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Found this sign in an antique store.

fatherdoug

Tonto Papadapolous
I had to have it. This is what I learned to drive on.

DSCF2400.JPG
 

nobodyspecial

Fire in the hole...
5,756
366
ND
I should get some pictures of our 8N, it has been completely rebuilt, it just needs paint. Has new tires and everything!
 

taxreliever

Licensed to Represent!
14,695
287
Maine
I should get some pictures of our 8N, it has been completely rebuilt, it just needs paint. Has new tires and everything!

Don't know what an 8N is, but if it has wheels and is probably associated with the tractor picture, then yes please X2! smilieFordlogo
 

fatherdoug

Tonto Papadapolous
Don't know what an 8N is, but if it has wheels and is probably associated with the tractor picture, then yes please X2! smilieFordlogo

8N is the model of the tractor in the picture. It actually says "8N" below and to the right of the tractor, but it is hard to see with the picture I took.

My dad bought one of these used for a hobby farm in 1960ish. The tractor was still running when we sold the place in 2006.
 

nobodyspecial

Fire in the hole...
5,756
366
ND
Ours was a little tired so my Grandpa had the engine rebuilt, but when his health failed it got parked in the shop.


I really should get it out and finish it up...
 

Beach66Bum

Moderator
Top Poster Of Month
There's a place around here where the guy has one parked at the entrance to their property, kinda a farm thing to do, looks really good! Been looking for a tractor (not running, just for decoration) to do the same, have the perfect piece of lawn right at the gate. Really like the one you learned on Doug! Although they were used to farm, I consider them works of art.
 

mtflat

Flatheads Forever
2,559
147
Love the sign Doug!!
Ford tractors paralled their car/truck models. Pretty cool bit of history actually.

The first of that series was offered in/around 1939 and called the 9N. The little 4 cyl was a flathead using a front-mounted distributor, rear wheels distinguished by flat center design, one brake pedal on each side means you can't use the left one when using the clutch - a real disadvantage in some situations.

A few minor changes were made just before WW2 and designated 2N.

The last version came out late '47 and designated the 8N and it has some significant improvements - distributor on a stalk, live PTO, both brake pedals on the right side, a road gear was available that allowed it to go almost 15 mph - which was scary fast for the steering capabilities, improved intake location, dish-shaped rear wheels for added strength, etc, etc.

Typical of ford at the time, did you notice the way they numbered according to the year: '39 - 9N, '42- 2N and '48- 8N?

The little engine was basically half of the car/truck V8 and some internal parts will swap. Today there are several adapters to mount a flathead V8 in those tractors.

My dad worked for a Minnie Mo dealer back in the mid-60's when everybody was trading in their worn out Fords for something more powerful. He'd buy them for a song, refurbish them, test them on our hobby farm and then sell 'em and buy another project tractor. I saw a variety of 9N and 8N's during that decade. He kept his last 8N and at 80 he still uses it to push snow and plow their garden every spring.
 
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fatherdoug

Tonto Papadapolous
I wondered why the 9N came before the 8N. If I remember right, there was a way to link the left and right brake pedal so the right brake pedal(or the left) stopped both wheels. I got thrown off the tractor once because I didn't realize that one brake pedal was for one wheel.

Thanks for the history lesson!
 

fatherdoug

Tonto Papadapolous
There's a place around here where the guy has one parked at the entrance to their property, kinda a farm thing to do, looks really good! Been looking for a tractor (not running, just for decoration) to do the same, have the perfect piece of lawn right at the gate. Really like the one you learned on Doug! Although they were used to farm, I consider them works of art.

True, Roy. They are a very sturdy work of art. They also command good money if they are in decent shape.
 

nobodyspecial

Fire in the hole...
5,756
366
ND
I will try to snap some pictures when I get off work today.
 

nobodyspecial

Fire in the hole...
5,756
366
ND
Here is a picture of our 8N. It may not look it, but it is completely rebuilt. Still needs front tires and paint, but other than that... Also, it needs a key. Stupid raccoons stole the key.

3bd3b7ff.jpg


Now, before someone calls me out and says that an 8N doesn't have a key, let me just say that when it was rebuilt, we put an alternator on it instead of a generator, and along with that came a key to shut it off, since the only way to shut it off previously was to pull the choke and kill it. :)

Also, here is the last one rebuilt. My Grandpas first tractor was a W6, just like this one. A while back he found another one and traded another old John Deere for it, but I cant remember which one.

61b2333b.jpg


This is the next one on the schedule, a John Deere 730, my favorite!

a54c1e21.jpg
 

fatherdoug

Tonto Papadapolous
BEAUTIFUL! Thanks for sharing! Looks the front tires are a little wider than usual, also. Replacing the clutch was a treat - you had to separate the two halves of the tractor.

Our neighbor owned the big brother to your McCormick.
 
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dustybumpers

don't play well w others
I think you'll like these....
IMG_0765.jpg


100_8474.jpg
 

DNFXDLI

The Token Canadian
Staff member
You started a very cool post Doug!
 

dustybumpers

don't play well w others

mtflat

Flatheads Forever
2,559
147
Here is a picture of our 8N. It may not look it, but it is completely rebuilt. Still needs front tires and paint, but other than that... Also, it needs a key. Stupid raccoons stole the key.

3bd3b7ff.jpg


Now, before someone calls me out and says that an 8N doesn't have a key, let me just say that when it was rebuilt, we put an alternator on it instead of a generator, and along with that came a key to shut it off, since the only way to shut it off previously was to pull the choke and kill it. :)

8N's do have a key, but that sure looks like a 9N to me - the clutch and left brake on the left side, flat rear wheel face, distributor on the front of the engine - where it's a pain to reach it, etc.

Nice looking tractors!
 

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