Old Tractor Guru's

[makizoo]

Saw this ad in a local paper:
Ford 8N. Tractor runs good.Sheet metal decent, fenders good ,rims and tires good . Has a 3point hicth,power take off.New alternator,wiring and sediment bowl which was made in usa(oem).No welds cracks or leaks.Ready to work or restore nice tight tractor.Brakes work.Needs battery. some dry cracking on tires from siting but they hold air and are calcium filled so she does perform well with the extra weight and large rear tires.No smoke ,good oil pressure.Wish I could keep it but wife says ones enough.Will deduct $50 for battery so $1850 firm.

Seems like a lot of money for a 50-60?? year old tractor. Are these oldies worth it? I'd use it mostly for lightl farm work and plowing the driveway

[PyroDon]

with proper care that piece of 50 year old iron will still be dragging drive ways and plowing gardens in another 50 years.
around here 1500-2500 is the going rate depending on condition for a 8n.
the nice thing about the older tractors is you can work on them.
Ive rebuilt a number of carbs using ceral boxes for gasket material

[.netDude]

$2000ish - $2500 in western NY

[GREG VT]

That's the going rate in this area for a strong running 8N, with decent rubber.

Sounds like it has been converted to 12volt?

It will make a great brushhoggin, snowplowing, driveway grading, pasture drag pulling, stone/dirt moving, two bottom plow pulling machine.

It will make a lousy tiller operating, snowblower operating or anything else that requires a slow ground speed while running the PTO machine.

I've got a 53NAA (Golden Jubilee) which is a small step up from the 8N. I still lust over a 50's 600 series Ford with live hydraulics and a live PTO.

If you go with the 8N make sure it has an overunning coupler on the PTO shaft or put one on if it doesn't if you are going to run a rotary mower behind it.

Also be careful pulling anything without wheels, like logs and stumps, with it as they were often called the "widowmaker" because those big rear wheels will torque the tractor right up and over on you if you get hung up.

[agmantoo]

I met a rebuilder at an auction that stated he would pay $2500 for every running 8n I could supply. His rebuilts were bringing in $6000 so he stated. The key here is whether it is an true 8n that is being sold. Many 9n's and 2n's were repainted to red and grey and called 8n's.

[makizoo]

Turns out its a 9N with oversized tires. Converted to 12v but using dual resistors to the 6v coil. Still worth $2K +/- ?

[Ramblin Wreck]

If it were my money, I'd try to double that budget and find a bigger, much newer Ford or Massey or Deere or IH or Case or Agco diesel. I've had good luck with Fords and MF, but my experience is more limited than many.

[fantasymaker]

Its well worth th money but not the tractor Id want

[GREG VT]

I agree.

If you can swing it find yourself something a bit more "modern". 4g's will buy you a decent 600 or 800 series Ford that will do much more then the 9N will.

Ask the seller why he is selling the 9N and keeping the other tractor, whatever that is.

[Jolly]

I agree with several of the other folks...it's a fair price for an 8N, not for a 9N.

If you dig, you never know what you can find...as has been said, 4K moves you into another world...

[m39fan]

I'd echo the other opinions - look elsewhere. I had an 8N, great tractor with lousy traction (no weights/chains). My biggest gripe was the lack of live hydraulics. Sold it, put a little with it and got a '63 Ford 2000 for just under $2500. More HP, traction, stability and live everything. I don't miss the 8N any more..... Check eBay for good deals but make sure and check the seller's feedback first.

HTH,
Mike

[squeakyzig]

Go to Yesterdays Tractors web site: http://www.ytmag.com and search for the Ford tractors. You'll find varying prices and conditions but should give you an idea of the worth of these.

[Ford8N]

I think I paid about $2800 for my 8N about three years ago (in WI) and it has been worth it's weight in gold to me. If that tractor is as decent as it sounds then it is a super sweet deal and you should snatch it up! You may want to watch those rear tires if they are cracked and filled with calcium because if they leak it will rust the rims in no time flat. Don't worry that it is over 50 years old. So many old Ns are still running and you can easily get parts for them. Plus they are easy on gas.

Let's see; I plow (2 bottom), bush-hog (5 foot), finish mow (6 footer), cultivate, remove snow and use it for hay rides. How much would a new tractor cost you???

[Beeman]

Originally Posted by makizoo

Turns out its a 9N with oversized tires. Converted to 12v but using dual resistors to the 6v coil. Still worth $2K +/- ?

Just Say NO! 8N's are fun tractors but have shortcomings. 2N's and 9N's have too many shortcomings to be an everyday tractor, more suited for parades and such.

[hunter63]

Prices are up all over for even the 2n-9n's.as well as the 8n's
Seems that every one wants one, must be the "Homesteader thing to do", so the price has doubled in the last 5 years.
Looked for one my self, even stopped at an antique tractor show, talked to a bunch of the older guys that "play" with them. They were quoting prices to people thinking they were high and they had offers all over the place.( not they they were selling, just pulling people legs).
Finally one guy said, (he had several 2n-9n, and 8n there, mostly rebuilt) "what do you want one for"?
I said , "mow grass, plow snow, grade the drive way".
He said,"I use my Kubota for that, these are just to play with". Then he added, "get your self a newer tractor, diesel, hydraulics, more hp, then when the work is done, play with your old Ford".
So I did.

[rambler]

The price is ok, but it's more of a collector tractor than a tractor you will get modern work out of.

If you are looking for a tracotr to use, I'd look for a mid 1950s - 1960's tractor, more modern features & often not much more money.

--->Paul

[wilderness1989]

I've been there done that. Get a 600 Ford and you will be much happier than with an "N" series. Good luck.

[haypoint]

Those little Fords are just the right size to appeal to the hobby farmer. They hold up well. I think they are the most overpriced tractor on the market. That price is a good one when compaired to other Ford 8N/9N. Not much power, out dated for the past 50 years due to the lack of live power.

[logbuilder]

I have a '42 9N. Let me tell you why people are interested in them.

1. Neat to have a 60+ year old machine that looks cool and works well
2. I just don't think you will find any other machine in that price range that will pull a 5 foot brush hog thru 4 foot weeds or a 5 foot box blade loaded up. And if you are interested in plowing (never done it myself), that is what this machine was made for.
3. Parts are relatively cheap and easily located. The New Holand dealerships will supply almost all you need and there are other places for everything else. Check out www.just8ns.com (actually most all 8N parts work on a 9N or 2N also)
4. There just is hardly anything that you can't repair yourself if you are handy with mechanics. I've never needed to take mine anywhere.
5. It is a challenge getting a machine this old up to snuff and keeping it that way. Very rewarding when it is working well. Real simple machine once you understand it.
6. The owners of these machines are very loyal to them. It is a community. They help each other a lot. Online resources for help are outstanding. Check out http://www.ytmag.com/nboard/wwwboard1.html
7. Relatively low fuel consumption. Only 4 small cylinders. I can go all day on 5 gals.

And what they are not good for:

1. Tilling. Gound speed combined with PTO speed is just not right for tilling.
2. Post hole digging. Can be done but have to be careful. The 3 point only pulls up. No down pressure.
3. People who can't work on machines
4. People with more money than interest in a good value and willing to work for it

Now should you be interested in an old tractor, this is a good article to get you thinking right.

http://www.ytmag.com/articles/artint1.htm

Oh, and that price ($1850), a fair price if it is working well. Not great but fair. I'm sure I could find enough small things wrong (and point them out) that I could get the seller to seriously consider $1400. Be sure it is running and you see the hydraulics and PTO work.

And here is mine...

[Ford8N]

Originally Posted by makizoo

Turns out its a 9N with oversized tires. Converted to 12v but using dual resistors to the 6v coil. Still worth $2K +/- ?

That is probably about market value then but a steal for an 8N. 12V conversions can be problematic and I discourage them. My 8N is still 6V and will start in below zero weather. Some folks would convert because they were misinformed and wanted to modernize, but others because they would need the extra cranking power to get a worn out engine started.