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Deciding on first tractor

C

crappiefisherman

New User
Hey everyone, I'm new to the forum and really looking forward to learning from everyone here.

My wife said when she finished nursing school, i could get my first old tractor - and that time has finally come! Whatever tractor I get would likely never get used in the way it once was, and would just be for the joy of having, maintaining and slowly restoring it. I've narrowed it down to 3 choices, the Farmall Cub, Farmall A, and Ford 8n. I like the wealth of knowledge surrounding these tractors, and the price / availability of parts.

Farmall Cub / A: I love the design of these tractors with the offset engine. I can find one around here (upstate NY) for around $1500 in running condition with maybe an implement or 2. Cosmetically rough, but that's what I'm looking forward to most.

Ford 8n: my grandma has a 1947 sitting in her garage, where it has sat for the past 23 years since my grandpa passed away when I was a kid. I've never seen it running, but my dad says it ran when parked. My grandma is looking to sell it for pretty cheap, but I'm sure she would give it to me if I asked. I just don't want to take it off her hands if i'm getting into a huge mess due to it sitting for 23 years, and never really bring it back to life in the way she might hope to see.

My preference here would be to take the 8n that has been in my family for the past 50 years. It's free, and definitely has an emotional value tied to it - I just don't know if it's the right route to go. Part of me would also like to purchase a running farmall. What's your input?
 
Welcome to the forums.

You might as well break it to your bride that you will start off with two and grow the herd from there.

You only get one chance to own a piece of family history, so grab that while you can (the sooner the better).

Even if you don't work on it right away, You will have it.

Best of luck to your future collecting.

Larry
 
The 8N has two issues, it is free, and least desirable. keep the 8N for a project in the future. go
for the A or Super A. Jim
 
I can't believe I'm saying this but I
think I would take the 8n. You know, with
the sentiment and all. I think Grandma
would like that. I would give her some
kind of token payment. A gift card or take
her to a nice restaurant. That will get
you off the hook when the other grandkids
come out of the woodwork, which they will.
They will ask Grandma,,how much did he pay
for it? This way Grandma can
answer,,that's none of your concern.
 
Get the 8N for sentimental reasons before
you regret it. You can always buy another
tractor but you may only have one chance to
get the one your grandpa had.
 
I agree with the others for once; I am usually an outlier. Buy the Ford.
You need to give Grandma a token payment so she can tell the other family
members you paid "more than it was worth where it sat". Once you get it home,
you can probably also find someone close by to help you assess what will be
required to put it back into running condition.

The Ford may need to wait if money is an issue, and money is always an issue.
Then consider where and how you live. The Cub is a great alternative to a box
store riding mower. It has already outlasted ten or more of them. It can
outlast another ten or more. The A or Super A is not much bigger than a Cub
but much more of a real tractor and a lot heavier. You have choices. For a
little (maybe quite a little) more money, a Massey Ferguson 135 or Oliver
Super 55/550 is a great small tractor.
 
About that "break it to your bride" comment.
Sleeping on the couch is easier when you're young.
Just sayin'.
 
If the 8N was kept inside, it may surprise you at how easy it is to get running.

Tires will likely be your biggest expense.
 
Go with the Ford as you will never regret having a family tractor. Dad has been gone 20 years and I have three that he farmed with. Think about him everytime I use them. Tom
 
Are you aware that the PTO on the Cub turns in the reverse direction of every other PTO on the planet? It also turns at whatever engine speed you're running. So, if you
plan to do PTO work you will have to be able to find Cub specific attachments.
 
All this sentimentalism here...
I got started with tractors when my
father left me a 2N Ford. It ran good but
needed new rears and 1 rim.
I put new tires on it and cleaned up the
hood and shot it with some gray
Rustoleum. Ran it for a couple of years
and realized it was an ok tractor but
just okay.
So I sold it and bought a better one.
I'm not sentimental and don't miss that N
a bit. And I'm especially glad I didn't
spend a bundle restoring it.
My father was not sentimental either and
if he saw how I've parlayed his tractor
into the ones I have now he would be
proud of me.
 
I'm not much of a fan of N series Fords but in your case, get it for the sentimental value. It's a bit more tractor than the A and a lot more than the Cub.
 
8N!! It was grandpa's tractor.You need to keep it in honor of him. That said,the 8N will be the handiest of the bunch,with a multitude of easily ordained,reasonably priced equipment. The others,pretty much need equipment that was designed spicificly for each tractorIE,dedicated to a specific tractor. Plus they are harder to find,and not easy to put on/take off like the 8Ns 3 point hitch is.For me,the answer is easy,Grandpa's 8N.Once it is gone,it will never be back.Later if you still want another old tractor(you will) you can later buy that Cub;A or something else.BTW,I farm with IH letter and 06/56 series tractors. But I have an 8N.Handiest tractor on the place
 
Get the 8N first or you will regret it all your life for not having grandpa's tractor. In a month or two, your bride will let you get your Farmall since the Ford was so cheap. The Cub is a great tractor to dive into. Parts are readily available for both and both are simple. Go Both.
 
Get the 8N. it has 3 point hitch. u can hook up to many diff implements. Cub and A implements are tractor specific, often scarce and pricey.
 
Waiting for my wife to return home from MIL's to reply. BTW, has anyone seen my balls,(?) seems I've lost them! lol
 
Welcome to the forum, if I may say.

Not if; but WHEN you get the 8N, be careful and check to see how the motor turns over. Pull the plugs and turn her over by hand, especially it shes been sitting for that long. Lotsa people just dump in new gas, a battery and crank away. Really could do some unneeded damage.

When you get to that point, there are many folks here with knowledge way beyond mine, just ask away. Enjoy having a piece of your families history.

Bet they'll still be making parts when its in your sons hands.
 
Jim,I disagree. I've had both. Still have the 8N.The A,while a neat tractor,was harder to get on,and fairly limited as to what I could use it for.The 8N,it can use anything with a Category one three point.Handiest tractor on the place.
 
Also, make sure the tractors are the same color and keep the tractors in separate buildings so it's not as easy to count them.
 
I'm not a Ford guy and would normally pick the Farmall, but in this case I would go with the Ford. Before trying to turn the engine over I would pour some automatic
transmission fluid or Marvel Mystery oil in the cylinders and remove the valve cover and pour some on the rocker arms and valves. A Cub is probably going to be tougher to work
on.
 
Just tell her one is a parts tractor and some of the parts will fit the other one. The gasoline, the add on alternator, the coolant, and the air in the tires.
 

Id opt for Grandpa's 8N. If it is a 47, it is one of the first ones made. But being it was your Grandpa's would be my attraction. Also if Grandma gives it to you, you can spend all your money on
restoring it. There are a lot of N experts on this site that can help you.
 
They're both small hobby tractors and you will need two so get the 8n and buy the cub for your wife. Pretty soon you will need something bigger and better.
 
Get an H and forget the ford. Those fords were a pain the 3 pt lifts with the PTO engaged and stupid things like that. Also so light they can't pull the hat off your head. I'd pass on those little IH's also. The H is much more capable for doing things. The 3 point once you get to wrestling things around to hook them up you, will wish all you had to do was drop a pin in the drawbar to hook it up.
3 point most useless thing ever invented.
 
I'll only buy a tractor that's useful, I
can haul and a place to keep it out of
the elements.
The Farmall C was my mother's. So it's
very special and the best and smoothest
riding 6 foot zero turn mower you can
find.

I would stay away from the tractors you
listed. Some Farmalls have an aftermarket
3 or hitch which is useful. The Farmall
is perfect size and weight for yard work.
cvphoto3783.jpg

George
 
No brainer. Free is good and Grandpa's tractor is good too.
A family tractor is priceless.
geo.
 

The 8N is a very handy tractor; compact, good in the garden, spraying fence rows, collecting maple sap in the woods. It will pull a plow, disc, mower etc. An 8N was the first tractor I drove and the only tractor on our 80 acre dairy farm. That was a busy tractor - later dad bought another farm and tractor, but we kept the 8N. I have several tractors however, the 8N is my go to tool. I have owned it since 2003.

In conclusion: Start with the 8N, you can always add another tractor but keep the 8N.
 
Get the 8N. Our only tractor on our dairy in the '50's was an 8N, and it spread manure, mowed raked and baled hay, plowed and disked, and anything else we needed to do. And you can get about any 3 point implement you'll want at your nearest Tractor Supply. No 3 point on the IH's, so severely limited for most of what you'll want to do. And as pointed out, Cub has backward PTO.

There was a discussion on here one time about how useless the N Fords are- some wag said "They're very useful for going down and getting the mail. If you don't have too much mail."

Your handle reminds me of when my granddaughter saw my "Crappie Fishing Handbook"- she scrunched up her eyebrows and said "Why would anybody write a book about bad fishing?"
 
In my opinion, anyone who thinks an A is more useful than an 8n hasn't owned an 8n. I just bought a replacement mower for my A because my 8n w/mower won't fit where the A is parked.
cvphoto3816.jpg
 
I'm another vote for the 8N. Family tractor or not. But family connection is better. Next one would be the Farmall A over the cub. Pretty much anyone in my area that had a Cub to mow with complained of lack of power ! Many traded up to an A.
 
Deffinatly the 8N. Never had an 8N but still jave the 44 2N Dad bought new in May of 44. Did every job on farm. I currently have a 41 9N as well just getting it finnished after setting apart for since 2004. Lotsof Fords in this area, Never were there any Farmall A or SA, 140, and very few cubs
 
The Ford has no rocker arms as it is a flat head, And valve cover is on side of block.
 
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