How Does an 8N Ford Stack Up With Modern Tractors?
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- Опубликовано: 1 июл 2024
- How does an 8N Ford stack up against modern tractors? Great question for Tractor Mike Q & A from Quent who has an 8N Ford that's been passed down through his family which he uses for brush hogging and some blade work. He's recently acquired some new property and thinks it might be time to retire/restore the 8N and wondered what tractor that's now available would compare to the performance of the old Ford. He's considering around 40 hp with 4wd and front end loader.
Actually, almost every tractor company has a modern day version of the 8N, and Quent nailed it. They'll generally be between 30 and 40 hp, with front wheel assist and a loader, and they'll not only be in the ballpark of the 8N's specs, they'll actually exceed them in almost every area. That's not surprising considering you're comparing an almost 70 year old tractor with a new, modern compact diesel tractor. Let's look at how they stack up...
The 8N put out between 23 and 27 PTO horsepower depending on the year and engine. The tractors Quent is looking at are rated between 30-34 hp, so the newer tractors have a big power advantage. The 8N had a whopping 4 gears forward and a single reverse speed, the new tractors, at the very least, will have 9 forward and 3 reverse speeds, but many will have a shuttle shift, which is great for loader work, and some offer hydrostatic drive, which is even better. Again, the advantage goes to the new models.
Weight and lift capacity may surprise you, an 8N weighed about 2700 pounds, the new tractors weigh within 100 lbs of that...WITHOUT A FRONT LOADER. Add a front loader at around 800 lbs and the new tractors will actually outweigh the 8N. Rear lift capacity of an 8N was 800 lbs, new tractors will actually double that ability, many are more than double the Ford's lift capacity.
New tractors have wet disc brakes, a huge stopping advantage over the 8N's drum brakes, and the new tractors have live PTO, which is not tied into the transmission like the 8N's was. a big danger to brush hogging with an 8N comes from the PTO set up, when you get to the end of the field and push in the clutch, the inertia from the blades can propel you places you don't want to go. Install an overrunning clutch to prevent injuries if you cut with an 8N.
Finally, the new tractors are 4wd, have roll over protection, seat belts, and much more comfortable seats.
In the end, the newer tractors definitely win in almost all categories of performance, ease of operation, and creature comforts, but who knows if they'll last as long and an old 8N just has a nostalgia factor that new tractors may never have. I think Quent will be very happy with whatever new tractor he buys, but the old 8N's were definitely ahead of their time and, amazingly, still doing work in their seventh decade. There aren't too many mechanical devices you can say that about...
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I'll bet the 8N is a lot easier to work on, compared to the newer tractors.
That's true but you do more maintenance and fixing on the older ones as well.
Yes, because made before planned obsolesence came into vogue within the corporate ethos. The most useful tractor is one that you understand and can actually fix yourself. Many many hobby or homestead farmers have way more tractor than they need, and may be better off with an older Ford, Ferguson, M-F, Case, Allis Chalmers, Oliver, or JD. Up until the mid 70s or even later in some cases these companies all made simple, reliable, useful machines that were made for farmers to understand and work on. Not anymore.
D.A. Ballou without a doubt
Just like the generator world I work in.
Keeps getting smaller.
It used to take a 1700 cubic inch waukesha 6 to do 100kw back in the 50s.
By the 80s they got it down to a 460 ford turbo on propane.
Present day they use a Chevy 350 with a turbo, its rated 175hp@1800 on propane.
Working on the points and timing was a nightmare.
I've owned my '51 8N for 40 years now. I still plow snow off my driveway (backwards) if under a foot. I use it to pull trees out of the woods or yank small dead trees out of the ground. I used to plow with it but I sold the plow and harrow. Used to have a front bucket loader but that was too heavy for the front so that sits in the woods. The bucket in on my 3-point hitch and hauls wood in the winter for my woodstove. The 8N may be underpowered but easy to work on. I converted to 12volt and put 6" tires on the front for stability. I'm 76 and fear the old girl will outlast me. Many fond memories through the years.
@Lance Brown i hope so too 🙂
It will outlast you and me. My 9N is 81 years old and runs like a new one especially with the 12 volt conversion I just put on.
N series tractors will still run after a nuclear blast whereas these cars of today will be dead from fried electronics.
8n still has one huge thing on the new tractors that wasn't mentioned. Bang for the buck!
I was thinking that too.
Well since a $1000 in 1947 dollars is around $11,000 today, and an 8N is a VERY stripped down tractor compared to a modern compact with diesel, a loader, live pto, etc., it's actually pretty close in price, when you compare what you get. A tractor back then with the features of today would've been twice as much, which is about what a similar sized tractor is worth, maybe slightly more.
@@ffjsb. We're not buying it in 1947. We're buying a nice 8N for a few thousand dollars today and it can do the majority of what the expensive modern tractor can do.
EXACTLY!! Paid for versus over 20 grand gives the advantage to the 8N, for sure.
And what are the chances of the new one running in 70 years? Plus how much will it cost when it breaks?
Try getting parts for that Kubota 70 years from now. That Ford will still be running and will be worth more money.
No one buying a tractor cares what it will be worth in 70 years..
I hope I have that problem, I'd be 130 years old and need a few new parts myself.
There’s really no comparison in features. That said, you could probably buy 10 8n’s for the cost of a compact modern tractor.
I spent a lot of hours on my Grandad's 8n and I would take it over any of the new one's you mentioned. He farmed 130 acres and the 8n was the perfect tractor for his farm. Plowing, disking, cultivating, mowing, brush hogging, pulling wagons, and everything in between. Never had any problems and it always was ready to work 24/7/365.
Old Ford tractors never die! Nearly 500,000 built. Simple and practical. They cost a little more than a $1000 new.
You can still find them for $1000 today on craigslist!
Ford sold 850,000 9N's before WW2 -
@@kenbarnes8958 but they only made 99,000 9Ns….
Good tribute to a great tractor. The N-series Fords were revolutionary when they debuted in 1939. Ferguson's genius is even more impressive than described here -- his draft control concept was completed and field tested by the early 1920's. His big mistake was not having a formal contract with ol' Henry.
Riddle: Why aren't there more 8Ns at antique tractor shows? Answer: They're all still working!
Is that right?
@@timothyhays1817 About the deal between Henry and Harry??? Yep, it originally was just a handshake agreement. Can't do that unfortunately
One of the things I like most about tractor shows is that a good tractor, filthy from field work gets the same, or more, respect when compared to a nicely restored tractor. How well in shines is not what the knowledgeable fans are looking for.
cdjhyoung - The way I figure... if your tractor isn’t dirty... you’re doing it wrong! 😎
True... I love my TO30. Looks just like that 8N but dirtier.
My 86 Year old grandfather still uses his family hand me down late 40s 8n to plow snow in the driveway, move earth, and push vehicles around for repair. The thing starts on the coldest Wyoming winter days with a shot of starter fluid and a hot 6v battery
Boy, that's a beautifully restored late model 8N you've got there. Damned near museum quality, in my opinion.
He said showroom fresh. Heh i beg to differ, i doubt they were that pretty😃
Appears to have a GM 1 wire alternator.
Damn, I know the tractor is beautiful. It's a damn American icon.
I'd take any old tractor over the new computer controlled stuff, huge cool factor the old machines.
I concur totally.
@@michaellohre1470 me too
Have a friend who hates computer controlled vehicles. Only problem with that mindset is; in the late 60's, early seventies, the most HP you could get with a factory vehicle was about 435 and mileage was about 6 or 7 mpg. Today utilizing computers, fuel injection, and cheap gas, you can buy a street vehicle that makes between 650 and 700 HP, and still gets between 18 and 24 mpg and you can drive it anytime, anywhere. Computer controls may limit who can work on it, but car, truck, or tractor, computers on internal combustion engines are the greatest advance for mankind in the mechanical field ever developed.
@@davidhorsley1149 700 horsepower is almost insanity.
New tractors won't last like that old 8N
I grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm in the 50s and 60s. While there, I spent hundreds of hours on an 8N. Tasks included cutting hay, pulling hay and silage wagons. disking with a three-point disk, spreading manure, baling hay, raking hay and more. I have a fond spot in my heart for that tractor. It was a 1950. There is a picture of me on the seat at one year old with my parents standing on either side on our front lawn when it was delivered. Thanks for the video.
My grandparents bought one brand new in 1948. it was still running in 1992 when my grandmother passed away.
Let's wait nearly 100 years and see how many of the new ones are still running and working the fields before we crown them.
My father had an old 8N that I spent a lot of my late teens on. Took care of about 30 acres with it.
These days my wifes family has a 1955 ford 600 that still mows about 15 acres several times a year. I would love a tractor with power steering, an air conditioned cab and cup holders, but these old tractors still get the job done.
I retired my 8N for a John Deere 3025E. The Ford still sees a little use on 13 acres doing brush hogging and deer plot work. The JD is perfect on our 20 acre homestead.
I know when I'm doing yard work with my 44 9N I always have someone sit and watch. Last time was the highway patrol, the time before was a sheriff and a constable. Various neighbors also
Thank You Mike for doing this comparison. I also inherited my Grandfather's 9 N, which has been in the family since 1941. My Grandfather was a successful Spinach grower, and this was the first 3 point hydraulic tractor he purchased. I have driven it since I was ten, got it when I was 20, and I am now over 60. I will also retire it this year, it will go to a family cousin who is in his 20's to continue the legacy. I will purchase a compact tractor with the diesel engine, and with a front end loader. It will be sad to see it go, but I know it will remain in the family and continue to be used. I know my father and grandfather will be smiling down from heaven when that day comes. Thanks again for a great channel. God Bless from South Texas.
Forgot to mention the cost difference between the two.
Thanks for posting! This comparison is well-warranted.
My old 8N is mostly for the fun of owning it. I paid $1500.00 for it back in 2000.
I bought it to replace a Farmall B that I used to plow the 150 foot driveway at my old house. It was so much fun that when I finished my drive I would do the neighbors too. I kept it in the barn so it didn't have too much trouble with starting. The tractor was upgraded with a Glover Conversion. Prior to Funk Mfg. installing 6 cylinder engines in Ford 2N, 9N, and 8N tractors Glover was installing larger tires, over and under drive transmissions, and Ford 226 ci truck engines in them. In 4th gear high range the tractor will keep up with traffic. Not what you really want to do with a 70 year old machine with two wheel brakes.
When we moved it ended up sitting outside so it began having issues. Corroded battery terminals and starter cables for the most part. I got a portable garage for it, so those things stopped being a problem.
The newer machines have a lot of bells and whistles. Loaders, 3 point attachments, like backhoes and rototillers, are all available for the 8N.
The biggest advantage the newer tractors have have is their size. They fit in the front of the SUV in the two car garage.
absolutely beautiful restoration. wish my old '52 (that i still use) looked that good.
Mike, you forgot to mention a few things. The old Ford was a foot wider and a foot longer. Why is this important? It would slide before it would roll over. It was possible to mow sideways on slopes up to 2-1 safely. The weight transfer to the rear wheels would take me places that my new 4 wheel drive compact can't go. With the old hi/lo gearbox some of the old Fords could do over 24 mph on the road. None of the new ones come even close. The old Fords three point hitch was also slightly longer and made hooking up three point equipment much easier. The new compact tractors are much nicer but top heavy and unstable. I nearly tipped over my new Kubota the first time I took it to the hay field. I immediately had beet juice added to the rear tires and three inch spacers added to each side side for more tread width. It is still not nearly as stable as the old Ford but I can now handle most of the slopes on my farm. The old Fords will still be running when the new compacts are in the junk yard.
Philip Martin beet juice??
Still have my old 8N, sitting idle. Got a reblt YanMar mainly for the front loader ( they were marketed here as the John Deere 850, I think). It surprised me as rather "tippy" on a slope, as the 8N was very stable. The difference was the spacing of the wheels. Gotta love those 8's.
@@jasonkite1988 Look up your local dealer. Almost as heavy a calcium chloride without the corrosion problems.
Hey Mike,
I enjoy your videos and as a retired diesel mechanic/ cow/calf farmer who grew my own feed oats, barley, corn and hay. I find it interesting that the tractor market has realized that the subcompack and compack tractor market is more lucrative. And for the lack of a better term I call it the YUPPIE TRACTOR MARKET. I say this because most folks didn't grow up on a farm; so they buy a subcompack tractor with a backhoe, bucket loader and a belly mower and soon realize its still just a glorified lawn mower. When I retired and sold the farm I also sold three diesel and one gas tractors and a D6 CAT and a farm tractor can never do what a bulldozer can do!!!
They did a excellent job on the restoration of that 8N. That was a neat comparison observation you made between the 8n & todays compact tractors. Stay safe.
Hi Mike! Glad to see the 8N, I'm sure I've told you that's what we have. What an amazing restoration that is. Ours is kind of scruffy, but it does have a ROPS on it, and it's still works for a living. Even when we get a new one we'll keep this around for driveway maintenance and maybe some mowing. One more thing - with 50,000 made, it's still pretty easy to get parts, I've bought oil filters, plug wires, even a starter at Tractor Supply, and other parts off Amazon and other internet sites.
Just found your channel and already subscribed, looking forward to following you and going back on past videos. I'm actually looking around local for a 8N just to have something to play around with. It's amazing how many are still working, I see them on just about every farm around me.
As always, great info, thanks for the comparison!
Years ago I did a full top to bottom inside and out overhaul and restore of the 9N my grandpa got when I was a kid.
I did nice two tone Grey on red (with black accenting) paint job using industrial two part epoxy paint so it would last for decades.
The paint needed a 48 hour hard cure time but the next day after I had done the paint job my dad took it out and for some daft reason decided he absolutely had to cultivate the russian olive tree rows that hadn't been done in years with it which scratched the new paint all up before it had time to hard cure.
In the end grandpas 99 cent not color matching Kmart rattle can over grease paint job got replaced with a scratched up industrial epoxy one which shows it today, 15+ years later, like it just happened yesterday. "why we can't have nice things" ain't always the kids fault.
The one thing I always liked about gas tractors is how quiet they are... Thanks Mike!!!
YES! Just sold a skid steer and picked up an 8N instead. The skid steer was handy but looked like an ugly little bug and made a hellacious racket. Hated the damn thing. Love the 8N and so quiet by comparison.
If the 8N has wheel weights and liquid in the tires it could weigh up to 4’200 pounds. It was rated to pull two 14 inch plows and had 27 horsepower on the pto. I’m going to have to agree with some of the other comments, it’s easy to work on!
I used a Ford like this working my first job with a city road crew. I cut the ditches with a sickle bar and the brakes were so worn I bounced off more than one bumper at stop lights. Even so it was my first tractor experience and I loved it.
Man, that was an interesting video Mike. It is amazing to see the similarities and differences of the 8N and the modern machines.
Thanks Mike for the video love these old restorations. I myself started off with a 1967 John Deere 2020 that my father and I restored went to a diesel 5065E from JD about 5 years ago as I needed the additional power on my acreage. I kept the 2020 as it still is very functional for tight spaces and simple work around the farm. Besides that it is just a good solid simple to work on tractor many of these old tractors can be just that.
I was given our farms first 2 tractors as in the 2 that my great grandfather bought when he was a couple years older than I am today moving the farm from horeses to a Ford 8n and 2n I still use them to do some chores especially mowing and running small implements to take care of the garden we use large fwa tractors for field work
I've got a 50 model 8n ford tractor. It's my work horse. I wouldn't trade for any new one of today's models.
It does what I want it to do.
I grew up on my Dads 8N’s. First one did not have a two stage clutch and I pushed over a few fences!
My first tractor was a 1954 Ford 801. Loved that tractor! Sold it for almost double what I paid for it to a guy who did a full restoration!
Now have a 1978 JD 2040 as a bush hog tractor and at 68 years old bought my first new tractor…… a Kubota 3901. Love the HST transmission and the loader/grapple have made life easier for this old man!
Thanks for the trip down memory lane with the 8N video!
Love your videos Mike. Thanks again for a great video.
The NAA (Jubilee) that came out in 53 made so many improvements over the 8N, yet they are rare and almost forgotten.
I have used an 8N and was actually pretty impressed with how capable it was. That said, I own a ‘58 641 work master with the improvements of the NAA and the difference is pretty significant, plus it’s just a beautiful piece of history.
8N got to be the toughest tractor ever built.
Most all those old different makes of tractors were almost unbreakable--We still had a 1928 John Deere D ---a 1937 John Deere B--a 1939 D C Case & farmed with these up until Dad & Mom quit farming--I don't remember ever having ANY serious trouble with any of them in many many years of farming !!!!
I got one of these that is a '49. Hard to believe that something that is 80 years old still putts around and does what it needs to do!
I wish the comparison was between a modern tractor and a Ford 860/861 and/or 960-5/961-5. Still, this was a good video.
I have a 1963 Ford 2000 gas tractor that was my grandfathers. I use it now to bush hog my 5 acres. These old ford tractors may not have the bells and whistles as the new ones, but man they will last a long time! Simple to work on too.
Mike I had a 74 Ford 3000 that was the 3 cylinder gas with the 4X2 transmission that I restored and put a front loader on and larger heavier front tires and worked the hell out of it building our place, grubbing sage brush and moving many tons of rock and grading our road, plus snow plowing, and just recently sold it to the next door neighbor who is building his house !!!
I have a 51 8n that I used for about 15 years.mostly brush hogging. I needed a tractor to move hay so I got a kubota and passed the 8 n to my son who still uses it to this day.It has been a very good investment.
I used to see those 8n's all over the place. They were perfect for small truck gardens, roadside stand type of gardens. They could do just about everything the average small farms needed. My wife's uncle had one that had a loader on it. I don't know if it was a Ford loader or not, probably not. I heard that weight is as important as horsepower in a tractor so the loaders do give an advantage there. You can usually push yourself out if you get stuck too. I had a 1966 IH 504 for a few years that I used for mowing fields with a rotary mower and it performed well. Then bought a used 2005 JD 4520. What a difference 39 years of technology makes, wow! It actually stops when I step on the brake. Anyway, I guess it can be summed up by saying they're all good when they work. Good video, it took me back in time for a bit remembering the tractors and those that used them.
Before I bought my Kubota B2650, which I absolutely love, I had my dad’s old 1953 Ford NAA. I ran it several years brush hogging and box blading. I loved it but got tired of working on it. It was sure a neat old machine.
I had a 9N with a loader and hi/low sherman transmission. I did an incredible amount of work with that tractor.
I kept waiting for him to point out the advantages to the 8N. There are a few, actually, but if you're just mowing, you might not hit them. Those old tractors will outpull equivalent modern tractors. You get a lot more torque out of those rear wheels than you'll get with the current 4wd equivalent. Back in the day, they'd want to hook up a plow, and the 8N was pretty decent for standard plowing. Also, the old Fords had the Ferguson plow system on them, and most of the modern jobs don't bother with anything like that. It makes plowing go much better. I knew a guy who had an 80 horse 4wd Kioti who looked at my 7-shank chisel plow, and then my 40-horse Ford 860, and said there's no way I could pull that chisel plow with my tractor. But I do it all the time. And my 860 was $3800, vs. his $30k tractor.
Can you put a front end loader on a 8N? I believe mine is a 1949? Great utility tractor but would like to fit it for a front end loader for moving snow in our MN winters. Thanks
@Patrick Thompkins yes you can! There are lots of the out there
Thank you for your video Mike. I have a 1951 8N and I also have a LS XR3037. I found out that the 8N is definitely better at bush hogging but for everything else it’s definitely the LS.
The great thing the 8N had was Ferguson's draft control and three point hitch. The draft control is still very handy for grading, snow removal and so forth.
My neighbor has an old 8N he uses for snow removal with a back blade! He said one cylinder burns oil bad so he uses this special plug adapter that keeps the plug from fowling out! It's gasoline! Those old gas engines had such low compression ratios back then!
@@garybulwinkle82 Most gas motors on a work machine are going to have low compression. High compression = high heat. If you tried to take a car engine, for example, and run a blower at full throttle for hours on end, it would overheat. Low compression gives you higher duty cycles.
Diesels are the exception, though, and are high compression by nature. That's why diesel pretty much rules the roost now. They can also idle all day without carbon build up.
Draft control has no effect on back blades etc. Only draft equipment like a 2 bottom plow.
Beautiful 8-N
First vehicle I learned to drive as a kid was an 8N... Spent quite a few hours over the years using it to bush-hog or towing a trailer with hay when feeding the cows in the winter. Drove it for a long time before I ever knew that the pedal on the right was the brake. There was enough drag from the tires across the rough ground that just depressing the clutch slowed me well enough. I just assumed that you needed a certain distance to stop and I guess I got good at judging my stopping distance with just the clutch. When I was finally told that the right pedal was a brake, I was like, "wow, that's a really neat feature". Come to think of it, instead of a single pedal on the right, maybe it had a split pedal where you could apply the right or left rear brake or let your foot straddle the pedals and apply both of them at the same time. After a half century and a couple different tractors since then, my memory's a bit fuzzy.
Always good info and videos. Thank you sir
My grandpa had one of those as his first tractor after years of horses and mules, and it was the first tractor I ever drove. I spent a lot of hours in that seat, and it was not that uncomfortable. It was easy to get on and off the tractor and to use. My grandpa's 8N had the "spiral" rear wheels that you could move in and out from plowing to cultivating by just undoing the bolts and blocking the tires.
Ive rebuilt a few 8 and 9N's. I also own a ford jubilee which is a higher HP 9N essentially! Very nice and runs perfect
Whoever did the restoration job really made that tractor look factory fresh. Beautiful job. I remember when I was younger the older farmers always fussed about the fuel use being more than they desired. The funny part of this old guys statement was that he used a Farmall Super C. You can’t please everybody.
Having refurbished over 7 Ford 8Ns as well as 9NS and 2Ns from the early front mount dist. to later side mount distributors you begin to appreciate the utility of this tractor it does it all. One area that is often over looked is the quality of the castings. In my opinion it was the tractor that changed it all. Nice video!
Heh yea old castings are nice.
They took pride in it.
There will be raised areas on a casting and then its pinstriped.
It was so long ago that i saw that, and i forgot what kind of engine it even was.
It might have been a waukesha, it was a big 6.
The old Fords were pretty awesome for their time and pretty advanced, obviously they can't compare power and feature wise to new modern tractors but they shouldn't be discounted, you could have given it more credit and admiration.
Enjoyed your video, well done
Great Video Mike!, Thanks!!
I like the running boards on the 8N -- when wearing boots in the snow, there's more room for your feet than on my Kioti 4510. Modern 3PT implements still fit the old 8N. The large steering wheel offsets some of the lack of power steering (there's less weight on the front w/o the loader). I would not sell the 8N short.
I use my 52 8n all the time in the summer great tractor.
I had a compact Kubota and I sold it an bought an 8n for on simple reason I can work on it when it breaks.I’m a big on diy
The F8N is a lot cheaper too compared to new tractors. We bought a 1952-F8N (3000hrs.) for $3500.00 with some mechanics issues that I restored resently. We've had a 8N on our farm now for 30+ years. For a small homestead like ours of 7 acres that's all we need to get anything done. The F8N implements are a hydraulic backhoe, a hydraulic loader, a rototiller, a 2-bottom plow, a large hay spear for 1000# bales, a 800+# counter weight, a hiller/furrower, bucket forks and half-tracks. We don't need anything more. We raise organic beefcattle, hogs and subsistence garden in WI as our retirement hobby.
really cool tractor, always liked those Fords.
great old tractors, thanks for your videos
I don't know how old I was when my father had me pull the spring harrow and cultipacker over the corn fields, but I was really young. From what I remember the gearing left a lot to be desired. Sure love live pto today.
Mine is 52 8n. Has shut off for the pto. This tractor is amazing. Starts first crank every time.
That 8N is beautiful!
Tractors like the 8N are perfectly workable tractors for many people. Dirt and grass is the same as it was in the 1950s. We've got a couple of old Fergusons. One is a TEA-20. Very similar to the 8N. Overrun clutch and position control is all you need. Nearly every single part is still available. DIY maintenance. Prices will eventually go up and up on these old tractors.
My grandfather got his 8N supplemented with a simple power steering unit. He dragged cars around his salvage yard and used a belly mower on it. My dad said he thinks it had an aftermarket head and there was a hydraulic system running off the pto, but a pto shaft running out the back of that. That's what had the woods belly mower power drive pulley. There was a reservoir on the left hand side that was linked to the stubby valve levers mounted to the left of the steering wheel. Each handle had a different color rubber ball on the end. There was one long hydraulic lever below and upside down off the mount for the other 4. That I remember well, it would open a circuit to let the pump just circulate the hydraulic fluid to the pump and through the reservoir. The lift had to be more than 800lbs but it seems that grandpa knew how to make good things better. They were dirt poor and dad said the tractor had to come in in 1968 to 1970 because nobody mentioned it until he came home from the war. Grandpa had the ford, I saw in use when I was 7 to 10 years old, before he started getting sick. He also had a John Deere B? They both sat for over 20 years and were overgrown with thorn bushes and grass over 5ft tall. They started with the Deere's work, since the dealer was 5 minutes walk away. It took all of 3 hours work for my dad to get the tractor running. Not long after that he cleared out the cab and got it to move. There was a broken cable and hydraulic line but it was patched up fast. I learned how to braid cable that day. The ford hardly took 2 hours to get going. And it worked just as well as when it was parked according to my uncle. It had a retrofitted padded seat from a medium duty truck. We dont know where grandpa got the accessories or if they were off several different tractors, but the belly and sickle mower worked fine as did the rear blade. I got to drive it and I was 16 by then. It drove nicely and steering was easy one handed with the old spinner. Too bad we had to sell it all to clean up the plot in town and pay for both grandparents funerals. That ford got the top bid, which shocked everyone. I mean it beat out a fully rewired and functioning John Deere with a bucket and rear blade and even a ww2 6x6 drag line with a magnetic and a dredge attachment, and it was in working order with current tags. I know the 8N went to Nebraska but that's all I know. I ended up working on this mans farm helping him with cattle and fence, and flooding issues. He had a super H and an 8N. Both with woods mower decks. Both also had very nice cushy seats. I drove both but liked the stability of the ford. It was a lot stiffer to steer and the pump to raise and lower the deck only did that one thing. I loved mowing with it. 6 hours for listening to my CD player while smelling the green grass freshly cut. I maintained both of those old pony's as best as a 20 year old gear head could. I noticed 5 years ago as I drove past that they had the ford in its normal spot, now under a canopy, and a kubota next to it. Bucket and sickle mower mounted and it looked to have front wheel assist. They either expanded or replaced the large 1066 with a 1086 and a Deere 4020. All but the ford had cabs and air conditioning so that was nice. I found out later that only having one tractor to power the pto generator wasn't enough for 2 units of 1400 head of hogs in a breeding center and a separate unit of 1200 head of the same on the same 8 acres. The generator was plugged into the nursery on the northern end. There was a bad winter storm and they lost 1100 head total. After that they had generators installed next to each unit, oversized. They were all diesel. I say this because if those went down, the expansion of the tractor fleet could plug right into the generator house and even feed off the generators fuel supply if need be. Lots of extra info I know, my point is, if the big boss spent so much on refurbished, new looking machines and extremely expensive gear, but found that little ford worth keeping says a lot. I'm a ford guy. Especially with trucks and old tractors.
Love the old 8N's. It was the tractor I learned on with my grandfather when I was a boy. We never used it in the field it was more the chore tractor around the farm with a rear blade and a fork tooth trip bucket. Great memories, I'd love to find that old tractor and restore it just to have.
I got started with tractors with a 1953 Farmall super A. It could do a lot, and taught me a lot. After 5 years I bought a modern Kubota B2910, with a front loader, 4 WD and all that....yes it’s a better machine, but ....well....I miss the Farmall.
Cheers from Western Massachusetts guys.....it’s spring!
Thats is a beautiful 8n. Thats exactly what i grew up on. I actually bought one about 5yrs ago with the intention of restoring it and let my daughter drive it in the parade. Ended up selling it and buying a new Rk55 from Rural King. I love my new tractor but i still have a great appreciation for the vintage tractors. Stay well and stay safe 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
25 years ago I had an 8N that required lots of maintenance, was hard to steer, and was a gas hog. It had the sound though. Traded it in for a Kubota L 2350 4x4 and what an upgrade! Still have it, 750 hours.
Of you knew anything about all the factory as accessories for the 8n they did stand their own against any comparable competitor the right weights and fluids with a loader, for the MONEY NO ONE CAN BEAT AN 8N. Like it or not!
A back handed compliment !
"The engineers" how about credit where due to the genius that was Harry
Ferguson ?
Harry was less of an engineer and more of a shrewd business man. One of his engineer employees actually came up with the idea; Ferguson merely owned the patent for it. Then he went on to make millions at Ford's expense. That's why one of the first things Henry Ford II did when he took over was abolish his grandfather's "handshake agreement". A lot of people don't realize how the corruption of folks like Ferguson and Harry Bennett very nearly destroyed FoMoCo in the late '40s. If you ever want a good read, I recommend "The Fords in My Past" by Harold Brock.
Steve you are rite had it not been for fergie an others be no 8ns around today I had a 2n an 8n but really like my harry Ferguson tractor great little tractor were myfords had 18 to 22 hp Ferguson got about 30 hp so like you said they need to pay respect to who ford toke from to make his
TheGeno3000 I had the opportunity to hear a presentation by Harold Brock just a couple of years before he passed away. He was quite a fascinating speaker. Machinery Pete did a series of interviews with him that are on RUclips. If you haven’t seen them, I recommend them.
Last year I bought a 90's compact Massy Ferguson 4wd with a loader.
Already had / have 8n.
Massy broke and 8n resumed finish mowing. No way to break 8n like Massy did!
Something to be said about over engineering with early tractors.
Ford 8n, spent many happy memories on one of these. My dad still has the 1947 model he bought in 1981.
My 8N and I are the same year 1948.
Great job Mike! Only thing missing was some prices on those new tractor choices. In my area, we can buy good working tractors for 2 or 3 thousand dollars. I'm guessing comparable new ones are north of 10k. Are they worth 3 or 4 times as much? I guess we all vote with our money. (I just bought an old one)
Loved our ford 8n
I love old 8n's, I learned to drive on a '49 model. Damn fine machines for their time. But an inexperienced operator can easily get himself killed on one in a heartbeat.
I remember the old Ford 8N tractor as there was many in my community who had them when I was growing up and some still have them and they are running like a champ. The first tractor I operated was a Massey Ferguson which was new in 1965 and later a new Ford tractor which was owned by another guy in the area. At that time I decided that I would one day own my own and now I have two John Deere tractors with many implements for them.
My L3301 is about the same size and foot print of my old 8n. Power steering 4wd diesel. My biggest beef with the 8n was the PTO speed. To get 640 PTO RPM you had to run in high. And that meant blasting along on the 8n faster than was safe to mow. Or dealing with a half speed PTO. The kub and all new compacts don't step the PTO with the final drive. I also used the kub to trench and tile over 800 feet of my yard. The bill for having someone else do it was half the cost of my tractor. And 0% interest didn't hurt either.
In the south, when I was younger, everywhere you looked farmers were using John Deere 4020 models. Now it is like they all disappeared. Where did they go. I used a JD 3010 on dads’ small farm. Was a great machine. Where are all of those.
Great video. Im always amazed there are people who will watch an informative video like this and still give it thumbs down. Who are these people? Anyway thanks for posting your videos, I find then very informative and very helpful when I first got my tractor.
Some information never made it in the vid... when the 8N was being offered for sale, NEW, it was a budget priced tractor that was technologically advanced over its competition... there were then, and STILL ARE (used) many options available for it, and which increases its versatility and capabilities to equal what the new tractors can do.....
The ford tractors of that general HP size, and of that era, if spec'ed out the same (but dressed in its own original optional accessories) as any average present day tractor you compare it to, and the old reliable ford will run right along with the present day stuff.... but the present day tractor has it beat hands down in safety, comfort and ease...
....To sum it up, its really more about a balance between budget, task and personal preference that will determine the most sensible tractor to consider for purchase...
This is like comparing apples to oranges, that 8n is at least 50 years old.
They are also missing you could get a loader for the 8n.
That 8N is 70 years old
My Granddad worked a 150 acre dairy farm with a Ford N..... when I was maybe 4 or 5, I sat on his lap, and he let me steer while he of course worked the pedals
Excited to see this.
My grandfather had a Ford 2000. When I was a kid he and I would pull stumps clean out swamps cut down trees haul the hay wagon baling hay. That tractor did a ton of work. I was usually in the seat because I wasn't strong enough as a kid to mess with the log chains and heavy work. Good times back then. Simpler times.
I had a Harry Ferguson (made in Canada, Massey's brother?) TO-20. Converted it from 6 volt to 12 volt and put a hydraulic pump on the front to run a bucket and splitter. It worked fine but my new little 25 hp diesel has 8 speed shuttle shift forward and reverse, 4WD, differential lock, hydraulics for the bucket and 4 more hookups on the back. It's a big improvement.
its 2020, i just plowed 10 acres with my 1949 8n. That's pretty hard to beat for its age compared to a lot of other tractors. Still going strong..... Could I buy a new tractor?.. yes.. but do I need to? nope.. 8n still working hard.
The first thing I ever drove was a Ford 8N. We had three of them on the family farm.
Beautiful old tractor Mike!
First tractor I ever drove was one of those my grandpa owned. I was 7 or 8. I could work the clutch real easy, it wasn't huge, and it was a lot of fun. I had a heck of a time getting strong enough to work the clutch on the Leyland Grandpa drug home when I was 10.
I grew up driving a 9N. Started when I was 12. We had to get rid of it a few years ago because the hydraulics failed, and we couldn't afford a restoration.
That 8N is nicer than when new.