New Toy Ford 8N

[Raider Bill]

Got a new toy. No idea what year nor have I heard it run. Guy I bought it from took it as collateral on a loan a year ago. Parked it here and never tried to start it again. Battery's dead and I'm thinking the gas is bad. Still 6v. Next trip to Tenn will probably convert it to 12v and get it running.



  

  

  

  

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Not a bad looking 8n. It's a post 1950 model as it has the side mount distributor, and proofmeter on the dash.

[pappy19]

Great old tractors and still work just fine. Easy to restore. Have fun with it.

Pap

[thecfarm]

Nothing a matter with a 6 volt system. We had a 1954 and it started fine. Not something that like to be started in cold temps,like below 10°. I have no idea what youre had for a tranny. Some of them was a little too fast in first gear.

[Paul_H]

They are a good looking tractor,nice lines.

[21incher]

That is one fine looking piece of history. I think there is a guy in the Farm Show magazine that sells a V8 conversion kit If you ever need more power.

[thecfarm]

The V8 was made for belt power.

[Wudman]

Scuff up the points, give him a fresh drink and put that thing to work.  Unless you need lights to work at night, the 6 volt system will be fine.  We have a 48 on the farm.  Great little tractors.  In cold weather, you use it to pull the diesels to get them started.  Parts are still readily available.  There are still a lot of them in this part of the woods.  Some have been restored, but many are still working.

Wudman

[Al_Smith]

You can hang a rebuilt 56 amp 12 volt rebuilt Delco integral alternator on that thing for 29.95 from O'reilys ,use the Ford pulley .Put a ballast resister in series with the coil and it will always start .Then again leave it 6 volt and it might start .

[thecfarm]

I really don't see how a 6 volt system got a bad rap. As said the tractor was parked when it got cold. But summer time and early winter that '54 would start. My father cut wood a few times in early winter when there was a little snow on the ground. But as slow as it turns over,a person that was never around it would think it would never start.

[beenthere]

Looks to be in great shape. Have fun fixing it up, and it can pull a lot of wood out.
They are a joy to work in the woods and on pretty hilly ground.
What is nice about the 8N Ford is the right/left brake pedals are on one side, opposite the clutch pedal. Not like earlier Fords and like my TO30 Ferguson that you had to be clever with the left foot and heel to use the clutch and left brake at the same time. And in the woods, that can happen fairly often.

There are aftermarket drawbar hitches to bolt onto the rear under the PTO. Much better than the bar across the 3 ph arms (IMO).

I'd put something in front of that radiator if going in the woods with it. ;)

[WmFritz]

Just about a twin to my '59 Ferguson. I use it all winter long for snow plowing the driveway... most of the summer around the mill.  The tires look to be in great shape.

[LAZERDAN]

Got one just like it.  I ain't got the jazzy grill guard.   Now you need to visit Dennis                           http://dennis-carpenter.com/dennis-carpenter-parts-catalogs/p/TruckPartsCatalog/          Just like Candy          Lazerdan

[Planman1954]

That 8n looks nice! I've been on my 9n (1943 model) half the day today with a box blade. Got hung up on the largest stump I had to remove. I made the mistake of backing up over the stump, and the box blade would not let go! Three hours later after building a ramp similar to the Romans at Masada...my brother in law brought his tractor over and pulled me out...and then the stump too! Good to go again in the morning.

 
Have fun! Those fords are TOUGH.

[Magicman]

I grew up driving those old 8N's.  We had two and I still love um.   

[Chuck White]

Those little Fords are likely the most overworked tractors ever made!

We had a '54 8N, Dad got it when I was 5 yo, still had it when I left home!

We used it year round!

[thecfarm]

Chunk,'54 8n????? That would of been an NAA. Or least that's what I grew up with and I still have it. It's not running,a rebuilt on the carb would do it.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Good project tractor Raider. It should keep your mind off Pickled Peaches for a while.  :D

[samandothers]

Nice tractor!  Brings back memories of dad's.  My brother has it now and it still works!   Seems I remember steering about as much with the brakes as with the steering wheel with a bush hog or Disk behind it!

[Magicman]

The brakes were the only "power" steering that it had, and without a live clutch the bushhog would push you somewhere that you did not want to go.   :-\ 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Raiders 8n looks like it has an overrunning clutch on the PTO shaft so that a brushhog shouldn't push the tractor anyplace.

[sawguy21]

What is that contraption on the front? Home brew brush guard? I grew up in an area of small farms, many less than a quarter section. Those little Fords and Fergusons were extremely popular, inexpensive and reliable as gravity. Learned to drive one pulling a stone boat when I as 12. Dad inherited one on a small farm he bought, I wanted to rebuild it but we decided it was going to be too much. Tires were shot, hydraulics were full of water and the engine bearings were toast. He sold it as is for 1200 bucks. ;D

[sandhills]

My Grandpa had 2 of them and looking back now (hind sight is always 20/20 you know) I wish I would've sold the old '79 Ford pickup and bought one or both on the estate sale  :-\.  You'll have a lot of fun with that!

[Roger2561]

Nice looking tractor. 

A couple of things I like about those tractors; 1)  Simple to work on.  I grew up on an old Farmall Cub and Super "A".  Everything was easy to reach.  No hoods to remove to work on the carb, points, etc...  If it was too cold for the Farmall to start, put a hand crank in the hole below the radiator and crank away.  Usually it only took a turn or 2 to get her going.  2)  They were virtually bullet proof.  Those old tractors would take a kick and keep right on a workin'.  Roger

[Al_Smith]

The little Fords and Fergys are about bullit proof .I have had several 8N's in the past .There was a time in my life I "jockied " machinery .Buy low and flip them .It went pretty good until the price of parts made it non profitable.

However on parts there's enough aftermarket options now you could just about keep those little tractors running forever .