Half the yearly salary for a new 8N tractor????

Was going through a lot of farm ads that I just purchased and had some related quesitons. Am I right to calculate that the roughly $1500-$1600 pricetag w/o implements for a new 8N was about half of the average yearly salary back in 1948? So if you want to get in with implements and other accessories, you were looking at about $2000-2100. More than half or in some areas of the country almost all of the average salary for that year?

According to a few sites, the avarage income did vary by region of country (not unlike today) with the south having some of the lowest (Ark, Miss at about $2000/year) and New York being the highest at ~$5,000/year. So I guess it was a relatively huge investment for these farms to purchase these tractors?

When I fathom trying to spend half of my yearly salary on a tractor it is really scary. Maybe the conditions and rate of return was ok back then? I know I am not using it for productive farming & income-producing purposes, but it still seems quite high.

Am I off base with these calculations and thoughts? BTW, Is that why all of the ads with Ford tractors show men who appear to be in their mid 40s or 50s with the classic hats????

Just wondering..... ....
Andy

Zeke

And those mules got to be fed whether they are working or not!

I cannot bear to think about it!!!!!

hahaha.

thanks for the info! Just confirming that I am cRaZy!
Andy

you gotta getcha one cheep --- as Dell would say! haha

Andy

Now Andy, buy a $110,000 tractor of today, and then try to fix it when it breaks. Computer diagnostics. Electronic shifting, hydraulics, dash. draft control.... Get a few mice nests in all that wiring....

Always stay with your old Fords, Andy. You _don't_ want the new stuff. There is a reason big tractors from the late 70s to 80s are starting to increase in value....

--->Paul

I am of the opinion that the current cost of tractors is one of the key factors driving the demand for N's.

If you start talking field tractors then you can easily drop $250,000 on a new 4WD tractor.

Please tell me where I can buy another brand tractor for less? I'm looking at buying a brand new tractor (115 h/p). So far there isn't much difference in price between Case John Deere Agco infact New Holland is the most expensive of all!!! By the way all the prices are around $56,000-$62,000 which is more than a years salary
for me. The prices are close enough to each other that it will not factor into the brand I choose.