Yes she'll live again my pap took a 9n out of a field where it sat for years and tore it down and rebuilt its like brand new hes no longer with us but I still have the tractor and I won't let it go so shes a garage decoration that I still start and ride around the field for the hell of it
Hi Mat, When we lived in the Hartford area of Connecticut, our adjoining neighbor was George, the Farmer. George had a Ford tractor that was in constant use. Another neighbor, rebuilt a Ford tractor, and gave George a hand when he had mechanical problems. One day the Hobby Ford tractor neighbor came to George and asked him to participate in a Tractor Meet in Eastern Connecticut. At the meet, the tractors were all lined up, and George in his usual overalls answered questions about his well used tractor. On man asked George how he got the steel tractor seat so highly polished and shiny. George, who never said much, looked at the man and said, "you put your ass in the seat when the sun goes up, and it stays there till the sun goes down. If you do that for 40 years, your tractor seat will become shiny too!"
It's rather humbling when you consider the fact that in all likelihood, most, if not all of the human hands that had any part in that machines' creation are now gone. Some of them long gone, I'm sure. And yet, this machine, their creation, gets to live and breathe once again. Thanks for saving it. I understand the affinity for old iron.
These old machines, they all have a soul of sorts--they *want* to run, they *want* to be useful. It's as though the spirits of all those who brought these machines into being--from the first drawing on a napkin to the last steering column on the last unit to come off the 9N line--are standing behind them. Old tractor, old car, old drill press--save it from rotting and it'll repay you a hundredfold.
I started driving my grandfathers 8N Ford when i was 8, six years later he decided to completely restore it and I was blessed to help with the bodywork, paint, rebuild ,and convert to 12 volt. I spent the next 20 years doing everything on our 200 acre cattle and sheep ranch with that reliable old gal. including teaching my son to drive that tractor. When my grandfather died we had to sell the ranch and tractor, but I moved back to the area 15 years later and I visited the new owner and the old girl still looked and ran great. Its now been 58 years since I first saw her and she still works like a champ, this video brought a flood of emotion, thank you THANK YOU THANK YOU.
We got an 8n when I was a kid, it was from my grandmother's farm. It had a forked front loader for a manure loader. We welded plate steel to make it a bucket loader. A blade on the rear for leveling dirt. We used it for many years for inground swimming pool installations. Backfilling and grading. I still see them today on small local farms. Great memories
If half these viewers turned wrenches or got off the couch and lived a little they would do the same.. hard work comes with a short but very satisfying reward.
I restored a 1953 Golden Jubilee that sat in a forest for years. Dragged it home and did a full restoration. I use that little Ford every summer with a finish mower. She does purr like a kitten and is a joy to operate. Well engineered and built to last. Great video as always Matt. Thanks for saving another classic
My dad had a 53 Golden Jubilee for almost 20 years. It lost the hydraulic pump and one of his neighbors offered to buy the tractor at that time. My dad still kicks himself every time he drives by his neighbor's house and sees that tractor.
Farmer Tyler Ranch has a Jubilee that he has been doing a slow motion restoration on. The tractor used to belong to his Grampa so I think it's going to stay on the ranch. He also has been working on an 8N with the tubular frame loader that actually gets quite a bit of use. Love that old tin!
My jubilee is a 54' and I also finish mow with it, I use a 72" befco and mow about 4 acres, I don't mow until it needs it and I get three mowings on one tank of gas
You actually don't want to use anything on compression nut or flare nut threads. Teflon tape is only for tapered pipe threads (NTP) because those are fittings designed to seal by the threads. Think about it for a minute, if a compression or flare fitting is leaking and you manage somehow to seal the threads of the nut it is still going to leak around the tubing. You have to seal the ferrule on the compression fitting and the flare on the flare fitting or it is going to leak and all the Teflon tape in the world is not going to stop it. I worked 23 years in the reliability department of a major refinery and my last 11 years in the field for Dresser-Rand. Both companies have a dim view of Teflon tape and largely for the reasons you mentioned. Excellent videos, keep it up!
One of my favorite things about this channel is Matt's enthusiasm when something finally starts running. Doesn't matter if it's an old chainsaw or a 60k pound diesel excavator. It brightens my day every single time. Thank you Matt. In a disposable society, it's nice to see old iron live again.
Thank you for saving it. I just restored a 2N (1952), hadn't run in over 25 years and many parts had been removed. Tractor Supply supplied the parts to get her unstuck and popping again and once confirmed it was a runner I completely restored it including the hydraulic system, built my own wiring harness, added LED lighting, an alternator and a paint job. She spends her days cutting trails and pulling a wagon for the grandkids and their friends. Best $1k (including the cost of the tractor) I ever spent.
@@harleythrelkeld7587 The engine's serial number tells all. They are stamped into the block even with the top of the oil filter and just back a little from it. NO chassis Serial Numbers were used. 9N 1939 - 43 SN 1 - 105412 2N 1942 - 47 SN 99003 - 258504 8N 1947 - 52 SN 1 - 442035
I always loved these old Ford 9Ns - they worked the farms that kept America fed during the war and that so many of them are still running is a testament to their solid design. Good on ya, brother!
That so many of them are still running, is because their gearbox is too limited to get any real work done, so none of them has seen any real work for the last 50 years. Same as the Fordson Major in Europe, my pal restored one because his granddad used to have one, but they are just too awkward to use with a modern rake or tedder: the PTO isnt independent and 6 gears is not enough. He sold it to an old bloke who wants to drive parades with it, and bought an IH 644 instead for the 27ft rake and 40ft tedder.
@@J-1410 i havent driven any Farmall letter series, just a Ford N series which was still popular as an estate maintenance tractor in Canada when i was there in 2005, but thats all they are good for: running a finish mower and pulling a driveway grader. If you wanted to back up a haywagon onto a hill, the gas engine would stall because it doesnt have a low gear range and it doesnt have the low end torque of a Diesel. Driving it, i could not understand why these were still so popular, because they arent rare enough to be special, and not practical enough to use them for farming.
@@Sjanzo Perfectly practical for what I needed it for growing up. Had larger tractors used In the fields and for big jobs. We used our 8n tons when it came to grading, brush clearing, hay raking and wood collection. Basically anywhere we needed to get into and be compact it was the right tool for the job. Also many n series tractors were equipped with a Sherman transmissions to compensate for the tall gearing.
I think I spent more hours doing farm work in those N series Ford seats than I spent in school desks in my high school years. They're great little tractors.
Points adjustment/replacement/or cleaning is easy if you remove/replace the distributor - once you know how it is simple and you won’t muck up the timing.
First tractors I learned to drive were this type - bulletproof and they will run forever with a little care. For smaller jobs they are perfect and there's no corporate deere john keeping you from working on it. Well done, Matt.
@@cb-gz1vl My great grand dad did it with a team of Clydesdales. His favourite was Old Rob, who he kept on gentle (and costly) retirement until the end. Great grandad was known for his temper but not so much for sentimentality. My mum told me of the day the knacker's van came to take Old Rob to the glue factory. Her grand dad walked over the hills and was gone for the day. I'm sure private tears were shed over the loss of a friend. For context, this was on a croft in northeast Scotland in the late 1930s when the tenant farmers couldn't even dream of owning a tractor and a good team meant the difference between living and starving so they were cared for. Have yet to see a video on "this horse hasn't moved in 47 years, will it start?"
Great video with great editing. Very enjoyable to sit here and watch you work. (Ha!) Born in '49, I loved going up north with my parents onto my grandparents farm in the early and mid '50s. I'd go out to the shed with my little brother, and we'd sit for hours on grandpa's Ford tractor and "work the pedals" while pretending to drive it. Getting a tractor ride while sitting on the fender was the best fun. As a teenager, I got to drive a few of those Ford tractors. I'm an engineer having majored in internal combustion engines and have done a modest amount of tinkering on engines and have rebuilt a couple. Unlike you, I suffer from a lack of patience and perseverance, qualities that are mandatory to bring these old engines back to life. I applaud your tenacity. Thanks, again, for this video.
We have tons of the Ferguson equivalents, they're pretty much the same thing, and they're great, they mechanized farming and fed us all! My dad has the TE20 that one that one of our predecessors acquired, it was the first one in the whole district. We still use it for small tasks around the farm all the time, like moving trailers in tight spaces, pulling timber etc. For anyone buying this tractor off of Diesel Creek: 3 point hitch: Make sure the lever on the left side of the transmission housing (just above and behind of where clutch pedal is) is set toward the rear, with engine running and clutch in (edit: Nvm you did, and it worked, nice!). Don't keep it on all the time, because of unnecessary wear. It uses transmission fluid as hydraulic oil, check transmission oil levels, if it's low the pump will cavitate = Not good. And yes, you're using the 3-point lever correctly ^^ When you change transmission oil (and it takes a lot, 5% of the total weight of the tractor is fluids ^^), or need to top it off some, don't go with expensive modern types, use a non-sulfur oil, VERY important, non-sulfur, otherwise it will prematurely wear/destroy transmission internals. So just go with the cheapest natural dinosaur soup you can get with a minimum of additives, these tractors were made to run on that for centuries! Hydraulics mesh filter is at the bottom of the transaxle casing, look for a small lid held in place with bolts, if it's clogged up that's why the 3 point hitch won't lift (not applicable, as you got it running, but still something to check), be AWARE that when you take it off, ALL the oil comes out, so have a 10-15 gallon bucket ready, I advice heating up the transmission by driving it around some first. Be CAREFUL in cleaning the filter, NO screw driver to scrape the sludge off or you will puncture it, rags and fluid solutions ONLY. Don't be discouraged by white-soup coming out instead of oil, that's just because water contaminates it a little via non-existing gear shift rubber boot. If you have to rebuild the pump, watch youtube videos on rebuilding 8/9n/te20 pumps, they're all the same and comes apart the same, when you take the transaxle top lid off (where seat and 3-point top link spring & hydraulic return dampener mounts to), there'll be lots of sludge and crap at the bottom, don't be discouraged, it's normal, just clean it out ^^
We also have a Ferguson TE20. Have never done anything much to it. Ours runs on petrol (gas in the US) or TVO. Tractor Vaporising Oil. You start it on petrol and switch over to TVO with a little brass valve when it warms up. Can't actually get TVO so you have to mix up various alternatives. Can't run it on petrol / gas when it's hot either. The carburettor gets too hot.
@@londonwestman1 Ah yeh. aka Kerosene, we have 4-5 of those too. A lot of those were converted back to straight gas here. Our 20's are worked a lot more than those that just buy one and start it twice a year, so need more frequent maintenance.
I know the 8N called for 90w mineral oil for hydraulic fluid. Near 7 gallons I think. Tractor supply carries it. Typical hydraulic oil way too thin, but it will work
Matt, as you discovered the PTO must be engaged to lift the 3-point arms. You’ll notice that the PTO stops when you step on the clutch and the hydraulics will lower if there is a heavy attachment on it when you step on the clutch. Most tractors after the 9N era had what is called “live PTO” which means the PTO runs when the clutch is disengaged. The 9N, 2N, and 8N were important steps in agricultural engineering, but they did have their quarks. It’s hard to beat an old 9N. They never die! Thanks for saving a piece of ag history!
@@jerryerickson4999 does it have a live hydraulic conversion kit? That can be done. All the Ns have the hydraulic pump driven by the PTO. Live hydraulics wasn't offered until the 600s came out
Not sure if you know this or not about the fuel valve, but it's a two stage valve. The tractors don't have a fuel gauge (Some of the dealers sold one that was basically a paint stick with marks on it that you would dip into the tank to tell the level). For normal operation you open the fuel valve like half a turn, and then when it starts to stumble you open the valve all the way and that opens the lower fuel feed which gives you another gallon or so of fuel, idea being the "reserve" will get you back to wherever you need to go to put fuel in it, similar to the "reserve" on an old motorcycle.
I remember riding on my dad's 9n as a child.,.we would stand on the axle and hold on to the fender...good times, thanks for saving this old girl, they really are spectacular tractors....the ones your grandparents or parents bought new after WW2, peace.
Grew up on a small 25 acre farm in Washington. We had a 9N that did everything. Pulled everything from a baler to manure spreader. Blade, harrows ditchers, mowers. It was all we needed.
My dad rebuilt one right from scratch. No template used. Just what he remembered of how they looked. $20CAD worth of parts and got paid $400 by his Brother who wanted the part for his 9N.
Hell yeah brother I love my lil 8n. I paid 165$ for it an she's been a great lil tractor. My grandpa had a jubilee when I was kid an I learned how to drive a tractor on it.
@@lordjaashin I was amazed to hear that farmers are fighting for the "Right to repair" and work on their tractors. My Uncle would roll over in his grave that people have to call the tractor companies to come do maintenance work.
I had a 9N 1941 model. It had 19" front tires with one rib only. Weird looking tires. I'd say at some point in time somebody swapped yours out with newer 8 N or Ford Ferguson tires Matt. These old Fords didn't have Live Hydraulics in the early years. In order to get the hydraulics to work you have to engage the PTO.
Well done Matt. Regarding the leaking exhaust manifold on the Ford tractor, a little trick I have had to adopt sometimes. I once had a straight 6 with a buckled exhaust manifold, a common problem on the Nissan RB engine. Removed the exhaust manifold, put a bead of RTV (resists high heat) silicon on both sides of the exhaust manifold gasket and let the RTV set first. Refitted the manifold to the head but only a little more than finger tight so the manifold didn't crack. Started engine and let manifold heat up. Slowly tighten manifold bolts as manifold heats up. You will get a good seal and the silicon gives you lots of tolerance to cope with warping without the manifold leaking. Hope that tip is useful one day.
You found a great tractor, Matt! I hope you do sell this on to someone who will restore it. I worked a six-acre farm with my late-1950 8N for over 15 years before I sold the farm and moved on. The N series lacks all of the bells and whistles and creature comforts of the new tractors, but how many of the newer tractors will still be chugging along and repairable after 80+ years?
83 years old no computer junk on it runs good ( john deer should pay attention ) ive run both 8n and 9n for years i would oil change use engine restore additive brings compression up these are great for twist through the bush very small foot print with little care it will run for another 20 years. great video matt thanks
I learned to drive on one of these - at 15 I spent a summer pulling trailers back and forth from the the field to the packing shed with a 9N that was set up with a pintle hitch. I loved that tractor - always started and ran like a clock. I can remember idling there waiting for a trailer and it was like I could hear each cylinder hit as it ticked over so slow. That thing would run forever on a tank of gas. Wish I had enough property to warrant having one now.
It’s crazy how simple, durable, and easy to work on those tractors are, especially when you compare them to today’s tractors, that need a special coded computer to even begin diagnosing the thing
@@rsporter Yeah, it’s ultimately called The Great Reset, you think Russia gives a damn how much fossil fuel they burn to get shit done? Why you think America ain’t doing crap to stop that either? Just us
@@rsporter that doesn't mean that the computer needs to not share error codes. OBD2 exists for a reason. Theres no reason there can't be a similar standard for tractors or an updated one for all engines.
Matt, I have the exact same tractor sitting in my shed. It supposedly ran 5 years ago but I never messed with it until last weekend. I am ecstatic that you made this video to help me along getting back and running. As a plus it has the brush hog attached to it as well.
We had a 9N in the 1960’s. As you discovered, the PTO must be engaged to use the hydrolic lift arms. The original front tires were about 3 or 4 inches in width. The front tires on your tractor look like they are about 7 or 8 inch’s wide. It is likely that someone wanted to install the wider tires on the front of your tractor and needed to use the old “hubs” to increase the space between the tires and the steering “swivel”. Great work on getting it running again!
So happy to see this. I learned how to drive on a 9N, on my uncle's farm in Ireland. I'd say it was on the 'wrong' side of the road as well, but the darn thing took up the whole road in rural Ireland anyway :)
I am always amazed at how these old tractors come back to life. That engine sounds so nice and will sit there and purr like a kitten. Thanks Matt and thumbs UP to you! 👍💯
Exhaust leak on #4 is a common issue on ford N series tractor, every single one I've seen has one. Ford decided to not put a bolt or anything there, and over time the manifold warps and eventually starts really badly leaking. Ours has the same issue.
These tractors are some of the most reliable machines made, period. They were a solid established tractor on the seen giving Deere a run for their money. Nice work fella finding out that the high tension output spring was burned short from service in the field. This was definitely overlooked by the previous owner. One can definitely hear the exhaust leak for sure. Nice job Matt. Look forward to see more from you Sir. Peace vf
@@earlborchardt4358 Let see, no giving feed water harnessing smelling the back exhaust. Work 24/7 if you like. The bad, profit is eaten by cost of gasoline. Personal choice I guess.
I think that you are best mechanic. It is very difficult to work with some kind engines. I fill so hoppy because you can't demonstrate the quality of these .
FYI ...worked for an auto/diesel shop for some years in Central CA. We converted many 8ns, 9ns, Jubilees and other 6v tractors to 12v alternators. The main reason was the spray rigs. They have to be pulled extremely slow. The 6v generator wouldn't keep them charged. The alternator will charge at an idle.
I got a 9n and they're handy little tractors to have around. Easy to work on too. Also the I beam axel supports identify it as a fairly early 9n. And the air cleaner is fully under the hood. Later 9ns have a tube coming out of the hood and the 8n has a grate on the right side of the hood.
@@normhowes2975 I don't claim to be an expert on it but from what I've read the early ones had the I beams and sometimes people swap em out. My 9n has tube styles but I sure wish it had the I beams
HA, a 9N recently sold at auction a couple of miles from our house. It was a 1940 model with all four tires completely rotted. Other than that and needing a LOT of work I passed when it went to $625 which also included sales tax and buyers premium which would have made it $743. TWO weeks later I had cashed out a small 401K an would have had the money to buy it and probably would. I ended up buying a 1956 Farmall 130 with a front blade and also needing four tires. :-)
I will never restore anything old,but it is oddly satisfying to watch someone go through the steps to get an ancient piece of machinery up and running again. Well done!
Thanks for the video. I've owned and restored a few of those old tractors. Our local tractor supply had the complete exhaust system in stock for less than a hundred dollars. From the manifold to the back tailpipe muffler included. I was truly amazed.
My grandpa had a tractor a lot like that one. I was little then and I'm 77 now so the memory may be off a bit. In the 80s the family sold it to a neighbor. Nice to see, thanks.
The easiest way to work on the distributor is to remove it and work on it on the bench. Lay the cap back, one wire, two bolts. The shaft end is offset so it only fits one way. You don't have to worry about timing. They don't have live power so as you found out the lift and PTO only work when the clutch is out.
Hey Matt. Just saw your new vid about the Ford tractor acquisition. After being in the electric motor business for 45 years, one thing I always keep handy when working on electrical stuff is a can of electrical contact cleaner. You'd be surprised at what you can revive with that stuff.
I loved watching you work, as you clearly know what you are doing. I had a 1953 Ford NAA that I used and worked on for about 10 years. I finally "restored" it, new parts and paint and nearly everything. That was a good old tractor! It is so great that you save a nice old machine from the scrap pile.
Great job. The 8N and 9N tractors can run for ever. My Mom has one and is used for her 2 1/2 Acres. Must be careful they are hard to stop. I mean you want to drive and drive. Fun story. When my parents first moved into the house on two and a half acres. I think 1973 or 1974. They bought a 1936 case started with a crank and had no lift. Came with a large drag plow, spring tooth, and scrapper. About 2-3 years later it stopped in the field and Dad was done with it. He wanted to do work around the yard and bought a 8 horse power 4 speed Montgomery Ward Rotor tiller. I was in Jr High and took electric lab. I rebuilt the family edger. We'll while Dad was assembly the tiller I took on the Case tractor. I rebuilt the carburetor and cleaned the plugs. I was not aloud to work the crank. My Dad did not want to bother. After begging he went out there. Three cranks and it fired up and ran well. It was so satisfying. Funny thing my Dad put off the tiller and totally plowed the whole yard. Mom did not see that coming. The tractor ran a few more years, when they bought the 8N. We sold the case and still running.
Thank you! Lots of pleasant memories. My Dad’s Family had a 1938 Ford Tractor. My Dad used to place me on his lap and I could steer the Steering Wheel while he was seeding the pasture. You’re right, This Ford Tractor is still very popular among many who maintain their farms. Lots of add ons which Ford also sold to the Buyer. A very practical and worth both keeping and taking care of. Hopefully he can make use of.
Love that you have saved a machine that helped build this land so many years ago. We had a 8n that my grandfather bought back in the lake 60s until my dad sold it 10 years ago. Thanks for sharing Matt.
I have that exact same tractor and it sounds in every way like mine.including the exhaust leak. So glad you took the time to save her. You will find it will work for hours on just a couple quarts of fuel . Great video.
Thanks Mat for the video. Our farm in Indiana had an 8N which I used to pull a hay rope to elevate bales to a large dutch barn haymow. When I was 7 years old dad took the loader off so I could stear the tractor using it to haul wheat from the combine pulling small 100 bushell grain flair box wagons. That would have been in 1954. Really appreciate your work ethic. : )
I’ve run many of those tractors around brings back a lot of memories love to hear the sound they make even with the manifold leak seems like they all have it. Keep up the good work buddy.
Hey Matt, two bolts take that distributor off. Drives by a Tee slot it will only go back on one of two ways. If you make note of where the rotor is pointing before hand , it’s a no brainer. And now you can see what you are doing on the distributor. Makes life much easier. Yup pto has to be on for the hitch to operate. Kinda primitive 🤔I just rebuilt an engine in an 8n. Pretty much same thing. It has a very unique valve system.
My grandparents had an 8n. They bought it in July of 1950. It stayed in regular use until sometime in 2008 when the engine blew up. Sold for scrap, despite my protests. I wanted to put a flathead V8 in it.
Fifty years ago I sold overhaul kits for those for $120.00 that included regroup Crank shaft and bearlngs with pistons sleeves and rings as well as a gasket set. Those old fords were very popular back then in rural Oklahoma.
@@TKevinBlanc Thanks Kevin I will check her out. If memory serves the same kits worked on the Ferguson, As I recall Ford had bough the Massey and they were called Ford Ferguson, been a few years and memory fades I don't care who says it don't.
@@poorfesor Ford and Ferguson had a handshake agreement to use the Ferguson System(3pt hitch) on the Ford tractors. The Ferguson tractors were a result of that agreement falling apart. They used OHV engines sourced from Standard for UK built(TE, Tractor England) and Continental for US built machines(TO, Tractor Overseas.)
@@82f100swb I just remember my Father in law had a ferguson that I sold him an 8n rebuild kit fo every few years. Hard to believe what happened to prices after Nixon's price controls and Jimmy's rein.
I have a 1941 9n just like this. Those machines are workhorses, parts are mostly readily available and cheap, most components are not only available as assemblys new, but also parts to rebuild those assemblies for even less money. A little bit of tlc and that machine could be putting in a days work 80 more years from now. I use mine to mow my place along with 6 others from time to time, i used to maintain the private road i live on with it until the county took it over, i plow my garden every year, disc and bushhog deer leases for family and friends, heavy lifting around the place, and most importantly this tractor has powered a pto driven generator and provided my entire h ouse with electricity every time the lights went out for the last 10years. Saved our butt in snowpacalyps last year.
We had one on the farm back in 1959. It was a little newer with a slant 4 and the next gen electrical (lol). Was a great machine that ran forever. Ours had a front end loader so it worked well with our old MacK Dump truck. Nice job
i remember my grandfather having a 9n and had a nice little business his whole life.. great to see it moving and purring like that!! thank you for doing what you do!!!
50 years ago when I was about three and up to six when we moved away my grampa took me with him everyday after work on side jobs mowing , discing and plowing for people on a 9N. I would drive and he worked the clutch and brakes. Safe, hell no. Priceless memories, you bet.
As always Matt another great video, thanks for saving all the old iron that you can. As always Matt I can't wait to see what's coming next. Have a great day Sir
Those old ford tractors are great. My father has one that was purchased new back I believe in 1956 (by His Father.. we found the paperwork after my grandma passed some 35 years ago) and he still uses that thing often (near daily).. Many of the same functions as you see here… though it’s in much better shape because it’s been stored in a garage most of it’s life.. and used often too so it’s never fallen into disrepair… Even built a wood splitter to hook to the limited hydraulics off the PTO… thems good little tractors.
First time on your site Matt and it certainly won't be the last. I thoroughly enjoyed the video and loved the tractor. I am no mechanic by any stretch of the imagination, but I love just about anything really old mechanically, and seeing them brought back to life is fantastic. Thanks for a very entertaining and satisfying video, I enjoyed every minute. Cheers from Wales.
As a teenager I use to help my Uncle clean up, paint and repair the early Ford 8N, 9N, 2N, Jubilee tractors for resale. It usually took a couple weeks to refurb one unless it involved serious transmission or motor problems, he stocked a lots of used parts also. 6v to twelve volt conversion was always the first thing we did. My Mom use to complain about how dirty and hard to clean my clothes were, we used kerosene and high pressure air to clean the grease off them. A good video to watch on you tube is titled: "Ford 9N 2N 8N Fergy Differences"
Yes she'll live again my pap took a 9n out of a field where it sat for years and tore it down and rebuilt its like brand new hes no longer with us but I still have the tractor and I won't let it go so shes a garage decoration that I still start and ride around the field for the hell of it
Something tells me your dad is with you quite a bit.
Yea, I think your dad goes for the occasional ride with you.
Great story. Great memory.
she will haul whenbyou need her
You either get it or ya don’t. I have always loved tractors since I was a kid and I always will.
PUT IT TOO WORK LIKE IN THE GARDEN
Hi Mat,
When we lived in the Hartford area of Connecticut, our adjoining neighbor was George, the Farmer. George had a Ford tractor that was in constant use. Another neighbor, rebuilt a Ford tractor, and gave George a hand when he had mechanical problems.
One day the Hobby Ford tractor neighbor came to George and asked him to participate in a Tractor Meet in Eastern Connecticut.
At the meet, the tractors were all lined up, and George in his usual overalls answered questions about his well used tractor.
On man asked George how he got the steel tractor seat so highly polished and shiny.
George, who never said much, looked at the man and said, "you put your ass in the seat when the sun goes up, and it stays there till the sun goes down.
If you do that for 40 years, your tractor seat will become shiny too!"
And you don't even have to work at it.
That's a BS story.
Not necessarily. Has the ring of truth. Sounds exactly like the answer an old crusty farmer might give a young squirt.
🤣
It's rather humbling when you consider the fact that in all likelihood, most, if not all of the human hands that had any part in that machines' creation are now gone. Some of them long gone, I'm sure. And yet, this machine, their creation, gets to live and breathe once again. Thanks for saving it. I understand the affinity for old iron.
Well said revdogg
Very well said :)
That is a great perspective you put on this piece of legendary American farming equipment and its creators! Very well put.
These old machines, they all have a soul of sorts--they *want* to run, they *want* to be useful. It's as though the spirits of all those who brought these machines into being--from the first drawing on a napkin to the last steering column on the last unit to come off the 9N line--are standing behind them. Old tractor, old car, old drill press--save it from rotting and it'll repay you a hundredfold.
Wow that is really poignant I gotta say
I started driving my grandfathers 8N Ford when i was 8, six years later he decided to completely restore it and I was blessed to help with the bodywork, paint, rebuild ,and convert to 12 volt. I spent the next 20 years doing everything on our 200 acre cattle and sheep ranch with that reliable old gal. including teaching my son to drive that tractor. When my grandfather died we had to sell the ranch and tractor, but I moved back to the area 15 years later and I visited the new owner and the old girl still looked and ran great. Its now been 58 years since I first saw her and she still works like a champ, this video brought a flood of emotion, thank you THANK YOU THANK YOU.
My experience was very similar, however, I bought ours and still have it. I know the sound of it running and starting quite well.
We got an 8n when I was a kid, it was from my grandmother's farm. It had a forked front loader for a manure loader. We welded plate steel to make it a bucket loader. A blade on the rear for leveling dirt. We used it for many years for inground swimming pool installations. Backfilling and grading. I still see them today on small local farms. Great memories
Matt why don't you put the engine from the constor into the other autocar
Love the look on your face every time you get one of these old machines running. Don’t ever lose that enthusiasm. 👍🏻
ya he gets as giddy as Darren on Mustie1 lol
agree, 100%
Happy as a little boy!!
If half these viewers turned wrenches or got off the couch and lived a little they would do the same.. hard work comes with a short but very satisfying reward.
@@danhard8440 on i
I restored a 1953 Golden Jubilee that sat in a forest for years. Dragged it home and did a full restoration. I use that little Ford every summer with a finish mower. She does purr like a kitten and is a joy to operate. Well engineered and built to last. Great video as always Matt. Thanks for saving another classic
My dad had a 53 Golden Jubilee for almost 20 years. It lost the hydraulic pump and one of his neighbors offered to buy the tractor at that time. My dad still kicks himself every time he drives by his neighbor's house and sees that tractor.
Farmer Tyler Ranch has a Jubilee that he has been doing a slow motion restoration on. The tractor used to belong to his Grampa so I think it's going to stay on the ranch. He also has been working on an 8N with the tubular frame loader that actually gets quite a bit of use. Love that old tin!
unlike the stuff we have today breaks way too often.
My jubilee is a 54' and I also finish mow with it, I use a 72" befco and mow about 4 acres, I don't mow until it needs it and I get three mowings on one tank of gas
👍Nothing better than a new Diesel Creek video on a Saturday morning.👍👍 Love those old Fords!!
And..... Musti1 on Sunday Mornings
yessssssssssssssssss...and samatha olmsted on wed b=nights
Roll Tide!
@@LetsFigureThisOut 88iu7
made my day to. love your efforts and care
You actually don't want to use anything on compression nut or flare nut threads. Teflon tape is only for tapered pipe threads (NTP) because those are fittings designed to seal by the threads. Think about it for a minute, if a compression or flare fitting is leaking and you manage somehow to seal the threads of the nut it is still going to leak around the tubing. You have to seal the ferrule on the compression fitting and the flare on the flare fitting or it is going to leak and all the Teflon tape in the world is not going to stop it. I worked 23 years in the reliability department of a major refinery and my last 11 years in the field for Dresser-Rand. Both companies have a dim view of Teflon tape and largely for the reasons you mentioned. Excellent videos, keep it up!
One of my favorite things about this channel is Matt's enthusiasm when something finally starts running. Doesn't matter if it's an old chainsaw or a 60k pound diesel excavator. It brightens my day every single time. Thank you Matt. In a disposable society, it's nice to see old iron live again.
Thank you for saving it. I just restored a 2N (1952), hadn't run in over 25 years and many parts had been removed. Tractor Supply supplied the parts to get her unstuck and popping again and once confirmed it was a runner I completely restored it including the hydraulic system, built my own wiring harness, added LED lighting, an alternator and a paint job. She spends her days cutting trails and pulling a wagon for the grandkids and their friends. Best $1k (including the cost of the tractor) I ever spent.
you sure it was a 52 2n???????? 2n's were only made during the war
@@harleythrelkeld7587 Dyslexic .... That's a 1952 8N, Sorry.
That steering box valuable. The early ones (9 and 2N) are getting scarce
i bet it was so much fun working on that tractor and driving it now
@@harleythrelkeld7587 The engine's serial number tells all. They are stamped into the block even with the top of the oil filter and just back a little from it. NO chassis Serial Numbers were used.
9N 1939 - 43 SN 1 - 105412
2N 1942 - 47 SN 99003 - 258504
8N 1947 - 52 SN 1 - 442035
The pto has to be engaged to operate the lift arms. Nice video!!!!
was going to mention that you had to engage the pto to lift the three point hitch, but you discovered it. Good job saving that little gem.
I always loved these old Ford 9Ns - they worked the farms that kept America fed during the war and that so many of them are still running is a testament to their solid design. Good on ya, brother!
That so many of them are still running, is because their gearbox is too limited to get any real work done, so none of them has seen any real work for the last 50 years.
Same as the Fordson Major in Europe, my pal restored one because his granddad used to have one, but they are just too awkward to use with a modern rake or tedder: the PTO isnt independent and 6 gears is not enough. He sold it to an old bloke who wants to drive parades with it, and bought an IH 644 instead for the 27ft rake and 40ft tedder.
@@Sjanzo They look like they should be handy but they aren't is another way of putting it. An IH Farmall letter series is more useful anymore.
Hi Wes .. Lol
@@J-1410 i havent driven any Farmall letter series, just a Ford N series which was still popular as an estate maintenance tractor in Canada when i was there in 2005, but thats all they are good for: running a finish mower and pulling a driveway grader. If you wanted to back up a haywagon onto a hill, the gas engine would stall because it doesnt have a low gear range and it doesnt have the low end torque of a Diesel.
Driving it, i could not understand why these were still so popular, because they arent rare enough to be special, and not practical enough to use them for farming.
@@Sjanzo Perfectly practical for what I needed it for growing up. Had larger tractors used In the fields and for big jobs. We used our 8n tons when it came to grading, brush clearing, hay raking and wood collection. Basically anywhere we needed to get into and be compact it was the right tool for the job. Also many n series tractors were equipped with a Sherman transmissions to compensate for the tall gearing.
Nice save, that machine has lots of life left in it.
This is good find some builder. It's very solid by signs what he show.
Look too easy what these things usually can be!
Haha mouse evacuate! 🐁
I think I spent more hours doing farm work in those N series Ford seats than I spent in school desks in my high school years. They're great little tractors.
Points adjustment/replacement/or cleaning is easy if you remove/replace the distributor - once you know how it is simple and you won’t muck up the timing.
Love hearing those old motors come back to life. It also makes you happy, too.
First tractors I learned to drive were this type - bulletproof and they will run forever with a little care. For smaller jobs they are perfect and there's no corporate deere john keeping you from working on it. Well done, Matt.
And if you can get an owners manual (or a pdf), there is some much Info in there. It is surprising just how in depth those manuals were back then.
yes you don't have to be wifi connected to plow a field.
@@cb-gz1vl My great grand dad did it with a team of Clydesdales. His favourite was Old Rob, who he kept on gentle (and costly) retirement until the end. Great grandad was known for his temper but not so much for sentimentality. My mum told me of the day the knacker's van came to take Old Rob to the glue factory. Her grand dad walked over the hills and was gone for the day. I'm sure private tears were shed over the loss of a friend. For context, this was on a croft in northeast Scotland in the late 1930s when the tenant farmers couldn't even dream of owning a tractor and a good team meant the difference between living and starving so they were cared for. Have yet to see a video on "this horse hasn't moved in 47 years, will it start?"
Give me a price, might have to come get it.
Me too! Small farm ohio.1949 8n .
I love Matt’s reaction every time he gets an engine to start for the first time. You can’t help but be happy for him!
better than musties happy caclkle
the grin on his face ripping laps around the yard was the best.
@@rsprockets7846 I do not even watch Crustie any more.
Great video with great editing. Very enjoyable to sit here and watch you work. (Ha!) Born in '49, I loved going up north with my parents onto my grandparents farm in the early and mid '50s. I'd go out to the shed with my little brother, and we'd sit for hours on grandpa's Ford tractor and "work the pedals" while pretending to drive it. Getting a tractor ride while sitting on the fender was the best fun. As a teenager, I got to drive a few of those Ford tractors. I'm an engineer having majored in internal combustion engines and have done a modest amount of tinkering on engines and have rebuilt a couple. Unlike you, I suffer from a lack of patience and perseverance, qualities that are mandatory to bring these old engines back to life. I applaud your tenacity. Thanks, again, for this video.
Used to rake hay with one of those when I was a teenager. Great tractors run forever without issues!
We have tons of the Ferguson equivalents, they're pretty much the same thing, and they're great, they mechanized farming and fed us all!
My dad has the TE20 that one that one of our predecessors acquired, it was the first one in the whole district.
We still use it for small tasks around the farm all the time, like moving trailers in tight spaces, pulling timber etc.
For anyone buying this tractor off of Diesel Creek:
3 point hitch:
Make sure the lever on the left side of the transmission housing (just above and behind of where clutch pedal is) is set toward the rear, with engine running and clutch in (edit: Nvm you did, and it worked, nice!).
Don't keep it on all the time, because of unnecessary wear.
It uses transmission fluid as hydraulic oil, check transmission oil levels, if it's low the pump will cavitate = Not good.
And yes, you're using the 3-point lever correctly ^^
When you change transmission oil (and it takes a lot, 5% of the total weight of the tractor is fluids ^^), or need to top it off some, don't go with expensive modern types, use a non-sulfur oil, VERY important, non-sulfur, otherwise it will prematurely wear/destroy transmission internals.
So just go with the cheapest natural dinosaur soup you can get with a minimum of additives, these tractors were made to run on that for centuries!
Hydraulics mesh filter is at the bottom of the transaxle casing, look for a small lid held in place with bolts, if it's clogged up that's why the 3 point hitch won't lift (not applicable, as you got it running, but still something to check), be AWARE that when you take it off, ALL the oil comes out, so have a 10-15 gallon bucket ready, I advice heating up the transmission by driving it around some first.
Be CAREFUL in cleaning the filter, NO screw driver to scrape the sludge off or you will puncture it, rags and fluid solutions ONLY.
Don't be discouraged by white-soup coming out instead of oil, that's just because water contaminates it a little via non-existing gear shift rubber boot.
If you have to rebuild the pump, watch youtube videos on rebuilding 8/9n/te20 pumps, they're all the same and comes apart the same, when you take the transaxle top lid off (where seat and 3-point top link spring & hydraulic return dampener mounts to), there'll be lots of sludge and crap at the bottom, don't be discouraged, it's normal, just clean it out ^^
We also have a Ferguson TE20. Have never done anything much to it. Ours runs on petrol (gas in the US) or TVO. Tractor Vaporising Oil. You start it on petrol and switch over to TVO with a little brass valve when it warms up. Can't actually get TVO so you have to mix up various alternatives. Can't run it on petrol / gas when it's hot either. The carburettor gets too hot.
@@londonwestman1 Ah yeh. aka Kerosene, we have 4-5 of those too.
A lot of those were converted back to straight gas here.
Our 20's are worked a lot more than those that just buy one and start it twice a year, so need more frequent maintenance.
I know the 8N called for 90w mineral oil for hydraulic fluid. Near 7 gallons I think.
Tractor supply carries it.
Typical hydraulic oil way too thin, but it will work
@@patrickhorvath2684 Sounds right to me.
Matt, as you discovered the PTO must be engaged to lift the 3-point arms. You’ll notice that the PTO stops when you step on the clutch and the hydraulics will lower if there is a heavy attachment on it when you step on the clutch. Most tractors after the 9N era had what is called “live PTO” which means the PTO runs when the clutch is disengaged. The 9N, 2N, and 8N were important steps in agricultural engineering, but they did have their quarks. It’s hard to beat an old 9N. They never die! Thanks for saving a piece of ag history!
The was also a cover that screwed over the PTO to protect it when not in use.
@@robertengle1607 I think it was to protect the meat bags rather than protect the PTO.
maybe that is a 9N thing we have an 8N and the 3 point works just fine without the PTO engaged
@@jerryerickson4999 does it have a live hydraulic conversion kit? That can be done. All the Ns have the hydraulic pump driven by the PTO. Live hydraulics wasn't offered until the 600s came out
@@robertengle1607 unfortunately, the cover won't fit when you have an overrun clutch on there, as anyone using a bushhog should have.
Not sure if you know this or not about the fuel valve, but it's a two stage valve. The tractors don't have a fuel gauge (Some of the dealers sold one that was basically a paint stick with marks on it that you would dip into the tank to tell the level). For normal operation you open the fuel valve like half a turn, and then when it starts to stumble you open the valve all the way and that opens the lower fuel feed which gives you another gallon or so of fuel, idea being the "reserve" will get you back to wherever you need to go to put fuel in it, similar to the "reserve" on an old motorcycle.
Early vw beetles pinched that dual fuel tank system 😮
I remember riding on my dad's 9n as a child.,.we would stand on the axle and hold on to the fender...good times, thanks for saving this old girl, they really are spectacular tractors....the ones your grandparents or parents bought new after WW2, peace.
Professor Matt, the mechanical archeologist 👍
I agree with keeping stuff from going to the scrap yard or landfill. I do the same with small engines and old lawn mowers
The son of Mustie1 ??
Grew up on a small 25 acre farm in Washington. We had a 9N that did everything. Pulled everything from a baler to manure spreader. Blade, harrows ditchers, mowers. It was all we needed.
That original radiator cap alone is a collector item.
Probably $100 for that alone
My dad rebuilt one right from scratch. No template used. Just what he remembered of how they looked. $20CAD worth of parts and got paid $400 by his Brother who wanted the part for his 9N.
That fuel tank looked brand new inside apart from some debris in the bottom, WOW!!
As usual fun to watch repair, as a old guy I like seeing the older stuff comming back to life.
but not my ex wife...........yeeeeeeeeeech
It's awesome how you never loose your joy when something old starts running again
You never "loose" your joy eh?
Hell yeah brother I love my lil 8n. I paid 165$ for it an she's been a great lil tractor. My grandpa had a jubilee when I was kid an I learned how to drive a tractor on it.
Matt is killing it with Diesel Creek. One of my favorites.
Love seeing old* iron saved
Well done
Im a pipe fiter and plumber stay 2 or 3 threads back from the end you wont have. Problems
Beautiful tractor. Looks like they designed it for easy maintenance by the farmer vs modern machines. Should last another 80 years!
john deere is probably lobbying to make discussion about easy maintenance of old tractors illegal
@@lordjaashin I was amazed to hear that farmers are fighting for the "Right to repair" and work on their tractors. My Uncle would roll over in his grave that people have to call the tractor companies to come do maintenance work.
I had a 9N 1941 model. It had 19" front tires with one rib only. Weird looking tires. I'd say at some point in time somebody swapped yours out with newer 8 N or Ford Ferguson tires Matt. These old Fords didn't have Live Hydraulics in the early years. In order to get the hydraulics to work you have to engage the PTO.
Your genuine excitement when you get something running is worth the price of admission! Thanks for sharing
Well done Matt. Regarding the leaking exhaust manifold on the Ford tractor, a little trick I have had to adopt sometimes. I once had a straight 6 with a buckled exhaust manifold, a common problem on the Nissan RB engine. Removed the exhaust manifold, put a bead of RTV (resists high heat) silicon on both sides of the exhaust manifold gasket and let the RTV set first. Refitted the manifold to the head but only a little more than finger tight so the manifold didn't crack. Started engine and let manifold heat up. Slowly tighten manifold bolts as manifold heats up. You will get a good seal and the silicon gives you lots of tolerance to cope with warping without the manifold leaking. Hope that tip is useful one day.
Dan and Rachel Gingel have good tutorials for small tractor service and lots of parts available for the Fords.
You found a great tractor, Matt! I hope you do sell this on to someone who will restore it. I worked a six-acre farm with my late-1950 8N for over 15 years before I sold the farm and moved on. The N series lacks all of the bells and whistles and creature comforts of the new tractors, but how many of the newer tractors will still be chugging along and repairable after 80+ years?
83 years old no computer junk on it runs good ( john deer should pay attention ) ive run both 8n and 9n for years i would oil change use engine restore additive brings compression up these are great for twist through the bush very small foot print with little care it will run for another 20 years. great video matt thanks
I learned to drive on one of these - at 15 I spent a summer pulling trailers back and forth from the the field to the packing shed with a 9N that was set up with a pintle hitch. I loved that tractor - always started and ran like a clock. I can remember idling there waiting for a trailer and it was like I could hear each cylinder hit as it ticked over so slow. That thing would run forever on a tank of gas. Wish I had enough property to warrant having one now.
What a good start ,to the day.Coffee and Matt running me over ,with the horn blowing.😁😆Glad , you save the tractor 👍
You and me both!
It’s crazy how simple, durable, and easy to work on those tractors are, especially when you compare them to today’s tractors, that need a special coded computer to even begin diagnosing the thing
And because these companies are pushing for anti-right to repair, you HAVE to call them to fix it.
And how much less expensive parts are compared to a collector car.
I know most of you don't care, but there's a reason there are emissions and efficiency rules now.
@@rsporter Yeah, it’s ultimately called The Great Reset, you think Russia gives a damn how much fossil fuel they burn to get shit done? Why you think America ain’t doing crap to stop that either? Just us
@@rsporter that doesn't mean that the computer needs to not share error codes. OBD2 exists for a reason.
Theres no reason there can't be a similar standard for tractors or an updated one for all engines.
Anytime I don't wind up with gasoline drizzling down my arm (usually to my arm pit) I consider it a success. Well done!
Tie a rag or rope around yer wrist so that don't happen
I cannot tell you how many hours I spent on a tractor just like this. Plowed, shred and so much more. They were awesome.
Thank you for saving such a beautiful lil tractor , i wish more people did this
Matt, I have the exact same tractor sitting in my shed. It supposedly ran 5 years ago but I never messed with it until last weekend. I am ecstatic that you made this video to help me along getting back and running. As a plus it has the brush hog attached to it as well.
We had a 9N in the 1960’s. As you discovered, the PTO must be engaged to use the hydrolic lift arms. The original front tires were about 3 or 4 inches in width. The front tires on your tractor look like they are about 7 or 8 inch’s wide. It is likely that someone wanted to install the wider tires on the front of your tractor and needed to use the old “hubs” to increase the space between the tires and the steering “swivel”. Great work on getting it running again!
Learned to drive on a 8N We farmed 350 acres with it. Used for everything from plowing , discing, baling hay to bush hogging, a great tractor.
So happy to see this. I learned how to drive on a 9N, on my uncle's farm in Ireland. I'd say it was on the 'wrong' side of the road as well, but the darn thing took up the whole road in rural Ireland anyway :)
I am always amazed at how these old tractors come back to life. That engine sounds so nice and will sit there and purr like a kitten. Thanks Matt and thumbs UP to you! 👍💯
Exhaust leak on #4 is a common issue on ford N series tractor, every single one I've seen has one. Ford decided to not put a bolt or anything there, and over time the manifold warps and eventually starts really badly leaking. Ours has the same issue.
Same on the Fergusons. I have a TO35 and MF35 with that #4 condition.
My shop teacher (John Gale) back in 1979 told us that was an installed feature….
I was four years old when I drove the same tractor when mom and dad fenced a pasture. I'm 66 now. I remember it like it was yesterday.
Nice save Matt.
I put sleeves, pistons, bearings, etc in my father's 9N about 1969.....and two new rear rims.
They are very durable solid tractors.
I had an 8N for a short (sold it last year). The whole series are just amazing tech for the time, and relatively easy to work on.
These tractors are some of the most reliable machines made, period. They were a solid established tractor on the seen giving Deere a run for their money. Nice work fella finding out that the high tension output spring was burned short from service in the field. This was definitely overlooked by the previous owner. One can definitely hear the exhaust leak for sure. Nice job Matt. Look forward to see more from you Sir. Peace vf
one small notch above a team of horses
@@earlborchardt4358 Let see, no giving feed water harnessing smelling the back exhaust. Work 24/7 if you like. The bad, profit is eaten by cost of gasoline. Personal choice I guess.
@@earlborchardt4358 , tell that to those still using these on hobby farms, minus those who do not use machines for religious reasons.
@@earlborchardt4358
Small, but incredibly crucial.
I think that you are best mechanic. It is very difficult to work with some kind engines. I fill so hoppy because you can't demonstrate the quality of these .
1 bit of great advice, crack the plugs loose first, because scale and rust, could break free while loosening even after blowing them clear
I could watch you getting old machines like this running everyday. What an awesome tractor and looks like so much fun!
100% an awesome tractor, Someone would appreciate it just like you
FYI ...worked for an auto/diesel shop for some years in Central CA. We converted many 8ns, 9ns, Jubilees and other 6v tractors to 12v alternators. The main reason was the spray rigs. They have to be pulled extremely slow. The 6v generator wouldn't keep them charged. The alternator will charge at an idle.
I got a 9n and they're handy little tractors to have around. Easy to work on too. Also the I beam axel supports identify it as a fairly early 9n. And the air cleaner is fully under the hood. Later 9ns have a tube coming out of the hood and the 8n has a grate on the right side of the hood.
I'm not super smart but l believe the tube was a dealer option change.
@@normhowes2975 I don't claim to be an expert on it but from what I've read the early ones had the I beams and sometimes people swap em out. My 9n has tube styles but I sure wish it had the I beams
@@normhowes2975 You'd be correct. Also an aftermarket option from catalogues.
HA, a 9N recently sold at auction a couple of miles from our house. It was a 1940 model with all four tires completely rotted. Other than that and needing a LOT of work I passed when it went to $625 which also included sales tax and buyers premium which would have made it $743. TWO weeks later I had cashed out a small 401K an would have had the money to buy it and probably would. I ended up buying a 1956 Farmall 130 with a front blade and also needing four tires. :-)
The 9N has a 3 speed transmission, the 8N has a 4 speed. Then there's the serial # on the left side of the engine.
I will never restore anything old,but it is oddly satisfying to watch someone go through the steps to get an ancient piece of machinery up and running again. Well done!
Thanks for the video. I've owned and restored a few of those old tractors. Our local tractor supply had the complete exhaust system in stock for less than a hundred dollars. From the manifold to the back tailpipe muffler included. I was truly amazed.
My grandpa had a tractor a lot like that one. I was little then and I'm 77 now so the memory may be off a bit. In the 80s the family sold it to a neighbor. Nice to see, thanks.
The easiest way to work on the distributor is to remove it and work on it on the bench. Lay the cap back, one wire, two bolts. The shaft end is offset so it only fits one way. You don't have to worry about timing. They don't have live power so as you found out the lift and PTO only work when the clutch is out.
Hey Matt. Just saw your new vid about the Ford tractor acquisition. After being in the electric motor business for 45 years, one thing I always keep handy when working on electrical stuff is a can of electrical contact cleaner. You'd be surprised at what you can revive with that stuff.
great advice, and many contact cleaners do not wreak havoc on rubber or plastics
I loved watching you work, as you clearly know what you are doing. I had a 1953 Ford NAA that I used and worked on for about 10 years. I finally "restored" it, new parts and paint and nearly everything. That was a good old tractor! It is so great that you save a nice old machine from the scrap pile.
Great job. The 8N and 9N tractors can run for ever. My Mom has one and is used for her 2 1/2 Acres. Must be careful they are hard to stop. I mean you want to drive and drive.
Fun story. When my parents first moved into the house on two and a half acres. I think 1973 or 1974. They bought a 1936 case started with a crank and had no lift. Came with a large drag plow, spring tooth, and scrapper. About 2-3 years later it stopped in the field and Dad was done with it. He wanted to do work around the yard and bought a 8 horse power 4 speed Montgomery Ward Rotor tiller. I was in Jr High and took electric lab. I rebuilt the family edger. We'll while Dad was assembly the tiller I took on the Case tractor. I rebuilt the carburetor and cleaned the plugs. I was not aloud to work the crank. My Dad did not want to bother. After begging he went out there. Three cranks and it fired up and ran well. It was so satisfying. Funny thing my Dad put off the tiller and totally plowed the whole yard. Mom did not see that coming. The tractor ran a few more years, when they bought the 8N. We sold the case and still running.
Well, nice surprise to see a DC vid this morning!
Hope you enjoyed it!
Had one of those growing up. Learned more about mechanics working on that when I was young. Glad you saved it from getting crushed
Just by the amount of the tractor is still there, I can see it would make a beautiful resto piece! Very cool!
It’s a indestructible little machine..if that starts up your fortunate
Thank you! Lots of pleasant memories. My Dad’s Family had a 1938 Ford Tractor. My Dad used to place me on his lap and I could steer the Steering Wheel while he was seeding the pasture. You’re right, This Ford Tractor is still very popular among many who maintain their farms. Lots of add ons which Ford also sold to the Buyer. A very practical and worth both keeping and taking care of. Hopefully he can make use of.
These old Ford 9N tractors were Blistering fast for there Time frame Matt 0:35 @Diesel Creek
Love that you have saved a machine that helped build this land so many years ago. We had a 8n that my grandfather bought back in the lake 60s until my dad sold it 10 years ago. Thanks for sharing Matt.
I have that exact same tractor and it sounds in every way like mine.including the exhaust leak. So glad you took the time to save her. You will find it will work for hours on just a couple quarts of fuel . Great video.
Thanks Mat for the video. Our farm in Indiana had an 8N which I used to pull a hay rope to elevate bales to a large dutch barn haymow. When I was 7 years old dad took the loader off so I could stear the tractor using it to haul wheat from the combine pulling small 100 bushell grain flair box wagons. That would have been in 1954. Really appreciate your work ethic. : )
I love this content. You're who got me into working on small engines and I find it so entertaining to watch you work. Thanks for the upload!
Keep it. One of the handiest tractors for box blade or angle blade work
I’ve run many of those tractors around brings back a lot of memories love to hear the sound they make even with the manifold leak seems like they all have it. Keep up the good work buddy.
My dad had a 8N until around 2005 still working, I learned to drive with it and hauled many bales of hay with it.
Neat tractor, love watching you keep old iron running!!!
Really enjoyed this one Matt! Hope whoever buys it sends pictures of it in progress/ done.
Hey Matt, two bolts take that distributor off. Drives by a Tee slot it will only go back on one of two ways. If you make note of where the rotor is pointing before hand , it’s a no brainer. And now you can see what you are doing on the distributor. Makes life much easier. Yup pto has to be on for the hitch to operate. Kinda primitive 🤔I just rebuilt an engine in an 8n. Pretty much same thing. It has a very unique valve system.
Nice job! Love the guest appearance by the HumVee too
My grandparents had an 8n. They bought it in July of 1950. It stayed in regular use until sometime in 2008 when the engine blew up. Sold for scrap, despite my protests. I wanted to put a flathead V8 in it.
Love this old thing ! Would be nice to see it being worked on more and put to use to earn its keep 👍
Good job getting it going, Matt - always good to save something from the scrap heap!
Fifty years ago I sold overhaul kits for those for $120.00 that included regroup Crank shaft and bearlngs with pistons sleeves and rings as well as a gasket set. Those old fords were very popular back then in rural Oklahoma.
Rachel Gingell's channel sells repair kits and has instructional videos on component repair. And she's nice to watch.
@@TKevinBlanc Thanks Kevin I will check her out. If memory serves the same kits worked on the Ferguson, As I recall Ford had bough the Massey and they were called Ford Ferguson, been a few years and memory fades I don't care who says it don't.
@@poorfesor Thats correct. In Australia we call them Grey Fergies
@@poorfesor Ford and Ferguson had a handshake agreement to use the Ferguson System(3pt hitch) on the Ford tractors. The Ferguson tractors were a result of that agreement falling apart. They used OHV engines sourced from Standard for UK built(TE, Tractor England) and Continental for US built machines(TO, Tractor Overseas.)
@@82f100swb I just remember my Father in law had a ferguson that I sold him an 8n rebuild kit fo every few years. Hard to believe what happened to prices after Nixon's price controls and Jimmy's rein.
I have a 1941 9n just like this. Those machines are workhorses, parts are mostly readily available and cheap, most components are not only available as assemblys new, but also parts to rebuild those assemblies for even less money. A little bit of tlc and that machine could be putting in a days work 80 more years from now. I use mine to mow my place along with 6 others from time to time, i used to maintain the private road i live on with it until the county took it over, i plow my garden every year, disc and bushhog deer leases for family and friends, heavy lifting around the place, and most importantly this tractor has powered a pto driven generator and provided my entire h ouse with electricity every time the lights went out for the last 10years. Saved our butt in snowpacalyps last year.
We had one on the farm back in 1959. It was a little newer with a slant 4 and the next gen electrical (lol). Was a great machine that ran forever. Ours had a front end loader so it worked well with our old MacK Dump truck. Nice job
i remember my grandfather having a 9n and had a nice little business his whole life.. great to see it moving and purring like that!! thank you for doing what you do!!!
50 years ago when I was about three and up to six when we moved away my grampa took me with him everyday after work on side jobs mowing , discing and plowing for people on a 9N. I would drive and he worked the clutch and brakes. Safe, hell no. Priceless memories, you bet.
@@garyrhodes7673 same here!! Great memories!
As always Matt another great video, thanks for saving all the old iron that you can. As always Matt I can't wait to see what's coming next. Have a great day Sir
Those old ford tractors are great. My father has one that was purchased new back I believe in 1956 (by His Father.. we found the paperwork after my grandma passed some 35 years ago) and he still uses that thing often (near daily).. Many of the same functions as you see here… though it’s in much better shape because it’s been stored in a garage most of it’s life.. and used often too so it’s never fallen into disrepair… Even built a wood splitter to hook to the limited hydraulics off the PTO… thems good little tractors.
Curious to see how the tractor will be restored.
Was interesting to watch.
First time on your site Matt and it certainly won't be the last. I thoroughly enjoyed the video and loved the tractor. I am no mechanic by any stretch of the imagination, but I love just about anything really old mechanically, and seeing them brought back to life is fantastic.
Thanks for a very entertaining and satisfying video, I enjoyed every minute. Cheers from Wales.
Great video as always.
Cool to see old and random machinery going again.
As a teenager I use to help my Uncle clean up, paint and repair the early Ford 8N, 9N, 2N, Jubilee tractors for resale. It usually took a couple weeks to refurb one unless it involved serious transmission or motor problems, he stocked a lots of used parts also.
6v to twelve volt conversion was always the first thing we did. My Mom use to complain about how dirty and hard to clean my clothes were, we used kerosene and high pressure air to clean the grease off them. A good video to watch on you tube is titled:
"Ford 9N 2N 8N Fergy Differences"