Why I Love the 8N Ford
Here are the Top 8 Reasons why I love the Ford 8N:
- Made in Michigan. These beauties were manufactured in Highland Park, Michigan – less than 100 miles away from my hometown.
- Easy to get parts. With more than a half million 8N tractors produced, it’s easy to find aftermarket and original parts for a restoration project.
- 3-point hitch. The 8N tractor marked the end of the handshake agreement between Henry Ford and Harry Ferguson, but it still included a 3-point hitch (Ferguson’s invention). While the design was updated from the original 9N and 2N, there were enough similarities that Ford had to pay a $9.2 million settlement for copyright infringement to Ferguson. Having the 3-point hitch was essential to the 8N’s success though – a price that Ford was willing to pay.
- Easy to get on and off. Compared to my dad’s favorite tractor (The Farmall H), the 8N tractor is a breeze to mount.
- Easy to drive. No doubt I’m one of thousands of kids who learned how to drive on a Ford 8N. They are simple to operate and a good size for mature youth to start with.
- Easy to repair. Unlike today’s advanced and complicated machinery, Ford designed a tractor that the farmer would be able to repair himself. Most repairs can be made with just a couple sizes of wrenches and other common shop tools.
- Implements! Such a huge variety of implements are available for the 8N tractor – it’s hard to imagine a task that there isn’t an implement for.
- Classic color scheme. The red and gray is my favorite tractor color combo – but it looks good in pink, too!
How about you – are you a fellow 8N lover? What makes you a fan?
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I agree one of the best trs ever made just right for kids and older people to get on and off and very dependable other than converting g ours from 6 to 12 v I do no think we spent much money on repairs in all the yrs that we had it. I had to sell it when I left the farm and still miss it had a woods mower behind sure was nice for mowing around the farm.
I learned on my uncles “43” 9N for the reasons you stated. I still have and use it. Great little tractor.
I too have fallen in love with the 8N Ford tractor, I’m currently working on restoring mine that I gave 900 dollars for that came with a Wagner WM3 loader
No where else can I get as versatile a machine with as many attachments as cheap.
The best tractor for the price anywhere, especially if you only have a small place to work it on. These things were built to a human scale and for human scaled farms. Modern farms and the massive acreage they are made up of don’t have a place for these little guys, except as maybe a reminder of a simpler time. But if you just want to live off the land you own and maybe make a few bucks at the local farmers market the 8N is pretty mush all you need.
i used to own an 8N and I loved working with it. I named it “Baby”! I miss having a farm…
Love the article .. and the “why’s” …
I have 2 – 8N’s and a Ferguson [and aa Jubilee] …
They are so — USEFUL for a hobby farmer …
I haul a lot of wood from our woods .. with a “box” on the back of the 3pt .. to lower when I need to fill it .. with wood .. and then raise it when hauling .. etc ..
I plow with it .. the garden .. have cultivators .. and really like it .. it is easy to get around the yard ..
I have a Jubilee that I have a Finish Mower on .. love it !!
Thanks again for the article ..
Gary
The long history behind this model. The time when it introduced to the people, high tech was not available and so used simple tech. And so it’s easy to drive, repair and maintain as you mentioned in the post. Like you, I’m also a fan of Ford tractors…..in fact, I should say the antique tractors.
by the way, you wrote well and I love reading your post. Nice blog too. 🙂
Thanks, Rachel Gingell .
I like it actually as it’s easy to drive & repair as well as availability of its parts. 8N Ford tractor is nice indeed.
Iam a 60 year woman who just bought a 8N tractor, after owning and operating a Ford 3000 for twenty years. The ford 8n is much easier to operate, I just put the pto adaptor on it all by myself, I’m proud to say. I just learned about turning the gas valve off when it started to show a little drag in its power and slow starting, I think it will remidy the propblem. If not, I’ll check the carberator for drainage, haven’t seen any gas leaks so far.
Love my 51 8n. Traded my father in law by rebuilding his front porch. Took me 3 weekends. The tractor had been sitting under a cedar tree for 5 yrs. I got it running in 2 days. I’ve been using it to mow along our driveway , it’s half mile long. I love how easy it is to use and repair.
I’m a new pre-1960 Allis Chalmers collector, but took advantage of a good price on an 8N ‘cuz it had a loader. well, uh, now I have 3 non-runners that I intended to merge into 2 good runners. but finding them so easy to work on and get parts for, plan B is to get all 3 running with dedicated implements, so no hassling with hookup/unhook.
love all your reasons except #1 – I live in so Calif, and #8 I added in a little yellow and white to the grey to make it just a little lighter and warmer near-white.
also I am doing one in red, white and blue for local parades.
puh-leeeeez keep making those great “Wrenching With Rachel” videos and posting on youtube!!!
they are head and shoulders above any others, and if I weren’t already a Steiner’s fan I would become one just to help support.
I am having an 8N Tomorrow. Traded a little Honda car that needs work for it. I only have a little over seven acres, so will use it to bush hog and who knows, maybe a corn crop next year. I’ve always heard good reviews for these and hopefully i’ll have a good story one of these days. I just found this site and saving it to favorites. I enjoyed reading about other’s experiences so please wish me luck!
David
I am around 90% finished on my 8n restoration. I converted the 6v to 12v. Original red and gray paint scheme. She will be named “Smoke-n-Jean” to honor my late father and mother. My father owned the tractor before me. The tractor will bushhog and other farming chores, but I hope to keep her parade ready too.
Hola tengo mi tractor clásico 8n 1951 mi favorito desde pequeño fue mi anhelo tener uno y lo logré un fans de Chillan Chile