35 Years in the Making!

[knuckle47]

Started emptying the old garage into the new one and rather than load it with more unorganized junk, I am being a tad more meticulous in sorting, categorizing and labeling. In going thru this stuff I found these from 1992, 30 years ago next month. I have been a FJ40 guy since 1974.

 

[knuckle47]

My overhead doors in the front are 18’ wide and 10’ wide…. plus the entry door so the wall space there is minimal. Stole 16” between the rails to add some shelves

 

[waiting for time]

My overhead doors in the front are 18’ wide and 10’ wide…. plus the entry door so the wall space there is minimal. Stole 16” between the rails to add some shelves
View attachment 3166457

I like that idea!

 

[knuckle47]

I have gotten many ideas about moving some heavy stuff from my old garage into the new one. 35 years ago I had a fighting chance but in the last few years, lifting these things has gotten to be a down hill slide. So today solved this dilemma and bought a Ford 8N tractor. Has a 3 point lift, 2 loader buckets, rebuilt engine, forks for the 3 point and this should allow me to cleanup the woods, carry my cut logs (24” length) to my log splitter, lift and move a few of the heavier things a lot more easily to the pole barn AND clear some of the snow from my 2500’ dirt driveway should we get one of those monster coastal storms. I’ll show some photos when it gets here next week but… for the guys in this thread, I’d be willing to bet you already know what it is.

this photo is not the one I bought but you’ll get the idea of what it is

 

[LDowney]

I have gotten many ideas about moving some heavy stuff from my old garage into the new one. 35 years ago I had a fighting chance but in the last few years, lifting these things has gotten to be a down hill slide. So today solved this dilemma and bought a Ford 8N tractor. Has a 3 point lift, 2 loader buckets, rebuilt engine, forks for the 3 point and this should allow me to cleanup the woods, carry my cut logs (24” length) to my log splitter, lift and move a few of the heavier things a lot more easily to the pole barn AND clear some of the snow from my 2500’ dirt driveway should we get one of those monster coastal storms. I’ll show some photos when it gets here next week but… for the guys in this thread, I’d be willing to bet you already know what it is.

this photo is not the one I bought but you’ll get the idea of what it is

View attachment 3188860

Congratulations.
I always found 8N and 9Ns to be good tractors and it will serve you well. My dad had an 8N or a 9N with a loader mounted on it. The model we had came with the distributor located in front of the block which was an absolute PITA (if that helps distinguish between the two). For our needs, the lack of live power was a limitation for the ford. If your tractor/loader is equipped with the (aftermarket) independent hydraulic system to power the loader, then you will be golden. [these independent hydraulic systems would connect directly to the engine crank/pulley; so it did not matter if the clutch was depressed or the gear selected, the loader has full hydraulics available]

 

[greenbeast]

Congrats, those are great tractors. Nostalgic but functional kinda like me ha!

 

[Waorani]

Now you need something to haul the tractor with.

 

[PAToyota]

For our needs, the lack of live power was a limitation for the ford.

Many years ago I was helping a friend and went to bushhog a field with their 9N. I had experience with other tractors and equipment, but the lack of live power was a confusion for several minutes for me until I accidentally went forward with the PTO engaged. Wait... You mean you can only cut while you're moving? And blade speed is tied to forward speed? What?!?!!?

How would you even run a loader with that?

 

[knuckle47]

@LDowney …good heads up and this does have live power but sadly it is a front mount distributor. First year for the 8N’s before they later went to the side mounts. But for me…this tractor should have been something I bought 30 years ago. We have had some monster snows over the years that made it impossible to get to the main roads so I had to take the pickup or suburban and drive back and forth over and over to flatten out the big stuff. This loader has a 7’ bucket so it will make it easier than packing it down. As for functionality, it will be immensely better that just raw human horsepower especially at 69 yrs old

@Waorani wow!! That is gorgeous… ok, how’d you get the tractor up there? I used to have an electric motorcycle lift table and could just raise it up and roll the bikes onto the pickup….that truck is prettier than the tractor

 

[Waorani]

Not mine. I've been looking at '49 Ford F6 project and came across that pic while trying to get an idea of what it might look like restored. I'd guess it was loaded at a dock or maybe just by backing up to a ditch bank/similar. I'd hate to think about driving up ramps. That one sold at Mecum and included the 8N.

1949 Ford F6 Flatbed Pickup | F207 | Kissimmee 2018 | Mecum Auctions

1949 Ford F6 Flatbed Pickup presented as Lot F207 at Kissimmee, FL

www.mecum.com

 

[knuckle47]

I have a ‘57 Ford T-bird….Mecum commands money. As that stuff rolls up and down those ramps, people move mountains to get those last bids on some vehicles. Odd series of events : I was looking and you were looking and the combination just appears… my friend has a ‘49 Ford pickup, split window and one of those “Porky’s” (the movie) front window visors. Runs a big block with automatic and painted it “National Schoolbus Chrome”. Bright yellow. Never knew that was a real color

 

[LDowney]

Many years ago I was helping a friend and went to bushhog a field with their 9N. I had experience with other tractors and equipment, but the lack of live power was a confusion for several minutes for me until I accidentally went forward with the PTO engaged. Wait... You mean you can only cut while you're moving? And blade speed is tied to forward speed? What?!?!!?

How would you even run a loader with that?

Also on vintage tractors with a bushhog, an over-running clutch is needed for safer operation. If the clutch is depressed or the throttle is reduced, a bushhog without an over-running clutch will push the tractor forward because the rotational energy in the mower will transfer via the PTO shaft into the driveline of the tractor.

I got to experience this a few years ago here in suburbia. My next door neighbor loaned me his Ford 4000 with vintage bushhog on the 3-pt hitch for my mowing until I could the parts to repair the mower on the CA. The 4000 is a modern tractor by my eye; produced in the late 60's into the 70's. The bushhog did not have an over-running clutch and got to feel it trying to push the tractor when I needed to slow down. Luckily, the tractor was larger so it had enough mass and inherent engine breaking capability to reduce the tendencies of the mower to push the tractor around. This gave me time and opportunity to adjust my operation to keep me out of trouble. Old dogs can learn new tricks when motivated.

I am not certain, but it was my understanding that all bushhogs produced after a certain date have an over-running clutch integral to the mower.

 

[knuckle47]

@LDowney i found a guy on YouTube called purple collar who has several videos on the 8N. He reviewed the exact same sentiments as your post. You obviously have the experience and understanding. I don’t. These videos of his have been very enlightening. Had I not seen his explanations of the over-run clutch, I would be quite apprehensive. You’ve articulated this topic nicely !! A good reminder for me

 

[LDowney]

Glad to be of aid.
However, I should thank you for an opportunity to think and talk about tractors.

 

[PIP]

Also on vintage tractors with a bushhog, an over-running clutch is needed for safer operation. If the clutch is depressed or the throttle is reduced, a bushhog without an over-running clutch will push the tractor forward because the rotational energy in the mower will transfer via the PTO shaft into the driveline of the tractor.

I got to experience this a few years ago here in suburbia. My next door neighbor loaned me his Ford 4000 with vintage bushhog on the 3-pt hitch for my mowing until I could the parts to repair the mower on the CA. The 4000 is a modern tractor by my eye; produced in the late 60's into the 70's. The bushhog did not have an over-running clutch and got to feel it trying to push the tractor when I needed to slow down. Luckily, the tractor was larger so it had enough mass and inherent engine breaking capability to reduce the tendencies of the mower to push the tractor around. This gave me time and opportunity to adjust my operation to keep me out of trouble. Old dogs can learn new tricks when motivated.

I am not certain, but it was my understanding that all bushhogs produced after a certain date have an over-running clutch integral to the mower.

Ford 4000 is not that old. Really good tractors. I had a 1978ish one with a loader. It was a 4600? or such. It had the stickshift trans and live PTO, but it had the super HD front axle to go with the heavy loader. I bought it from my town's public works. They bought it new and were all sad to see it go. They mostly ran a big flail mower with it that was too big for it, but it handled it fine.

 

[LDowney]

Ford 4000 is not that old. Really good tractors. I had a 1978ish one with a loader. It was a 4600? or such. It had the stickshift trans and live PTO, but it had the super HD front axle to go with the heavy loader. I bought it from my town's public works. They bought it new and were all sad to see it go. They mostly ran a big flail mower with it that was too big for it, but it handled it fine.

Agree. To me, a Ford 4000 is a new'ish tractor. Further, I even view the Workmaster and Powermaster series from the 50's to be modern relative to the vintage Fords.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Spent all my teen years on a farm and many, many hours on a Ford 4000.

 

[knuckle47]

Funny thing for me… I spent many years in Vermont near some of the biggest dairy farms in my late teens and early 20’s. Manure spreaders, tractors, bailers, huge corn silos. The summer air wreaked of that special fragrance. Moved to New Jersey on a 10 acre oak treed lot and did everything manually… dragged logs with my FJ40, cut and stacked wood manually, cut grass on 2 acres with a walk behind mower and all the other needs by hand.

finally…bought this tractor, I’m 70 in a few weeks…. I think I got it backwards. Looks like it will be here Thursday though.

 

[knuckle47]

Got the call today… here she is. Sorry guys but I have never driven anything like this before let alone back it out of the enclosed trailer that was literally 2” larger than the width of the plow attached with ropes tied to the bucket. I can’t remember too many more exciting things that have happened in 69 years.

The trailer driver was unable to make a u-turn or get out of the area around my house so we had to unload it on the main road 1/3 of a mile away. The 6 volt starter is a slow turn but it started full choke and eventually warmed up in a few minutes. Inside that 3 axle trailer I thought my carbon monoxide level quadrupled.

I need to bolt the fenders back on and untie the extras in the bucket. I am thrilled but will take some getting use to. The back blade will be a big asset.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Very nice. That bucket is unusually large. Maybe they moved loose hay with it? Definitely couldn't fill it up with dirt.