8N restored with pics

[somanytractors]

So far my dash all still works. I see you can get new aftermarket ones but I see they have mixed reviews on how good they are.

Yours appears to be in pretty good condition. I'm guessing it's barn kept? I usually get them after they been sitting in someones yard for a few years not running.
I think the florida sun beating on the glass makes it sweat and then that messes up the gauges.
I've only replaced one (it was one of the china ones) and it didn't go well. And then one thing I really couldn't deal with was the fact that the thousand series have an oil light instead of a gauge. I got to have gauges. I wont even buy a car that doesn't have gauges. I like to know what the pressure and temp is so I know ahead of time that something isn't right. I wound up putting in seperate gauges even after putting in a new cluster.

 

[somanytractors]

From the golf course or driving range?

The guy I got it from said it was a county tractor which makes sense. It had the external hydraulics, and a cb radio on top of the hood.
The guy said it sat for a while and then he put new filters on it and then it wouldn't prime. I posted on here when I was working on it because I couldn't get it to prime either. thepumpguynj looked at the pics and pointed out that the guy had plugged up the return line and it would never prime like that. I unplugged it and it started right up.

 

[ultrarunner]

Always liked old Fords... Model T, Model A, NAA Jubilee, etc...

 

[wolc123]

There is no tractor that was ever made, that I would rather have on my 2-row corn planter, than my 1951 Ford 8n:

 

[somanytractors]

I've posted my MF35 too its HERE
Don't know if I have anymore with pics. I thought I did but they're probably on my old laptop.

 

[somanytractors]

Always liked old Fords... Model T, Model A, NAA Jubilee, etc...

They were so simple back then, before V engines and automatic transmissions, and now everything is full of circuit boards. They were designed so anyone could work on them.
One thing I find funny, people think ethenol is something new. The N models were available in gas or distillates or basically ethanol

 

[somanytractors]

There is no tractor that was ever made, that I would rather have on my 2-row corn planter, than my 1951 Ford 8n:
View attachment 803316

Love the pic!

 

[John0829]

You guys are going to keep on about the 8N's until I decide to go and get another... Then I will have to build another barn to store it in

 

[wolc123]

I consider the 1951 Ford 8n to be one of the finest tractors ever built for multiple reasons. Admittedly , there is undoubtably some bias because that was the first tractor that I ever bought.

It is just so easy to attach and remove implements from, compared to any other tractor I have operated. That little flat head 4-cycle engine just purrs along so quietly, and uses very little gas. The low operator platform is super easy to mount/dismount from either side.

I’d worry more about the 1952’s, because they were the end of the line when they may have been using up some slightly defective parts. The 1953 Jubs had significantly worse fuel economy and less durable hydraulics. Plus they were heavier and harder to hook up tools on. The earlier year n’s were less refined.

 

[somanytractors]

I consider the 1951 Ford 8n to be one of the finest tractors ever built for multiple reasons. Admittedly , there is undoubtably some bias because that was the first tractor that I ever bought.

It is just so easy to attach and remove implements from, compared to any other tractor I have operated. That little flat head 4-cycle engine just purrs along so quietly, and uses very little gas. The low operator platform is super easy to mount/dismount from either side.

I’d worry more about the 1952’s, because they were the end of the line when they may have been using up some slightly defective parts. The 1953 Jubs had significantly worse fuel economy and less durable hydraulics. Plus they were heavier and harder to hook up tools on. The earlier year n’s were less refined.

I do like the N models. The only downside for me is the flat head. I know a lot of people like them but the problem with a flathead is the valves are in the engine block so if you need to do a valve job it's in the block, not the head, so you cant throw the head on the table and do a valve job. And if you have a serious valve problem you may need to replace the block rather then the head.
I bought an N model once that seemed to turn over way too easy. When I pulled it down it had 5 valves that were stuck open. So 3 were still working. Some of the seats were questionable. In the end they cleaned up ok but for a while I wasn't sure if it could be saved or not. I wouldn't have taken the block in to have seats replaced but I might have if they were in the head.