newbie and new owner of 8N

[speedracing944]

Hello all,
First post here. I just purchased a 1947 Ford 8N for use on our 4 acre farmette. The machine will be used to mow the pastures and for snow removal in winter. The 8N came equiped with a 6 foot wide Woods underbelly mower deck. So far I love the tractor and it does a good job despite the age (60 years old) Yeck I wish I will run as good when I am 60. the paint is in good shape and the tractor is in good mechanical shape. All it needed was new front 6V lights and I still need to do the rear lights.

here is a pic.



Speedy

 

[Thomas]

Welcome to TBN Speedy.
Congrats on your new purchase,also nice to see yesterday's iron given antoher chance...plan on getting cushion/pad for the seat.

 

[speedracing944]

Welcome to TBN Speedy.
Congrats on your new purchase,also nice to see yesterday's iron given antoher chance...plan on getting cushion/pad for the seat.

Thanks for the welcome. I hear you on the seat but I do have to say that the straight up metal seat isn't all that bad. It is shaped just right which makes it easier on the backside. If I have trouble a seat cover will be in order.

Seeing as this is a pricing forum the asking price for the tractor was $2800 but was bargained down to $2600. Around this area I had a hard time finding a compatable tractor without a mower deck for this price. It seems very very used 2N, 9N, 8N tractors start at $2500.


Speedy

 

[jbrumberg]

Speedracing944:

Welcome to TBN and the "Blue" forum . I'll bet that you will have more fun on the 8N than the Porches and no chance of getting a speeding ticket or need for a radar detector. Think of all the money you will be saving and if you sell the Porches you would reduce your insurance costs and could upgrade to a new fancy tractor with all the "Bells and Whistles" including FEL (What can a Porshe pick up except maybe a "date" ?), HST, power steering, cruise control, MFWD, and more and still be able to buy a lot of attachments Jay

 

[EquipmentJunkie]

Welcome to the forum, Speedracing944. I am a big fan of the older Ford utility tractors having driven an 860 during my teen years. Ford was way ahead of their time.

I was going to ask a question about your Guards Red 944, but I see that you updated your signature and that answered my question. Isn't it interesting to drive a car with more gears than your tractor?

I hope to own a 944 myself, some day. I am holding out for one owned by one of those **** retentive engineers who waxed it more often than drove it.

 

[speedracing944]

jbrumberg,
The tractor decision was made hard because of the 944. The reason being is I just couldn't justify spending $15000 on a tractor which only had a top speed of 16 MPH I would always ask myself "How fast can I go in a Porsche for $15,000?" I know the tractor and Porsche are 2 different machines intended for different purposes but I just couldn't get over this hang up.

EquipmentJunkie,
If you are/have been interested in the 944 model there is a good BBS similar to TRB called Pelican Parts. I am pretty active there and am known as speedracing944 there.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=10

There are alot of good guys there and good info as well.

So far I love my 8N and it seems alot of parts are still available for these old machines. I have a tractor shop 30 min from my house which stocks lots of parts for the N's.

Speedy

 

[jbrumberg]

Speedy:

I have an old Honda CRX-Si with a modified suspension sitting behind the house. It does not see much if any "run time" anymore . I should sell it to offset the costs of all my attachments . 8N's are tanks ! There are still quite a few operational 8N's in my neck of the woods. Use yours safely and well. Jay

 

[tris66]

Congrats on the 'new' 8N. I think you got a good deal $ on it. I have a '47 myself and spent a few hours mowing with it last weekend. As old as they are 8Ns are reliable and fun to run. Nuthin like a big, loud slab of American iron under yer arse!

 

[jinman]

Hello all,
First post here. I just purchased a 1947 Ford 8N for use on our 4 acre farmette. The machine will be used to mow the pastures and for snow removal in winter. The 8N came equiped with a 6 foot wide Woods underbelly mower deck. So far I love the tractor and it does a good job despite the age (60 years old) Yeck I wish I will run as good when I am 60. the paint is in good shape and the tractor is in good mechanical shape. All it needed was new front 6V lights and I still need to do the rear lights.

Welcome to the forum, Speedy. That's an interesting setup with a belly mower instead of a RFM. Those narrow ag rib tires in front and rear may leave some tracks in your turf, so be careful. With proper maintenance, that 8N will be around for many more years.

 

[Grrrr]

Congrats on your new tractor. I am sure it will be reliable for you. I like the mid mount mower on it to, should make it easier to see whats going on. I use older tractors and there so much simpler to work on than the new ones. Nothing a spanner can't fix on them! And they don't break very often anyway!