Reality Check: AM I making a mistake by buying an

Sorry for my series of randmom posts today. After spending most of the day researching the 8N and capabilities, I am really starting to question If I am making a mistake by buying this tractor I have already verbally agreed to:

1951 8N with 7' Ford rear blade and 5' bush hog $2400. It's in good shape other than needing some right brake work. I want to get a backhoe and a front loader bucket for it but they are not present now.

I am a 33 year old guy and I have 2.25 acres in the country and hope to get 5 more at some point. I will be working some ground to add an addition to the house (not digging a basement though) and putting a bunch of water, propane and electric lines underground. I won't use the N to mow, I have a Dixie Chopper for that. What I want a tractor to do is clear snow, scoop and move dirt, rocks, and mulch faster and easier than I can with a wheelbarrow and shovel, run a 3pt tree sprayer and maybe a 3pt cement mixer, put in a couple hundred feet of new rock driveway, and remove the old driveway on the other side of the house, and last but not least, dig a bunch of 5 foot deep trenches. I am OK with the digging not being as fast as a full fledged backhoe, but after some discussions with various people and reading a bit, I am starting to think I may be better off getting something larger and newer if I want to be able to scoop and dig much.

Like one guy told me, the N will push dry loose dirt around and move much nicely, but when it comes to compacted dirt, or larger amounts of dirt, he thought I would be better off with a wheelbarrow and shovel. On the flip side, I see people talking about digging holes and ponds and such with an N. What's the reality? Am I making a mistake? I hate renting stuff, and would rather own it if possible, but I don't have $10,000 for a big tractor.

Thanks,

Darren McLaughlin

Thanks to all you guys for answering my questions about the backhoes and end loaders for the 8N. Based on your feedback and answers, coupled with several other knowledgeable 8Ners that I talked to on the phone (Dwight Emstrom, Mark Favero, and Richard Wyle at ashlandsmallengine.com) I have decided to pass on getting an 8N. It just looks to me like I am going to be better off in the long haul getting something with power steering, more HP and hydraulic capacity, and particularly something with a backhoe and front end loader already installed. My uncle still has my grandpa's 2N sitting in the weeds, and maybe someday I'll get ahold of it and be back here for some more advice, but I just want to say thank you for helping me out with these questions. I have found that it is hard to find many unfriendly and unhelpful people that own classic iron!

Thanks for you help!

Darren McLaughlin

An N with a fel is generally not as useable as a newer tractor with fel. no power steering.. 2wd.. non live pto and non live hyds.. though a front stinger pump can power the loader / backhoe hyds nicely.

Soundguy

Tim