Old 8N- Good Deal?

Massey_lover · Feb 28, 2011

So, I live in Bancroft, Ontario, and I work on a farm in the non-snowy months. I have the opportunity, through a lady that my boss delivers hay to, to pick up a non-running 8N, with a loader, that has two new rear tires on it. The lady says her husband was in the processing of fixing it last year when he had to go back to work and she only wants $500 for the tractor. It has a front-mounted (live) hyd. pump for the loader, which I could probably upgrade for a little more flow and run a hydraulic PTO motor (to give me a live PTO for snowblowing, etc.) I should mention that I'm only 17 and I already have a tractor ('58 Massey MF-50, Continental 134), but I want to "expand my collection". Mostly I just want something with a loader and I can't really justify subjecting my MF to all the extra wear and tear after it's already been around for 53 years. Any input will be appreciated.

whodat526 · Feb 28, 2011

they are good tractors and pretty simple that is what i first started working on and have got pretty good at fix them they are not the best loader tractors but its better than nothing i think 500 is a good buy

rankrank1 · Feb 28, 2011

$500 is a bargain - the 2 new rear tires are almost worth that alone.

Sounds like a good and worthwhile project, but I do not think you will like the 8N tractor on a snow blower. 1st gear and Reverse speeds will be too fast for snowblowing in most snow conditions. Will work decent though using the loader on front and either a back blade (or even a box blade) on the rear to move snow.

Massey_lover · Mar 1, 2011

Thanks for all the input guys. The tractor is safe and soind tarped up for the winter but as soon as the snow goes i'll borrow my boss's trailer and go get it... I wonder how mom's gonna feel about me bringing home another project

Gary Fowler · Mar 1, 2011

If I remember right the 8n did not have live PTO or even a 2 stage clutch so I would hesitate to use anything like a snow blower unless it was ran off that hydraulic pump you mentioned.

sammyd · Mar 1, 2011

I can't really justify subjecting my MF to all the extra wear and tear after it's already been around for 53 years.

LOL
You won't do that to a massey but you'll do it to an even older, smaller , and less capable 8N?

Massey_lover · Mar 1, 2011

sammyd said:
LOL
You won't do that to a massey but you'll do it to an even older, smaller , and less capable 8N?

Yeah, because the massey has a lot of sentimental value to me ( it was my grandfather's last tractor) And this 8n is dirt cheap and has already been running it for years

simonds · Mar 1, 2011

Grab it and run with it. They sell for about $2,000.00 around here. Not really a great tractor for some attachments. They worked good for pulling a hay wagon. But they are a sort of a collector item in this area.

Soundguy · Mar 1, 2011

as long as the engine isn't blow up nor the trans.. should be ok if it just needs say ignition or similar parts.

soundguy

Massey_lover · Mar 1, 2011

Soundguy said:
as long as the engine isn't blow up nor the trans.. should be ok if it just needs say ignition or similar parts.

soundguy

as far as she knows, her husband was working on changing something on the front of the motor, and had to go back to work. it is going to need a new rad, as the old one was removed and it looks like someone hit it with a sledge. but around here a running 8n will sell for 2700-3000 so i have some room to put money into it before it's no longer worth it.

Soundguy · Mar 1, 2011

might have lost the water pump which ate the rad.. that's real common. other thing on the front could be the distribuitor.

neither item are over 300$..

soundguy

whodat526 · Mar 1, 2011

Massey_lover said:
but around here a running 8n will sell for 2700-3000 so i have some room to put money into it before it's no longer worth it.

i wish we could get that much where im at u could about 2 years a go but they had to be really nice ones now as long as it runs the most u can get is about 1500 unless ur lucky

Massey_lover · Mar 1, 2011

whodat526 said:
i wish we could get that much where im at u could about 2 years a go but they had to be really nice ones now as long as it runs the most u can get is about 1500 unless ur lucky

Yeah they were like that here just last summer. I dunno what happened. Mind you the ones that i've seen were in good shape, but i would have a lot of play room to get it painted and fixed up and still turn a nice profit if I chose to. But I think I'd rather just keep it

whodat526 · Mar 1, 2011

if it has never been repainted even if it looks like the one in my picture i have been able to get 500 to 1000 dollars more for them than if i painted them if they was in good mechincal shape i dont know why but they are the only ones around my area u can make good money on. but u will love working on the little tractor they are simple and a good learning project of how some stuff works i still like to fix them up for resale even tho the prices have drop in my area i always have one i am fixing. but your right for 500 u should be able to fix up and turn a decent profit

Gale Hawkins · Mar 2, 2011

At $500 I would just show up with cash and worry about what I had purchased after I trailered it home. Scrap metal price has to be a few hundred dollars I would think.

While they are limited as a kid I knew a guy who must to have loaded 10,000 truck loads of gravel with one and towed every where.

Massey_lover · Mar 2, 2011

Thanks again for all the input everybody. Now I'm sure I'll have it before the end of summer. Going to have to figure out a way to get it on the trailer (being unable to lift the loader with the hydraulics could be a bit of an issue

) and wait until the snow melts and the ground dries up (which works out well because I dont make much money except for in the summer)

Soundguy · Mar 2, 2011

use a jack to lift the loader then strap angle iron to the piston to hold it open..

soundguy

Massey_lover · Mar 2, 2011

Soundguy said:
use a jack to lift the loader then strap angle iron to the piston to hold it open..

soundguy

I was thinking about putting my 4wheeler in the trailer backwards so i could use my winch and a pulley block to pull the tractor on backards. After i get it home i'll just put the drawbar on my massey under the bucket and chain the tractors together to pull it off.