Operation 8N - Ten Years With My 8N

Ed S.

Well-known Member
Location
Middle Tennessee
mewith8N.jpg


I got my start with Ford tractors at an early age.

2018_forsale.jpg


Some years later, I started a new job here in The Middle West the day before 9-11, and not too many weeks later, I saw a 1950 8N sitting by the road with a For Sale sign on it.

franklin_dadNboys.jpeg


It reminded me of the '52 my Dad had when I was young, and as we were looking for a farmhouse with some acreage, I decided on the spot to buy it.

2018_movingin.jpg


I think I paid around $1200 for the tractor, and as we had yet to buy a house, I stored it at a friend's. We eventually bought our 15.5 acre farm and moved in on a late December day.

Someone at church offered me a few old implements in his hedge-row, and I managed to get the tractor good and stuck during our first snowstorm while trying to figure out how to plow the driveway with the back blade (Southern boy here, never seen that much snow before!).

destructo.jpg


Not long after moving in, we started gutting and remuddling our Four Square farm house (still not done over 16 years later!).

I hired a young man from our church to do hay on our field, and each year, I'd pick up a new implement, until I eventually had enough to take over haying on my own.

2018_rebuiltengine.jpg


Sometime in 2004, the tractor developed a knock in the engine, so I started disassembling things to see what was going on. After removing the hood and front axle, I discovered the front crank pulley was loose, which had been causing the noise. Rather than tighten it up and put it back together, I "pulled the thread that unraveled the sweater," and sent the engine off to be rebuilt.

2018_somethingborrowed.jpg


In the meantime, another friend had a '50 frontmount that had died on him some years prior. I asked if I could use it for a "few months" while I worked on mine, to which he agreed. A rewire and new battery and coil got it going, and I ended up using it for nearly four [i:ebd78f60d4]years[/i:ebd78f60d4] doing my various work around the farm.

I would ask my friend occasionally if he needed the tractor back, and he always replied, "nope, keep it as long as you need it." Well, early in 2008, he finally said he thought he could use it to move hay racks and such, so I knew I couldn't procrastinate any further. My tractor was disassembled, but had not made it past the "pile of rusty parts" stage.

op8n_assess.jpg


I did an assessment and got everything organized out in the shed, and that's when Operation 8N started (here's the first post from April 1, 2008).

op8n_0625front.jpg


I won't recount the restoration/rebuild here, but if you do a search in Modern View with "Operation AND 8N" and my user name "Ed S. (IL)", you'll get the whole list. Be sure to select "Sort by Ascending" and the "Ford 9N, 2N, 8N" forum.

electrolysispool.jpg


I will, however, add that I got really good use out of my $8 Walmart kiddie electrolysis pool and some spare rebar!

op8n_0703road2.jpg


Three months later, I fired it up for the first time in over four years.

2009_8N_JD30combine.jpg


2009_8Ncornpickin.jpg


Over the years, I dabbled in a few other crops besides alfalfa, including oats and corn (for chicken feed)...

2009_8Ngravel2.jpg


The 8N got used for a wide variety of other tasks, including driveway grooming...

2009_tyspreader.jpg


Cleaning out the barn and chicken coop...

2011_inthefurrow.jpg


Doing tillage work...

2015_drillingalfalfa.jpg


Drilling in alfalfa...

2010_8Nflag_landscape.jpg


Or sometimes just being decorative!

2011_8nSammy.jpg


I also enjoyed giving folks hay rack rides, or introducing young folks to driving a tractor.

2011_sammys8Ndrawing.jpg


Sometimes, I got a nice Thank You note in return.

2012_firstcuthaybaling.jpg


While I initially used the 8N for all phased of haying (cut, rake, bale), I eventually was able to pick up other equipment and no longer have to do the multiple implement changes.

2016_8Nsickle01.jpg


8N-68baling.jpg


But sometimes the other equipment breaks down, and I can always count on the 8N to pinch hit!

2011_plowingsnow03.jpg


And of course, the tractor doesn't get to rest in the winter!

2013_wind_8N_overhead.jpg


Some of you may remember we got hit with a tornado in 2013 that ripped half my machine shed off. The 8N survived with only a few (more) dents.

dad_ed_boys_8N.jpg


My Dad visited a few years ago (before his dementia got too bad), so we recreated the photo from the top of this post, with my sons this time:

2016_spreadingmanure.jpg


When my old AC 190 engine seized up, I decided to purchase a used 2010 NH Boomer 8N, the only retro-styled tractor ever sold. Having the loader is a huge help for certain types of work, and its 50 HP is better suited to running the baler (not that the 8N couldn't do it!).

2018_eason8N-10.jpg


I recently picked up another 8N, for my grandson to enjoy, though!

2017_8N-decemberplowedsnow.jpg


So ten years later, the old 8N continues to be one of the handiest tools I have on the farm. I've scaled back my haying and we're not doing other crops any more, but the 8N still finds plenty to do!

This board has been a huge help and encouragement all during that time, too. I always turn here first when I have some issue to be solved, and am almost never disappointed!

So here's to the next ten years,

es
 
(quoted from post at 14:17:16 06/29/18)
mewith8N.jpg


I got my start with Ford tractors at an early age.

2018_forsale.jpg


Some years later, I started a new job here in The Middle West the day before 9-11, and not too many weeks later, I saw a 1950 8N sitting by the road with a For Sale sign on it.

franklin_dadNboys.jpeg


It reminded me of the '52 my Dad had when I was young, and as we were looking for a farmhouse with some acreage, I decided on the spot to buy it.

2018_movingin.jpg


I think I paid around $1200 for the tractor, and as we had yet to buy a house, I stored it at a friend's. We eventually bought our 15.5 acre farm and moved in on a late December day.

Someone at church offered me a few old implements in his hedge-row, and I managed to get the tractor good and stuck during our first snowstorm while trying to figure out how to plow the driveway with the back blade (Southern boy here, never seen that much snow before!).

destructo.jpg


Not long after moving in, we started gutting and remuddling our Four Square farm house (still not done over 16 years later!).

I hired a young man from our church to do hay on our field, and each year, I'd pick up a new implement, until I eventually had enough to take over haying on my own.

2018_rebuiltengine.jpg


Sometime in 2004, the tractor developed a knock in the engine, so I started disassembling things to see what was going on. After removing the hood and front axle, I discovered the front crank pulley was loose, which had been causing the noise. Rather than tighten it up and put it back together, I "pulled the thread that unraveled the sweater," and sent the engine off to be rebuilt.

2018_somethingborrowed.jpg


In the meantime, another friend had a '50 frontmount that had died on him some years prior. I asked if I could use it for a "few months" while I worked on mine, to which he agreed. A rewire and new battery and coil got it going, and I ended up using it for nearly four [i:f8145de068]years[/i:f8145de068] doing my various work around the farm.

I would ask my friend occasionally if he needed the tractor back, and he always replied, "nope, keep it as long as you need it." Well, early in 2008, he finally said he thought he could use it to move hay racks and such, so I knew I couldn't procrastinate any further. My tractor was disassembled, but had not made it past the "pile of rusty parts" stage.

op8n_assess.jpg


I did an assessment and got everything organized out in the shed, and that's when Operation 8N started (here's the first post from April 1, 2008).

op8n_0625front.jpg


I won't recount the restoration/rebuild here, but if you do a search in Modern View with "Operation AND 8N" and my user name "Ed S. (IL)", you'll get the whole list. Be sure to select "Sort by Ascending" and the "Ford 9N, 2N, 8N" forum.

electrolysispool.jpg


I will, however, add that I got really good use out of my $8 Walmart kiddie electrolysis pool and some spare rebar!

op8n_0703road2.jpg


Three months later, I fired it up for the first time in over four years.

2009_8N_JD30combine.jpg


2009_8Ncornpickin.jpg


Over the years, I dabbled in a few other crops besides alfalfa, including oats and corn (for chicken feed)...

2009_8Ngravel2.jpg


The 8N got used for a wide variety of other tasks, including driveway grooming...

2009_tyspreader.jpg


Cleaning out the barn and chicken coop...

2011_inthefurrow.jpg


Doing tillage work...

2015_drillingalfalfa.jpg


Drilling in alfalfa...

2010_8Nflag_landscape.jpg


Or sometimes just being decorative!

2011_8nSammy.jpg


I also enjoyed giving folks hay rack rides, or introducing young folks to driving a tractor.

2011_sammys8Ndrawing.jpg


Sometimes, I got a nice Thank You note in return.

2012_firstcuthaybaling.jpg


While I initially used the 8N for all phased of haying (cut, rake, bale), I eventually was able to pick up other equipment and no longer have to do the multiple implement changes.

2016_8Nsickle01.jpg


8N-68baling.jpg


But sometimes the other equipment breaks down, and I can always count on the 8N to pinch hit!

2011_plowingsnow03.jpg


And of course, the tractor doesn't get to rest in the winter!

2013_wind_8N_overhead.jpg


Some of you may remember we got hit with a tornado in 2013 that ripped half my machine shed off. The 8N survived with only a few (more) dents.

dad_ed_boys_8N.jpg


My Dad visited a few years ago (before his dementia got too bad), so we recreated the photo from the top of this post, with my sons this time:

2016_spreadingmanure.jpg


When my old AC 190 engine seized up, I decided to purchase a used 2010 NH Boomer 8N, the only retro-styled tractor ever sold. Having the loader is a huge help for certain types of work, and its 50 HP is better suited to running the baler (not that the 8N couldn't do it!).

2018_eason8N-10.jpg


I recently picked up another 8N, for my grandson to enjoy, though!

2017_8N-decemberplowedsnow.jpg


So ten years later, the old 8N continues to be one of the handiest tools I have on the farm. I've scaled back my haying and we're not doing other crops any more, but the 8N still finds plenty to do!

This board has been a huge help and encouragement all during that time, too. I always turn here first when I have some issue to be solved, and am almost never disappointed!

So here's to the next ten years,

es
would say that you have done well. Great story &pictures. Keep on keeping on!
 
That?s the best story I?ve read since cruising the YT Forums,
really enjoyed all of it and all the pictures too, really great pics
 
Ed, a wonderful read!! Thanks for sharing, One of these days the kids and grandkids will really cherish the real story directly from you!!!
 
Thanks, everyone - glad you liked it!

Too bad editing is disabled, as I would tack this onto the end - got a little SEAT TIME in this evening raking hay.

2018_raked.jpg


I'd already pulled the rake off so I could use the drawbar to extract the baler. While I was hooking the Boomer 8N up to the baler, I glanced over and noticed the 8N enjoying a nice sunset while contemplating a job well done!

es
 
That is a great story with an excellent pictorial view to go with it.

To some, it might not be the most desirable tractor for the tasks you are using it for, but your story shows that an 8N is still a very capable tractor, one that is worth the time and effort to, restore, repair, and or overhaul. The 8N also became an integral part of your equipment inventory for the farm operation and work you have, as well as being a great conversation piece with an excellent story behind it. Thanks for sharing, I really enjoyed your post !!!
 
Thanks so much for your story, It is so nice to hear positive story's of N Ford
tractors. Our farm has not been without a N tractor since 1948 ,and will never be
as long as I am here. Thanks again.
 
I always enjoy your posts and pictures Ed.
This one is over the top. That last picture is absolutely beautiful!
 
Very Nice, I enjoyed that and the pictures are always great! Fun IS, indeed, where you find it!! Thank You!!
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top