oly if anyone can can fix this MF1200 is you and the team around you this is going to be a great watch good luck

Perhaps you could find a better 1200 and use this one as a parts tractor. Yes do the MB Trac first, I used to drive one back in the day really like them.

FARMER PHIL is just about to.restore.a 1200 .Well Father Phil Is the man

Need lord muck and the fud weseal for the Massey overhaul

I suspect you may have bought a money pit! It may have been on the coast. 🤦🏻‍♂️ GOOD LUCK!!

Tom really found you a proper project with the marmite 1200 😂😂

Brilliant camera man🎥👀👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

Have you not got enough on your plate, without buying more problems!?🤦‍♂️🤣 I'll get my wife one of those hot chocolate 🍫 makers for her birthday. 👍 Could you sell merch through amazon?

5400 that probably been round a few times. Ive never seen one before. Massive job for someone.

Ey up olly those brackets on the side it might av had a blade for forestry work it might of spent abit of its life logging

Snap on or Teng? Milwaukee or Dewalt ?

Get it shot blasted it will be down to 4 1/2 ton 🤣🤣. Those sort of projects are for the board retired guys with plenty of time not the busy farmer types, you already know that though. Get it driving dnd put it under cover would be my advice

there is a fair chance that the 1200 was used in forestry as a skidder i use to own a 1505 when i was doing logging with a blade on front and bolt on winch on the back i know somone by me that has done mf1200 to mint standard he also bought my 1505 and full rebuilt it

i love to own one but they now to Expensive for me your in a lucky to have it

Hi olly Check out classic tractor March 2021 Mf 1200 in it 👌 Happy days 🤣🤣

It's a Massey so it could be metal filings in the hydraulic pump

What was the 1200 used for before you saved it. Looks like it’s been in the sea

Thank you for the birthday wish👍 grewt vid as always

Has that 1200 come from a costal area ? With so much rust it looks like it.

Wits the floor like in the cab water got in mine from dash

The reason it will only turn right is because thats the way to the scrap yard 🤣🤣🤣

If you can steer the 1200 you will manage A pram 😊

Another good video 👍

Hi only as Robert Allen says contact cow farmer Dan or farmer phill they know massys inside out

I think that 1200 is going to take more than a month for two guys. If only I had the time.

The MF 1200 looks like a matbro backwards (without the loader).

won't belong before your feet go through it, and it turns into a Fred Flinstone tractor, yabba dabba doooo!

1200 looks as if it's had a life as a boat tug, drawing boats out of the sea, looks like you likes a challenge,lol 95% today

How do you get on the birthday bumper? my wife's birthday is on Friday 21st Jan, would be great to see her name on the Bateman's bumper. Her name is Michelle Bullett.

The good thing is parts will be available ,,it will weigh 7 ton when it's plated 😆

The tractor is as big a job as that roundabout 🤣😉

Massey not come far from where it was built was built in Trafford Park I think

THAT MASSEY NICE TRACTOR WHEN RESTORED

I reckon she's been in forestry hence the blade and valve protectors on wheels

Bit of paint ...it'll be sound Olly

L. R. 2. S. H. 1. 3. Try that, they have a Massey 185/188 gearbox

we got on as well

It can be repaired . :D