Brief History
The 8N was the last, and some would argue the best, of the N Series tractors built by Ford. No matter which side of the debate you’re on there’s no denying that the 8N sported some vast improvements and more than a few small conveniences over its predecessors.
When the first 8N’s rolled off the production line in July of 1947 the first and most obvious difference was the striking red and gray paint scheme that led to the nickname “red-belly”. Previous N Series tractors were painted a dark battleship gray with a bit of chrome and shine here and there for flair; but the new 8N boasted a light gray hood and fenders above a vibrant red engine, transmission housing and bumper. The next and possibly biggest departure from the earlier 9N and 2N models was the introduction of a four-speed transmission, which greatly improved performance and a slightly larger engine with a compression ratio of 6.37:1 vs. the earlier ratio of 6:1. Further, although the 8N still boasted a Ferguson style three-point hitch, the Ferguson name was noticeably absent from the grill. The unconcealed use of Ferguson's patented system without Ferguson’s permission or involvement led to one of the biggest lawsuits in history. Other obvious changes included moving both brake pedals to the right hand side of the tractor and offering running boards as a standard option. Why these two conveniences were so long in coming is anybody’s guess but both made a long day on the tractor just a little bit easier. Several other mechanical changes accompanied the 8N’s arrival including a threaded axle and modified steering gear, the addition of a proof meter in 1950, position control was added to the hydraulic system and a third hole was added to the lift control.
The last major change to the 8N came in mid 1949 when Ford repositioned the tractors’ distributor. Prior to the redesign in 1949, the distributor on the N Series tractors was located dead center on the front of the engine block making it rather difficult and unwieldy to work on. Repositioning the distributor to the right front of the block made it much more accessible and far easier to work on. These late 8N’s are commonly referred to as “side-mount” 8N’s.
Of course no history of the 8N is complete without at least a nod toward the rare 8NAN. A version of the 8N more popular in Europe than the U.S. The 8NAN - sometimes referred to as a "kero-burner"- is easily recognizable by its dual fuel tank which held both kerosene and gasoline.
Left: Duel Fuel Tank on 8NAN
Right: The manifold on the 8NAN was built to withstand higher temperatures
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1950 8N
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PHOTO OF THREADED AXLE COMING SOON
Left: 8N Steering Box 1947-1949
Right: 8N Steering Box late 1949-1952
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Left: Lift Control on 9N/2N with two holes
Right: Lift Control on late 8N with three holes
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Left: Front Mount Distributor Cap on 9N, 2N and early 8N tractors
Right: Side Mount Distributor Cap on late 8N and NAA (Jubilee/Golden Jubilee) tractors
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