Pulled out of field dead. Need ID Please

Hello again.

Yesterday I posted looking for a positive ID on my '53 Jubilee. Today I'm looking to double check on it's sister machine which I think is a long neglected 1952 8N. I can make out MOST of the serial number, and it looks like diamond 8N 50 something 535 diamond. My research tells me that this should be a 1952.

Side distributor, 6v system, proofometer on dash, and a heck of a lot of rust everywhere. No one knows when the last time this thing actually ran was, so I have my work cut out for me. All I know is that it does roll. I pulled it home with my Rav4. To my surprise, the brakes still sort of work!

Bonus points if anyone can identify the sickle bar mower on here. I'd love to get it running, but it looks really dangerous. If anyone can point me to a repair/operation manual for such an attachment, I'd really appreciate it.

Pictures will be attached below. I'm going to have to make room in the garage for both of these poor things. Goodness knows what I just got myself into...

Cheers,
~Khi

I would love to have a sickle
mower like that!

Any traces of paint left on the mower?
If red paint it is likely a Dearborn.
If gray it is a Ferguson.
Ferguson sold all the implements for Ford
for the 1939-47 9/2Ns.
When Ford ended the contract with Ferguson
in 1947 they started selling their own
implements under the Dearborn name.
There would have been a tag with the model
and serial number on it. Somewhere...

I think I saw 8N in the serial number. Does it have a flat head engine?? If it does then good chance it is an 8N

Without looking up the serial # its a late 51 are 52 Ford 8N. I looked 1952 Serial number 8N442035 - 8N524076





John Smiths ford Tractors

A good place to start google

Ford Dearborn 14-3 14-4 Side Mounted Mower Owners Operators Manual

This post was edited by Hobo,NC on 01/02/2023 at 04:45 pm.

Because of the aftermarket headlights it may be a 12V
by now. If you take the lights apart it will say 6v or
12V on the back of the bulbs,although you have a few
hours work before you get that far

(quoted from post at 20:43:00 01/02/23) Because of the aftermarket headlights it may be a 12V
by now. If you take the lights apart it will say 6v or
12V on the back of the bulbs,although you have a few
hours work before you get that far

Click to expand...

Looks like the original 8N generator, so i doubt that it's been converted to 12 volts, although some folks installed a 12 volt battery to use for starting without replacing the generator, and then connected the battery to a charger when they were parked.

grandpa Love, I sure could use one like that too.

Yes, a nice looking late 8N, worthy of restoring if engine block not cracked. Industrial Yellow paint and sickle mower tell if it came from
a municipality unit for mowing. Though the NAA was the next model in succession, it is a totally differnt animal from the 8N. The late 8N
introduced the Angle (Side) Mount Distributor and all FORD'S used thereafetr but it is wired as an A Circuit Design and the firing order
on all 8N's is CCW. The NAA and after went to a B Circuit Design and nw firing order was CW. The NAA also introduced the 134 CID Overhead
Valve Engine, a big step up from the earlier N flat heads. Also, no need to concern with serial numbers; means relatively nothing.
Concentrat on the important details like if tractor has the front or side mount, and if 6V or 12V. Your 8N shows a Geneartor so would be
also worth keeping as original. As mentioned, a GEN can be and some were rewired for 12V. Don't worry about lights. Id take them off and
replace with original or DC repos Tract-O-Lites anyway. Sickle Mower is a DEARBORN model. Some parts like the knife blades are available
but don't count on many other parts being around. Mowers were a PITA to mount.


Tim Daley(MI)

I have owned at least three. My 52 had an excellent one on it when I bought it, had been used very little. Gave it to a friend. Used to be a lot of them in my area. Will see what I can find.

I like the Firestone stickers on the hood.