Ford 8N tractor

I looked at a Funk conversion last Sunday.Well,I look at it every year,the owner brings it to the annual Barrington truck show.There is a lot to that conversion.You replace more parts on the tractor than you leave.Front bolster,steering arms,radius rods,front transmission housing,hood,fuel tank,radiator,and a dozen other things.Then you have to factor in the fact that the original four acted as the tractor frame and was designed that way.The flathead eight was never meant to be a support member for a machine so the Funk conversion has plates to truss the whole thing up.It looks to be a very well thought out and executed conversion,overall.I've never seen a conversion with the six,that should have worked out nice.I've owned a couple of trucks with the flat six in them.Not too speedy,but you could pull a barn down with them.I had one in a Hughs-Keenan yard crane.It had a governor,but never once heard it kick in.It is still in use today.an old retired scrapper uses it to load and unload scrap at his yard.
 
Keith, Somewhere I have a picture of a 8N with a six cyl (A FH Ford 6) at the Jacktown show of the Mt Bethel antique gas and steam engine show a number of years ago. The work was quite extensive and required lengthning of the hood/gas tank. I don't recall the details, but I do recall seeing it.
Terry



Keith True said:
I looked at a Funk conversion last Sunday.Well,I look at it every year,the owner brings it to the annual Barrington truck show.There is a lot to that conversion.You replace more parts on the tractor than you leave.Front bolster,steering arms,radius rods,front transmission housing,hood,fuel tank,radiator,and a dozen other things.Then you have to factor in the fact that the original four acted as the tractor frame and was designed that way.The flathead eight was never meant to be a support member for a machine so the Funk conversion has plates to truss the whole thing up.It looks to be a very well thought out and executed conversion,overall.I've never seen a conversion with the six,that should have worked out nice.I've owned a couple of trucks with the flat six in them.Not too speedy,but you could pull a barn down with them.I had one in a Hughs-Keenan yard crane.It had a governor,but never once heard it kick in.It is still in use today.an old retired scrapper uses it to load and unload scrap at his yard.
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That is the same 4 cyl. engine that is in the 41 pick up. I think one year only. If any body is interested I have a transmission for the 4 cylinder 41 ford pick up. The case is different it has a left side cast cup for the starter but is a #78 case. Email me. Jim.T.
 
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Terry said:
Keith, Somewhere I have a picture of a 8N with a six cyl (A FH Ford 6) at the Jacktown show of the Mt Bethel antique gas and steam engine show a number of years ago. The work was quite extensive and required lengthning of the hood/gas tank. I don't recall the details, but I do recall seeing it.
Terry
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Terry,

Do you mean the Blue Mountain Antique Power Engine & Tractor show, just south of Stroudsburg, PA ?

I been a couple times in the last five years, and I think that's where I 've seen a Funk 6-cylinder > N Ford conversion...

Neat show... always enjoy the swap meet and the antique tractor pull !

Am hoping to get to their fall outing in October ( weekend of 10/16, I think ).
 
Yes, That's the one! Jacktown! I used to sell there. Was the tractor gray? It was probably the one.
Terry




Special Coupe Frank said:
Terry,

Do you mean the Blue Mountain Antique Power Engine & Tractor show, just south of Stroudsburg, PA ?

I been a couple times in the last five years, and I think that's where I 've seen a Funk 6-cylinder > N Ford conversion...

Neat show... always enjoy the swap meet and the antique tractor pull !

Am hoping to get to their fall outing in October ( weekend of 10/16, I think ).
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Many do not understand how the N series tractors were produced. The 9N came about in 1939, giving it the "9" designation. The 2N came around in 1942 and was produced thru 1947. Then the 8N was introduced in 1948 and was produced thrugh 1952 when the NAA was introduced as the Golden Jubilee in 1953. I have a 1943 2N.
 
mantta said:
Many do not understand how the N series tractors were produced. The 9N came about in 1939, giving it the "9" designation. The 2N came around in 1942 and was produced thru 1947. Then the 8N was introduced in 1948 and was produced thrugh 1952 when the NAA was introduced as the Golden Jubilee in 1953. I have a 1943 2N.
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Mantta -

At a couple of tractor shows recently, I've had several different Ford guys tell me ( emphatically ) that " all 2N tractors had steel wheels and magnetos because of the war "...

I have seen pictures of war-time Ford Fergusons on steel, but wouldn't the late '45 thru '47 2N tractors been on rubber and have battery igntion, just like their pre-War 9N bretheren ?


I think my Dad's tractor is a bit of a mutt... defnitely a 9N block, but the rear axle housings have a 2N part number cast into them, and the rear wheels look like 2N / early 8N, with the axle rivetted/bolted to the wheel disc...
 
I've seen all the N series on steel,a lot of people wanted them that way.I've seen the 2N in electric start with battery ignition.I've seen them in crank start and mag ignition.I know of one that was purchased new in the spring of 42 with hand start and on rubber.He was in on a program to grow potatoes for the war effort.He bought the Ford to use for plowing,harrowing,hauling the heavy wagons and poisoning.His partner bought a Farmall A for the hilling,cultivating,and all the little jobs involved.They hauled the spuds to a railroad depot about 15 miles away in his BB truck.He called that a nice truck with no motor.He told me he put in either seven or eleven motors in it.He still owns the truck and tractor.
 
Special Coupe Frank said:
Mantta -


I think my Dad's tractor is a bit of a mutt... defnitely a 9N block, but the rear axle housings have a 2N part number cast into them, and the rear wheels look like 2N / early 8N, with the axle rivetted/bolted to the wheel disc...
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I used to have what was supposed to be a 9N, sold in 1942. It had a mixture of 9N and 2N parts, including casting numbers. Electric start, on rubber, with wide 5 rims front and back.
 
The 2N's came with steel wheels and a magneto instead of coil ignition. They did not have a battery and had to be crank started. After the war, most all of these tractors were retrofitted with rubber tires, coil ignigion and starters.
 
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