# Restoring a MF Turf Special



## Dave from Ottawa Canada (Apr 24, 2021)

Hello from Ottawa Canada Everyone. This ole girl has been sitting at our Golf Clubs maintenance shack for a long time due to a blown rad back in the day, otherwise she was working. Some of us members are putting in time and $ to restore her to glory days in memory of our past greens keeper. I am unable to determine the year from the serial code, and I have tracked down MF serial code sites but none seam to show the UGM for starters. Can someone solve this mystery for us?It has the 4-cylinder Continental gas engine.

Secondly, does anyone know a supplier for a new rad based on the serial number etc., what I should be searching for to get the right one? 

Will keep you all posted as we resurrect this ole girl, always use for an additional tractor at a golf course. 

thanks in advance

Dave 
Carleton Golf & Yacht Club
Manotick Ontario


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## BigT (Sep 15, 2014)

Hi Dave, welcome to the tractor forum.

That tractor is a Massey Ferguson 35 (Turf Special), with short front axle spindles and smaller diameter rear tires to make it a low center of gravity (LCG) tractor for greater stability whilst mowing golf course ditches and slopes. Otherwise, its a just a Massey Ferguson 35. Here's a tractordata summary sheet of the tractor:

TractorData.com Massey Ferguson 35 Turf tractor information

If you are looking for a starter for example, you want a starter for a MF35, just have your serial number handy as sometimes there are variations based upon serial number breaks. 

For miscellaneous parts no longer available, you will have to resort to salvage yards. Tractorhouse.com has 54 each MF35's listed in salvage. The only thing that may be really difficult to find will be the short front axle spindles and the rear wheel rims (if you happen to need these items).

https://www.tractorhouse.com/listin...es/list/manufacturer/massey-ferguson/model/35

I like those LCG tractors. They were used primarily by highway departments for mowing ditches and slopes along highways. 

Good luck with your rebuild.


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## Dave from Ottawa Canada (Apr 24, 2021)

Thanks for the welcoming Big T. To be clear then, I cannot buy a new radiator, I have to find one from a junker? Someone had told me that some manufacturers do. Are older radiators for tractors is why the ask.

Dave


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## BigT (Sep 15, 2014)

Dave, new radiators for a MF35 are readily available on the internet. They are aftermarket radiators and may have slight differences from the original. But they should fit. They often give measurements for you to check against your original. I installed an aftermarket radiator on my Ford tractor last year, works well. Take care not to touch the radiator fins when installing, as they are very delicate.

There are many other routine type items available for a MF35 as well. Also check Amazon & Ebay.

Reserve the salvage yards for things you cannot find. My only reason for mentioning the salvage yards is to illustrate the volume of used parts available.


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