Saying goodbye to one of my Fords

[corvette8n]

Sold my '48 8N, it was my first "old car" 14 years ago, most fun you could have at 4 miles per hour.

[Tony Hillyard]

Your '48 8N, is that the Ferguson built by Ford? I have a '49 TEA 20. A superb work horse. In the picture of your 8N, what is the correct name for the scrapper/grader attachment on the back. Do you by any chance have any other pictures of that attachment please?

Thanks in advance.

[rotorwrench]

The Ford does use the Ferguson 3-point hitch design but it was all Ford other than that. The scraper blades are available from a lot of different suppliers and can be adjusted to fit about any 3-point hitch.

[corvette8n]

Is a 6 foot scraper blade, sometimes called a back blade, available in US at any tractor supply store, I bought mine used. The Fords do use the Ferguson 3 point system, but motor and most parts are different.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Tony Hillyard

Your '48 8N, is that the Ferguson built by Ford?

This is my VERY early '48 8N, built the first week of November 1947.....built by Ford! DD

[40 Deluxe]

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Originally Posted by Tony Hillyard

Your '48 8N, is that the Ferguson built by Ford? I have a '49 TEA 20. A superb work horse. In the picture of your 8N, what is the correct name for the scrapper/grader attachment on the back. Do you by any chance have any other pictures of that attachment please?

Thanks in advance.

9N and 2N were tractors designed and built by Ford with the "Ferguson System" (the three point hydraulic hitch system with draft control), starting in 1939. Harry Ferguson and Henry Ford had a handshake agreement on Ford using Ferguson's system. After WW II the younger Henry Ford II was in charge and terminated this agreement and came out with the 8N model which used a revised version of the Ferguson system (it had both draft and position control). Ferguson sued and the court battle was on.
Soon Ferguson went to England and began building his own tractors there and importing them into the US. Thus the TE20 (Tractor, England, 20 horsepower). Later he built tractors in the US-TO20, TO30 and maybe a 35 (TO-Tractor, Overseas). TE tractors had Lucas electrical systems and TO tractors had Delco systems.
Quick way to tell an N Ford from a Ferguson is that the Fords were flathead engines (basically half of the 239 V8) and Fergusons were overhead valve.

[skidmarks]

Looks like a wagner loader. I hated the one we had. Had to crawl over the loader frame to get into the seat. And your traped in it
Was power up only

[Brian]

I love my 8N

[Alaska Jim]

I have an old '48 8N at my place down in Texas. I just wish I could keep the axle seals from leaking. paid to have them replaced twice, and it only lasted a short time. I have almost nothing for tools there, or I would try and fix them myself. I would really like to have the brakes work, but with oil on the shoes , forget it. I only use it to cut the brush with the brush hog. I just go slow and easy.

[JSeery]

Looks like a lot of 8N owners on the Barn!! Mine is a late model.

[skidmarks]

I got away from the N series, my father still has one of the last 1952 models with a Sherman transmission. I moved on to ths 600 with the OHV. Love the 134/172/192 motors, got one in a model A coupe

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Originally Posted by Brian

I love my 8N

A right hand drive one !!

GB

[corvette8n]

Coopman I like your '48, I narrowed the date of mine to Dec 1947.
Somewhere in my archives I have a spreadsheet of the running month by month design changes for the 8N, if I can find it I'll post it.

Skidmarks, Mine was a Dearborn 19-71 industrial loader aka "jungle gym" this loader would also fit the NAA series.

[rotorwrench]

I like my 1956 850 but I'd love to have the first Fordson Major my Pop had. He traded it for a Ford 5000 in the mid 60s. That one was a diesel with the later version of select-o-shift. It was a strong machine for its size.

[1935coupe]

WoW a lot of N owners here I am one also
1952 8N with a skyloader and a Sherman.
Just a toy for me, where I live there is no need for a tractor but it is so fun to play with

[willowbilly3]

I've had and used several 2N, 8N, 9N over the years and now have a 640. They are great for certain things, like a blade and I have the regular blade and a box blade with teeth. What they aren't good for is much of anything requiring the PTO. Like a mower or brush hog. No live power and 1st gear is way too fast if you get in thick going. I have a 5 foot brush hog and the over run ning clutch so the mower momentum doesn't shove you through a fence, just a band aid for a tractor ill equipped for the job.
I will say, for what people are willing to pay for the old Fords, you can buy a much better tractor with live power and power steering. My next move is up to a 3000, 4000. Now those are a real tractor.

[cas3]

willowbilly3 has nailed it. i had one too. with loader, and overdrive tranny too. the fords are cute and very popular, but not much of a tractor. i moved up to a mid 70's kubota. 30 hp diesel, 8 speeds, and four wheel drive. about the same size as the n's but much more useful. its a L295. sorry for the rant, now we can get back to fords

[JSeery]

willowbilly & cas3, isn't that a lot like saying why would anyone want an old Ford car/truck! Newer vehicles have more capability and many more features!! Think you are missing the whole point, don't think many of use own N Ford tractors because we believe they will perform anyways near a later model one. I own mine because it's cool and is handy to move things around on my 4 acres. If I was interested in heavy duty farming (and even mild farming for that matter) I would get a tractor with more capability, but than is not my intent for the old 8N.

Note: Lets see who tractor is worth more in 20 or 30 years! LOL.

[rotorwrench]

The 5-speed Is why I purchased the 850. It does fine with a mower on the back but then again, it has a little more poop than the N series. I never worried about the live PTO. Later ones had a clutch for it but I'm just careful about where I use the thing. Don't run over anything you don't want chopped down. All the Ns, NAAs, an hundred series tractors are popular here in Texas. I see more down here than I ever saw in Kansas growing up. That was why my Pop sold the Fordson Major. It couldn't do near what the 5000 could.

The Sherman gear conversion solved a lot of the N problems. If that wasn't enough, you do a Funk conversion and put a V8 in there. You don't see too many folks doing that stuff with the red, green, and orange tractors that are available now. I can't stand the sound of a 3-banger.

[cas3]

jseery, i dont think we missed the point, just made a different point on usability. if i were collecting tractors just to look at, the fords would make a nice collection. while i am not a farmer either, i do consider my small tractor a tool, not a toy, so i got rid of the ford and got a better tool. i must confess, i have always wanted an N with the v8 conversion, that would be a fun toy