Technical register for agricultural, construction and commercial machinery · sourced data
Start › Tractors › Massey Harris › Other models › GENERAL PURPOSE (GP)

Massey Harris GENERAL PURPOSE (GP)

Built: 1930–1938 · Series: Other models

Not the right version? The data comes from vehicle registers holding many near-identical versions side by side. Photograph the data plate — we read make and type from it. Open the scanner e-mail address required

The Massey Harris GENERAL PURPOSE (GP) belongs to the Pozostałe modele series. Production: 1930–1938. The engine delivers 16.2 hp (11.9 kW), has 4 cylinders, with a displacement of 3,707 cm³. Rated speed is 1,200 rpm. The machine is 3,032 mm long, 1,524 mm wide and 1,397 mm high. The unladen weight is 1,751 kg. The wheelbase measures 1,334 mm. Ground clearance is 762 mm. Top speed is 6.5 km/h. The tank holds 53 litres. Transmission: 3 V/1 R. The engine is water-cooled. Tyres: front 965 x 203, rear 965 x 203. The fuel is Kerosin/Benzin. The bore measures 101.6 mm. The stroke is 114.3 mm. Construction: frame construction. The gearbox offers 3 forward gears. There are also 1 reverse gears. Around ca. 4.000 units were built. Rated output across the Massey Harris range ranges from 10.1 to 57.6 hp; the GENERAL PURPOSE (GP) sits at the bottom of that range with 16.2 hp. Its immediate neighbours are the PONY 811/812 below it with 15.8 hp and the PACEMAKER (PA) above it with 16.4 hp. Rated output across the Massey Harris range ranges from 10.1 to 42 hp; here the GENERAL PURPOSE (GP) sits in the lower part of that range with 16.2 hp. 66 Massey Harris models across 8 series are on record.

Massey Harris – other models: collective page of tractors outside the named ranges, from the Big Bull to the Pony and Pacer, 8.2 to 34 kW, kerosene, petrol and diesel engines

This page gathers the Massey Harris tractors the register could not assign to a named range – from early large tractors such as the Big Bull to the compact post-war Pony and Pacer models. Massey Harris was formed in 1891 from the merger of the Canadian farm-equipment makers Massey and Harris in Toronto, before the company merged in 1953 with Harry Ferguson's tractor firm to form Massey-Ferguson. TWIN POWER-CHALLENGER and TWIN POWER-PACEMAKER refer to the engageable two-speed PTO reduction. The entry TE-A-20 belongs to the licence-built Ferguson TE-20, briefly sold under the Massey name too in the transitional years after the merger.

Read on 3 more paragraphs

The register lists here 29 versions with 8.2 to 34 kW from two- to six-cylinder engines of 1,021 to 11,403 cm³, unladen weights of 857 to 5,352 kg, lengths of 2,520 to 4,394 mm, widths of 1,422 to 2,075 mm and heights of 1,346 to 2,080 mm; rated speeds range from 750 to 1,800 rpm. Engines came from Massey Harris itself, from Continental and Perkins, and from Chrysler; many early models were started on petrol and switched to cheaper kerosene once warm.

Between the world wars and through the 1940s Massey Harris was among the leading tractor makers of North America and Britain; the sturdy Pony and Pacer tractors served as affordable entry models and were exported to Europe too. The merger into Massey-Ferguson in 1953 ended independent model development.

When buying used, the condition of the cooling system and head gasket, rust on the mudguards and toolbox, and the function of the mechanical PTO and belt pulley matter most. Parts for Massey Harris engines often overlap with early Massey-Ferguson and Ferguson stock; wiring and the carburettor are the most common weak points on the older petrol and kerosene models.

Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: Massey Harris (weitere Modelle)

Technical data

Engine

FuelKerosin/Benzincorrect
Power16.2 hp (11.9 kW)correct
Rated speed1,200 rpmcorrect
Cylinders4correct
Displacement3,707 cm³correct
Bore101.6 mmcorrect
Stroke114.3 mmcorrect
Coolingwater-cooledcorrect

Dimensions and weights

Length3,032 mmcorrect
Width1,524 mmcorrect
Height1,397 mmcorrect
Wheelbase1,334 mmcorrect
Ground clearance762 mmcorrect
Unladen weight1,751 kgcorrect

Drivetrain and chassis

Driverear-wheel drivecorrect
Gearbox3 V/1 Rcorrect
Forward gears3correct
Reverse gears1correct
Front tyres965 x 203correct
Rear tyres965 x 203correct
Top speed6.5 km/hcorrect

Working data

Fuel tank capacity53 lcorrect

Origin and approval

Constructionframe constructioncorrect
Units builtca. 4.000correct

Where this model stands

Power-to-weight ratio: 6.8 kW/t (12 kW / 1.8 t)

Power class: Compact (< 40 hp)

Stronger than 4% of the tractors in the register — out of 15,663 models with a stated power figure.

Calculated from the documented figures above — not a rating.

Frequently asked questions

How much power does the Massey Harris GENERAL PURPOSE (GP) have?

The Massey Harris GENERAL PURPOSE (GP) delivers 16.2 hp.

How much does the Massey Harris GENERAL PURPOSE (GP) weigh?

The unladen weight is 1,751 kg.

What engine does the Massey Harris GENERAL PURPOSE (GP) have?

4 cylinders, 3,707 cm³ displacement, Kerosin/Benzin.

How fast does the Massey Harris GENERAL PURPOSE (GP) go?

Top speed is 6.5 km/h.

What are the dimensions of the Massey Harris GENERAL PURPOSE (GP)?

3,032 mm × 1,524 mm × 1,397 mm.

When was the Massey Harris GENERAL PURPOSE (GP) built?

Production years: 1930–1938.

What to check before buying

  • Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
  • Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
  • Check the weights in the papers against the figures here — attachments change them.
  • Check front and rear tyre sizes: mismatched pairs strain the drivetrain.
  • Shift the gearbox cold and warm — jumps only show up at temperature.
  • Load the hydraulics and watch for sag.
  • Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.

A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.

Looking for this machine?
We do not sell machines. We ask the dealers who carry this model and come back with price and lead time.
Request a quote →
Need parts for this model?
We ask the suppliers and come back with price and lead time.
Request spare parts →

This page carries 26 individual figures for this model. They come from 1 recorded source; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.

Missing a figure you were looking for? Report it →

Know this machine better? Have a photo, a manual, or know that a figure is wrong? Add it to the register →

Other models in this series

Sources: Wikibooks Traktorenlexikon (CC BY-SA 4.0) (retrieved August 2026) · How we check the data

Tractor in 3D section

Turn the model, look inside and click an assembly — each one is explained.

Compare