Peter Zobian Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 This beautiful 1952 Ford 8N tractor followed us home last week. We were driving to Christianburg, VA and saw it parked on a front lawn with a For Sale sign. I had to stop and look. It was a good deal so I ended up buying it. Can someone tell me why the Ford 9N came before the 8N? And why there was a Ford 2N tractor between the 9N and the 8N? Surely, someone at Ford knew how to count, or at least knew what order the numbers came in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 I used a 9N at the boat yard for years, we think it was a 1938. I can't tell you why 9 came before 8 but it did. One minor difference was that the 9N didn't have floor boards, probably other differences that I don't know of. I had more that one farmer ask me for tune ups as they saw my old tractor working on a daily basis. Most couldn't figure out how to change points. The one thing I changed for dependability was that I put a 12 volt alternator on it. It also was painted up with flames. It got sold at the retirement sale, I wonder what ever happened to it. I wonder if I have any pictures of it. Certainly not digital ones. HA! Nice score!! Thanks for the memory jog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest newbymachineworks Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 9N came out in 39, 2N in 42 and 8N in 48. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 The 2N was introduced in late 1942. It had safety improvements such as the left brake pedal was moved to the right (beside the right pedal) allowing the operator to operate the clutch with the left foot and both or either crake with his right foot. It also had a lockout so you could not start it in gear. When Harry and Herry broke up the 9N became the 8N. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Byrd Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Peter, we had 3 of these tractors through the years, and if I remember right, the 2 or the 9N was a 3 speed instead of a 4 speed. Also very tall narrow front wheels were on one of ours. These are great little tractors and we always had folks wanting to buy ours when we owned them ! Your's looks great, congratulations ! P.S. Here was our last one before we went to Kubota ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Nice looking tractor. Had one also before I bought a New Holland with a front end loader which I need for the store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john2dameron Posted July 12, 2016 Share Posted July 12, 2016 Yes, the 9N came out in '39 and had a 3 speed transmission and a top speed of about 6 mph. The 2N came out in '42 and I have been told that the reason for it was rubber was scarce and the 2N came from the factory with steel wheels and no tires but it seems impossible to find one that way today as they seem to have all gotten fitted with rubber tires after the war. Then the 8N came out in '48 and had a 4-speed transmission which made it faster. We had an 8N and I soon learned that you could kick it out of gear going down hill and pick up quite a bit of speed. My older brother tried that one day pulling a trailer and jackknifed the trailer and lost his load. I wished the 8N had power steering. I would be disking crop land and make a turn at the end of the field and if it dropped into a furrow the wheel would whip around and make you thumb feel like it had broken if you had it wrapped around the wheel. Lesson #2 was Don't wrap your thumb down in side the steering wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike36 Posted July 12, 2016 Share Posted July 12, 2016 The 8n was also available with a Sherman overdrive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cahartley Posted July 12, 2016 Share Posted July 12, 2016 2N's were Ford's way of getting past war time restrictions. A true 2N has no starter or electrics, magneto ignition and steel wheels all around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danleblanc Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Great looking tractors, guys. My father, who is now 81 wants me to bring home his 54 NAA (same as the 53 Jubilee, different hood medallion). Hopefully I can make it as nice as the tractors posted here. Interestingly enough, someone upgraded it with the high-low range Sherman transmission and Zenith carburetor. Guess someone wanted a hot rod NAA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Yup, Most tractors will waste a lot of time traveling. I always worry about getting rear ended at 15 MPH. I have a newer Kobota now that at least has flashers and I red tri-angle sign on the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 I live in the country and yesterday I was trying to turn left onto the main road. I had to wait for a string of about 15 tractors coming from my left, and about a hundred cars stacked up behind them. I guess these farmers team up and help each other with bailing. There is a straight stretch about a quarter mile down that way that would be good for passing but these country roads are getting busy these days, and making any progress in that line up would be fruitless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScarredKnightfan Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Very cool ... congratulations! A friend of mine in E central IL has an 8N, too ... believe it is the same vintage/year, if I'm not mistaken. 2-DAY EVENT S Elgin IL, with restaurant & hotel discounts:http://www.oldcarsstronghearts.com/2016/07/12/tuesday-trip-69/ "This can't be the end" __ Bertie Higgins __ 'Key Largo' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john2dameron Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 9 hours ago, JACK M said: I live in the country and yesterday I was trying to turn left onto the main road. I had to wait for a string of about 15 tractors coming from my left, and about a hundred cars stacked up behind them. I guess these farmers team up and help each other with bailing. There is a straight stretch about a quarter mile down that way that would be good for passing but these country roads are getting busy these days, and making any progress in that line up would be fruitless. A few months ago I had a doctor appointment. Got to a traffic light but the line of traffic I was in was not moving. Finally I got close enough to realize a huge line of farm tractors were going thru the light and a deputy sheriff was holding traffic for them. Got thru the light and had to follow them for about 4 miles. Needless to say, after a forty minute delay I was late for my appointment. Never did find out what was going on but I decided a bunch of farm boys decided to have a parade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 (edited) Yes. That 52 8-N has a side distributor and the generator is on the opposite side of the older models. There isn't a part on one of that series 9,2,8N series that I have not had to rebuild at one time or another. Tough little tractors that really stood the test of time. There are still some around the neighborhood here that are used for bush hogging and other work while most tractors their age just sit in collections. Dandy Dave! Edited July 18, 2016 by Dandy Dave (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Bollman Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 Yep my 1949 8N still does driveway duty to keep the gravel leveled out, move trailers around and such. Since moving out of the snowbelt of NY it is semi retired from snow duty but it moved 12 foot of snow each of the last two winters before the move. Use to move a lot of firewood with the front end loader mine has, now I just push the remote for the gas fireplace. This past winter I used it to track up the drive and go to the mail box once but didn't bother putting the plow on. I guess both the tractor and I are both getting lazy in our old age. These pictures were taken 15-20 years ago. http://www.jebs-stuff.com/images/8n/ford_8n.html the FC170 is long gone and so is the buzz saw. I brought the V-blade plow just in case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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