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Ford 9N, 2N & 8N Discussion Forum
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Trouble free N

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Rick H. Ga.

08-14-2005 08:02:32




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Hi All,

I was catching up on the N message board posts this morning and read the thread on "maybe I bought the wrong tractor".

It is true that one shouldn't buy a 50-year-old tractor if they don't want to work on it occasionally.

I must say that since I have rebuilt/restored my 49 8N (4 years ago) I have not had the pleasure of needing to work on it lately. In other words, if an N tractor is fully restored/rebuilt from top to bottom, it should be a reliable tractor for many hours/years.

So, there are two primary issues here; you can buy a N tractor and work on it/repair it as you go, or you can buy one that is fully restored/rebuilt or restore it yourself and use it trouble free for many hours.

Personally, I enjoy tinkering with the N when I need to but I haven't needed to lately.

By-the-way, new tractors can break down also, however, they are covered under a warranty.

My .02 this morning.

Rick

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John N Ky

08-14-2005 11:50:27




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 Re: Trouble free N in reply to Rick H. Ga., 08-14-2005 08:02:32  
I have to agree, my old N is ragged out and I do intend to start at the bumper and go out the hitch sometime but the point is even in this worn out condition all I do is change the oil when needed & check the fluids and run the a$$ off of it. Well there is one problem I have, I pour this liquid gold we call gas in the top and it all disappears out the tail pipe after several hours. If I could fix that...

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Bruce (VA)

08-14-2005 09:11:28




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 Re: Trouble free N in reply to Rick H. Ga., 08-14-2005 08:02:32  
Funny how I was thinking pretty much the same thing this morning while I was cutting the grass on one of the N's. I figured sometime this winter when it was too cold to be outside that I'd submit a post w/ ideas on what to do when you get the newly purchased N home, and hope that folks with far more "N knowledge" than me will add to it. It took the third N for me to learn that $100-150 spent on new wiring, battery cables, a carb kit, ignition switch, etc was well worth the time & money before I ever used the tractor. Not to mention changing the fluids, etc. All three of my N's start when I need them to start, and do what I want done. And, at some point, I'll get them looking good while they are working!

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Rick H. Ga.

08-14-2005 09:30:26




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 Re: Trouble free N in reply to Bruce (VA), 08-14-2005 09:11:28  
I"ve never been much of an entrepreneur, but the way I see it, dollar-for-dollar, a good running N tractor is the best and cheapest money you can spend on a 25 HP farm tractor that will do every thing a $20,000 tractor will do.

Rick



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BOB061

08-14-2005 10:11:25




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 Re: Trouble free N in reply to Rick H. Ga., 08-14-2005 09:30:26  
I agree! I bought my first tractor a year ago. A 51 8N for what I thought was a fair price untill I found out just how used it was. I felt like I made a bad choice also. Well thanks to this board and the wonderfull world of ebay I have a pair of N"s that I would not trade for any monthly payment on a new one. They ain"t the prettiest kids on the block but they do what I want them to no problem all for the cost of a down payment. And after all they are 50-60 years old so how much can they depreciate?

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Bruce (VA)

08-14-2005 11:14:30




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 Re: Trouble free N in reply to BOB061, 08-14-2005 10:11:25  
It seems to me that a new N sold for about $2500 in 1948. Problem was that the average income in 1948 was just about that! The average income these days (I think) is about $34k, a new 30hp tractor goes for about half that (lets say $14k) so the economist would probably say by the new tractor. But....and this is the hard part to figure value..... what is that new $14k tractor going to be worth in 2055 based on 2005 dollars? Simply put, will it even be around?!

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RoNofohio

08-14-2005 13:28:50




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 Re: Trouble free N in reply to Bruce (VA), 08-14-2005 11:14:30  
I had always heard that these 'n's sold for about $700 new. I was wondering about your price of $2500 and if it was correct..... Ron



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lonestarjeff

08-14-2005 15:41:08




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 Re: Trouble free N in reply to RoNofohio, 08-14-2005 13:28:50  
A back issue of the N-newsletter has a copy of an invoice from 1949 in Iowa; the 8N sold for $1328, by the time the options were added(lights, fluid in tires, cyclone precleaner, bumper, radiator screen, tracks)the price was $1490.

He bought a few implements too: 2-14 plow($175), 7 ft. disk($212), scoop($57), angle dozer($136).

Jeff



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Bruce (VA)

08-14-2005 14:51:57




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 Re: Trouble free N in reply to RoNofohio, 08-14-2005 13:28:50  
Given the average 1948 wage, $2500 is a bit steep; someone will come along shortly w/ the actual price. I've seen an invoice from the local Ford dealer on a website from 1947 or so..... of course, I didn't bookmark the site & can't find it now. At $700, that would be about 25% of the avg 1948 wage; a comparable tractor today, at $8000 (about 25% of the $34k avg wage) wouldn't get you much.



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PS.........Bruce (VA)

08-14-2005 15:00:48




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 Re: Trouble free N in reply to Bruce (VA), 08-14-2005 14:51:57  
Smiths's site says the 9N went for $585 new, so $700 for an 8N 9 years later sounds right.



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