My neighbor here in the subdivision came over yesterday to show off his newest toy...his dad's '52 8N. Terry has the biggest lot on the block--probably close to 2 acres--and his dad, who's around 80, is starting to divide up his old treasures [besides, he's got a newer tractor, so the 8N was just something for him to play with over the past few years]. Terry said the 8N had been sitting in a shed for 5-6 years untouched, but after changing out the battery, changing engine oil, and rebuilding the carb and putting some fresh gas in the tank, it roared to life just like it always had.It's got the Delco 1-wire alternator conversion, but everything else looks like a stock "redbelly" Ford. Terry's dad was such a stickler for details that, back when he was using the 8N as a mowing tractor, he fabricated a stainless steel rod to mount below the front grille guard so the grass wouldn't wear the paint off the grille guard! And when he mounted the gray wheels on the red hubs, he even touched up the paint on the lug nuts so they wouldn't show wrench marks! I was tickled that he brought it by...I'd spent some seat time on Grandpap's 9N with the Sherman 2-speed using a 5-foot SideWinder brush hog, so it brought back some memories [some fond, some not so fond...don't ask me about yellowjackets, please]. Terry wants to get a 3-point blade for snow removal in the winter, and a lawn roller/aerator setup for mole/rodent control purposes, he says. I'm just tickled to see something working in the subdivision that wasn't bought at Wal-Mart!!!
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