Headlights on Fordson 1935 Model N

Ursanic

New User
Hello, my great grandparents owned a farm in Lorraine County, Ohio and were the first family in that county to own a Fordson tractor with electric lights on it. My grandmother does not remember the exact year they bought it, probably late 30s early 40s, but she does know it was a Fordson. My question is, was the 1935 Model N the first Fordson to have headlights on it? Thanks!
 
As with Ford Model T"s, there were numerous accessory companies that could have sold lights for any of the tractors, including Sears and Wards. When shipped from the factory, they came without starters, no battery, and no generator. You could hang a battery somewhere and operate lights if you wanted to. Recharge the battery while the tractor was parked. Only the Model N Industrial models would have had electrical starting and charging systems with lights. Not many of those around. That"s my opinion anyway.
In 1945, the "Longhorn" Fordsons came with all those accessories, but could be ordered without also.
 
The first Fordson to offer headlights as a factory option was the 1929 Irish built model N. There were some distinct changes made to allow for the lights. The radiator sides were cast with a square hole at the upper rear corner to accept the headlight brackets. On the bottom of the top radiator tank on the manifold side, there are a few small cast bosses with tapped holes to mount the headlight switch, which then had a long rod that extended back through the dash to activate the switch. The front timing cover / axle support has a single large boss with a thru hole to mount the Model A truck powerhouse generator. I've only every seen a handfull of original headlight brackets for the Irish and English model N's and only ever seen one original headlight switch. They are a pretty rare piece.
-Steve
 

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