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Ford 2N, 9N, 8N...

A

Aaron SEIA

Well-known Member
Didn't want to ask in the Ford forum to avoid offending them but... What makes these darn things worth what guys are asking? Got a 9 year old who wants one so bad he can taste it, but the goofy things are worth 2x what my old orange ones of the same vintage are worth. I could buy 2 Allis Bs for the price of 1 N series and have just as much tractor.
AaronSEIA
 
While an A/C B is about the same hp the Fords are a bit more handy when it comes to equipment and how things get hooked up. I my area Ford 9N or 2N or 8N listed as the came out by the way are around $1500 give or take a little bit and an A/C B around $1200 give or take a bit. The 3 point hitch is a big factor on them being a bit higher
 
There is gold in them old Fords! NOT. They used to be a good opportunity to buy and resell. Not so m
uch anymore. I have known a couple people who did that for years. ie 60s to the 90s or more.
A friend, and fellow club member, passed away and his wife put all his Ford inventory up for auction.
Two early 9Ns in exquisite restored condition and with documented history, sold for about half of what I
thought they would bring. One of the buyers was "speculating". He bought one tractor for about $4000
and has tried to sell it for about double that. No buyers. Dropped his price and still no buyers. An
attempt to auction it did not get his minimum (reserve) and not even what he paid for it.
I was tempted to offer him what he paid for it but decided that I didn't need it.
 
Three point hitch, ergonomics, and ubiquitous parts availability.

That said, prices have declined substantially since the availability of used compact diesel tractors at modest prices. 9/2Ns are easily found for $1,000 (even less), while 8Ns are easily found for $1,500.

Dean
 
I have a 9N with good tires. good paint, hydraulics fine, and a weak engine. I would overhaul it but I can buy a whole tractor for what the overhaul would cost. It has paid for it's self in chores, but I would be surprised to get over a grand for it, so I guess it's staying.
By the way, I would get a 9 year old an 8N and avoid the brake pedal on the clutch side issue of the earlier ones. It still confuses me.
 
As Dean said, three point hitch, ergonomics, and ubiquitous parts availability.
The AC B's and C's were a pain to get on and off of and didn't have 3pt.
The 8N is worth slightly more than a 9N/2N because of the position control on the 3 pt.
Too bad you're not closer. I have a 9N parts tractor that could be a good project.
It's a non-runner and missing some parts, but the engine isn't seized.
It will need tires too. It could be bought for $200.
 
I just bought a 51 8N at an auction a few
weeks ago for $300 complete and decent
tires, not running but I just filed the
points and cleaned the carb and it started.
I didn't really want one but it was cheap
and I didn't want to see it go to scrap.
 
Aaron,
You won't offend us on the Ford Board.
On the N Board you might :)
A lot of good tractors were built in 1939
but only one could do the task in the
photo below - straight off the factory
floor.
I agree that position control, a real
drawbar, 4 sp instead of 3 and better
brake pedals improved the 8Ns over the
9/2Ns.
What ruined the 8Ns, at least for me, was
that ridiculously FAST reverse gear.
I still wonder why Ford would put that
dumb reverse gear in an otherwise handy
little tractor.


cvphoto54939.jpg
 
I personally fail to see the attraction of an N-series as a "working tractor", especially with modern implements. The two main issues for me would be
the "dead" hydraulics and way-too-fast first and reverse gears. I can live without a live PTO but the lack of live hydraulics would be intolerable
for me. Move up a few years in vintage with a number of different makes and models and you can get all the good things about an N-series (3-point
hitch, handy size, good maneuverability, easy on-off, etc) without the baggage and probably for not a lot more money.
 

There has always been a tendency to compare old tractors to modern ones while they really should be compared to others being built at the time and also..................................to a horse, which is what probably 2/3 of them replaced.
 
It is all what you like. I have a 1952 8n with a HI/LO Sherman, a 1964 2000 5sp with live power and a 4600 Diesel, all have been totally
restored and are in showroom condition. None of them are for sale, and I have turned down some big bucks for all three. I had a 9N and with
dual wheels and a loader, I sold it to a friend for $400.00, simply because he had about 20 Fords but didn't have a 9N. He bought an 8N the
other day with a Sherman overdrive and good rear tires for $1000.00. There are some good deals around ,keep looking.
 
For a lot of guys it is probably emotion. They grew up on one and the feelings they have make them believe they are worth more than they are. Asking prices around here are crazy sometimes but selling prices are about like everyone else is saying.
 
Bingo, SC.

The designers of the N series Fords could never have imagined that any would still be in use 50 (let alone 80+) years later.

Dean
 
Ford was Not the first with 3pt and draft control not by a long shot,, Harry Ferguson worked with David Brown in England years building them before coming to the US to sell in larger numbers,, a little known fact is that he stopped first at The J.I Case Company to offer it ,, sadly for Case the then President Clausen took offense to his as he called it a "Cheating System" no one would want and grabbed the man and Threw him out of the office, that was just one of the stupid moves the man who before worked for JD did,, although he did have a number of good ideas, he cost CASE market share they never regained, Harry then went down the road to Ford and the rest is history,, with out the 3pt the 9N and later brothers would not have sold well at all.
cnt
 
True in one respect but a buyer going out to buy a tractor to use today compares all models to each other regardless of when they were built.When a 70's model tractor with LPTO,power steering,good hydraulics etc can be bought for for a certain price that tends to put a cap on older models without those features.Pay a little more get a lot more tractor for one's money.
 

Give a guy 5 acres that he needs to mow and clear.... and a 8n makes perfect sense. Plenty on the market, all the parts available, and $1500 with a shredder on the back beats a zero turn all day long. Add in a disc and phd and life is good. But this guy is looking for an hd lawn mower, not a farmer looking for a tractor.


mvphoto61172.jpg
 
Aaron .... there are always some people asking high prices but asking isn't getting. Do you know of any examples of those Fords being actually sold at ridiculously high prices? I think their value has dropped considerably like a lot of the replies have mentioned. Personally though, I like them and let's admit it, they were way ahead of their time in 1939 (and yes, Ferguson already had some made overseas).
 
(quoted from post at 08:53:16 09/03/20)
Give a guy 5 acres that he needs to mow and clear.... and a 8n makes perfect sense. Plenty on the market, all the parts available, and $1500 with a shredder on the back beats a zero turn all day long. Add in a disc and phd and life is good. But this guy is looking for an hd lawn mower, not a farmer looking for a tractor.


mvphoto61172.jpg
Click to expand...

And dont forget the lawn mower is lucky to do 600 hours while the 8n will do 10,000 hours, and re-sleeve it and do it again.
 
I agree.
The Ns ended in 52.
The 600/800s came out 3 years later.
Those had live hydraulics and more HP from an OHV engine. Fully optioned you could get them with live pto, power steering and good remote hyd capability.
Today they sell for about 1/3 more $ than a comparable N and when someone asks about buying an N I always suggest they hold out for a 600 - or newer Ford.
The little Ns are cute tho. Ford never again built as good looking a tractor as the 8Ns were.
Yes, I do know about the NAAs.
 
What you said is exactly where I was going with my post below. I would think that for a "working tractor" most buyers would be more interested in what features and usefulness a particular machine has and not so much about what year it was built. If a person needs a tractor and has a certain budget it would make sense to get as much for the money as possible. Ford, Ferguson, Massey, Oliver, and other brands were making tractors by the mid-50s (Massey being a few years later) that had all the good stuff of the N-series but with additional features that significantly improve their versatility and convenience for not a lot more money. The N-series was definitely cutting-edge and revolutionary for its era but within a relatively short amount of time the basic design was improved upon and today's buyers can take advantage of this fact.
 

For the same money bring home a Massey 135/265 or the like and have a real and useful tractor .
With a creeper 1sr gear, creeper reverse, live PTO, live hydraulics, a real drawbar, three point hitch, SCV, power steering and 12V electrical.
 
(quoted from post at 09:58:15 09/03/20)
(quoted from post at 08:53:16 09/03/20)
Give a guy 5 acres that he needs to mow and clear.... and a 8n makes perfect sense. Plenty on the market, all the parts available, and $1500 with a shredder on the back beats a zero turn all day long. Add in a disc and phd and life is good. But this guy is looking for an hd lawn mower, not a farmer looking for a tractor.


mvphoto61172.jpg
Click to expand...

And dont forget the lawn mower is lucky to do 600 hours while the 8n will do 10,000 hours, and re-sleeve it and do it again.
Click to expand...

BS, the engines in a Bad Boy mower are good for 3000+ hours . Where is the live pto and live hydraulics on that ford ?
 
At his age I was driving a 9N and totally in love with Model A Fords - lots of old ones lying around then. I finally got one at age 14, did my first restoration and drove it for many years. My family didn't discourage me, and I spent my adult life repairing and restoring cars, trucks, tractors, and equipment, enjoying every minute of it. Don't denigrate a young man's dreams - its his passion, and the world needs more people who can fix things.
 
I will take all of the running, functioning MF 135s for $1,000-$1,500 that you can find.

Gasoline or diesel, makes no difference.

Dean
 
The air cooled B & S, Kohler, etc., engines used in most ZTMs do not last 3,000+ hours in normal use without overhaul and 8N engines do not last 10,000 hours in normal use without overhaul, so where do we go
from here?

Dean
 
I've got one of those too, parked right between the 8N and the 2000. It has mowed 4 acres once a week for the last 5 years and has never
had a wrench on it except to change oil and sharpen the blades.
 
Trying to understand your position.

Are you claiming that the air cooled engines operating at 3,600 RPM (makes little difference whether disposable or so-called "long life") used in most ZTMs will normally last as long or longer than the liquid
cooled, pressure lubricated (both rods and mains) industrial engines operating at 1,800 (rated) RPM used in 9/2/8N tractors?

Just trying to understand....

Dean
 
(quoted from post at 12:36:39 09/03/20) I've got one of those too, parked right between the 8N and the 2000. It has mowed 4 acres once a week for the last 5 years and has never
had a wrench on it except to change oil and sharpen the blades.
Click to expand...

I have em too... but.. I have never got over 10 years out of those engines, and thats mowing 3 to 5 acres every week down here. Usually around 6 years and they start to smoke a bit and use oil. a year or two later and they are knocking.. as a rule, 3 to 4 sets of blades and two sets of hubs, an electric pto hub, one set of tires, and 600 to 1000 hours is about it. I have to mow 12 months out of the year down here, but from November to early March, its at least slows down to every two to three weeks between mowing. I dont mow around the pens and barn every time I have to mow around the house area.
 
mvphoto61310.jpg


Dont know why it did not some pictures and other pictures got loaded twice? must be the nnalert.
 
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