One of the more interesting machines to take part next weekend’s De Courcey Harvest Day will be the JF MS90 side-mounted combine harvester owned by Frank Buttimer. This semi-mounted combine was popular in the 1970s and early 1980s and it will be operated by a newly restored Ford 4000 owned by Frank’s neighbour Batt Hegarty.

The JF MS90 was built in Denmark by JF and more than 20,000 versions of the three-model range were built. More than 100 were sold in Ireland.

The JF MS90 is fitted with a 2.4m (8ft) header and has an overall width of 3m on the road. It was designed to be powered by a tractor capable of producing 40hp at the PTO. The original brochure claimed that it was rated to harvest 3t per hour and has a grain tank capacity of 1t. The last of these combines had a list price of £6,250 when we published our combine harvester supplement in July 1979.

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The JF side-mounted combine was designed to be attached to a tractor in just five minutes, by reversing the tractor into the side of the combine. A special drawbar connects to the rear of the tractor, below the PTO shaft, and there is a swivel arm connected to the combine, behind the header, and linked to the front of the tractor.

Three versions of the MS side-mounted combine range were made by JF – the entry-level MS70 (6ft cut), MS90 as described here and the MS105 (10ft cut). Two upgrades to the MS range were introduced in the early 1980s – the MS707 (7ft cut) and the MS910 (10ft cut). These newer machines claimed larger capacity with more beater bars on the threshing drum, a larger concave area and larger grain tanks as well as a cable control system for the quieter tractor cabs that were beginning to emerge at the time.

This particular combine harvester was bought new at the Cork Show in 1969 and for a period belonged to a cousin of Frank Buttimer. It was later sold at auction in 1980 and continued working up until around 1986 when it was put into storage.

Frank, whose own family had also owned an JF back in the 1970s, knew about the machine and enquired about it several times until in 2010 he eventually managed to buy it.

“There was very little restoration involved as the machine had been stored very carefully in a dry shed,” said Frank. “All that was required were a few new belts and a repair to a pulley. There was no rust and even the paintwork was in great condition,” he added. The combine began its new life by cutting corn at Pedlars Cross vintage day in 2011. It has been in action every year since.

1972 Ford

The 1972 Ford 4000 is owned by Batt Hegarty and has been in his family since 1977. It was bought by Batt’s father Vincent from Michael Hurley in Bandon and never gave an ounce of trouble in all the time they have had it. The cost of the tractor in 1977 was £4,000.

“About six years ago I set about collecting the necessary parts to restore the tractor,” said Batt. “The restoration started in earnest in 2014 and has just been completed, taking 13 months of hard work. Nothing was spared and the tractor is absolutely immaculate,” he added.

Frank and Batt have the Ford and JF combination hooked up and ready for a day’s harvesting at the upcoming De Courcey Harvest Day in Ballinadee, Bandon, Co Cork, on bank holiday Monday 3 August.