2N basket case/ Just shoot me.

[Bruce(OR)]

If the wife was still alive she would be kicking me and looking for the shotgun to complete the job. Here I am in Oregon and just bought a basket case (Restored) 2N in Illinois with a bad engine. Everything on the tractor has been redone, includes a Sherman Step-up. So after I get this thing delivered, I have an 8N with an industrial engine in it that will find a new home. it seems it has just gotten done being finished will all new paint/sheet metal and turf tires and what got my attention is the belly mower under it. So now, do I swap everything over to the 8N? Or swap the 8N engine/4 speed trans over to the 2N? The 2N is suffering a 2nd blown head gasket and no comp in 2 cylinders. Why play with it? If it went south twice, I am not going to chase it a third time.
Moving all these parts around should not be to much of a problem. The Kubota MX5400 /Pallet forks will get used for the heavy lifting.
So, What would YOU do?

 

[wore out]

If the wife was still alive she would be kicking me and looking for the shotgun to complete the job. Here I am in Oregon and just bought a basket case (Restored) 2N in Illinois with a bad engine. Everything on the tractor has been redone, includes a Sherman Step-up. So after I get this thing delivered, I have an 8N with an industrial engine in it that will find a new home. it seems it has just gotten done being finished will all new paint/sheet metal and turf tires and what got my attention is the belly mower under it. So now, do I swap everything over to the 8N? Or swap the 8N engine/4 speed trans over to the 2N? The 2N is suffering a 2nd blown head gasket and no comp in 2 cylinders. Why play with it? If it went south twice, I am not going to chase it a third time.
Moving all these parts around should not be to much of a problem. The Kubota MX5400 /Pallet forks will get used for the heavy lifting.
So, What would YOU do?

Have fun!

 

[6 SLY PLACE]

I would overhaul the 2N engine or find another engine

 

[Bruce(OR)]

That engine was overhauled, overheated, gone into again with another head installed and overheated again.
Wanna do it a third time? Or swap in the 8N side mount dist? How about adding the 8N 4 speed trans?

 

[Tim PloughNman Daley RIP]

If the wife was still alive she would be kicking me and looking for the shotgun to complete the job. Here I am in Oregon and just bought a basket case (Restored) 2N in Illinois with a bad engine. Everything on the tractor has been redone, includes a Sherman Step-up. So after I get this thing delivered, I have an 8N with an industrial engine in it that will find a new home. it seems it has just gotten done being finished will all new paint/sheet metal and turf tires and what got my attention is the belly mower under it. So now, do I swap everything over to the 8N? Or swap the 8N engine/4 speed trans over to the 2N? The 2N is suffering a 2nd blown head gasket and no comp in 2 cylinders. Why play with it? If it went south twice, I am not going to chase it a third time.
Moving all these parts around should not be to much of a problem. The Kubota MX5400 /Pallet forks will get used for the heavy lifting.
So, What would YOU do?

Scrap the 2N and use it for parts. 8N is an improvemant with the 4-SPD and POSITION CONTROL. Why muck around. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

Tim Daley (MI)

 

[JD39B]

Oof. I saw that thing on eBay. Hope you got a decent deal on it. The red flags were flying high on that one. I hate to part out or scrap anything. Take the engine out and rebuild or replace it. I got a 2N at auction not running. Got it going and the breather smoked like a locomotive. Crank and bearings were ok. Thing had a bad frost plug behind the starter and the block was full of stop leak. Put in sleeves, pistons, cleaned it up and she runs nice now. Dont assume that thing was ‘restored’. Fix it properly and save another one.

 

[Jim L WA]

That engine was overhauled, overheated, gone into again with another head installed and overheated again.
Wanna do it a third time? Or swap in the 8N side mount dist? How about adding the 8N 4 speed trans?

Bruce, you were told that it overheated twice? Is the thermostat in backwards? Don't ask me how I know that.
If everything else on the tractor is as nice as you describe, then I would try to save the engine or like others said find another one and leave your 8N alone.

 

[Ultradog MN]

If the wife was still alive she would be kicking me and looking for the shotgun to complete the job. Here I am in Oregon and just bought a basket case (Restored) 2N in Illinois with a bad engine. Everything on the tractor has been redone, includes a Sherman Step-up. So after I get this thing delivered, I have an 8N with an industrial engine in it that will find a new home. it seems it has just gotten done being finished will all new paint/sheet metal and turf tires and what got my attention is the belly mower under it. So now, do I swap everything over to the 8N? Or swap the 8N engine/4 speed trans over to the 2N? The 2N is suffering a 2nd blown head gasket and no comp in 2 cylinders. Why play with it? If it went south twice, I am not going to chase it a third time.
Moving all these parts around should not be to much of a problem. The Kubota MX5400 /Pallet forks will get used for the heavy lifting.
So, What would YOU do?

I would swap motors.
I started with a good running 2N my father left me.
Learned about the added features the 8Ns had - position control, brake pedals, real drawbar, etc.
So I bought a smokey 8N and swapped motors. Sold the now smokey 2N.
Got the 8N put together and used it for a summer.
Was SO disappointed with the ridiculously FAST reverse speed on the 8N that I sold that too and bought my first 3 cylinder Ford.
I used the 2N a lot for rotary and finish mowing. 2nd gear was perfect for both.
Same mowers on the 8N, second was a bit too slow and 3rd a bit too fast.
I think the 4 speeds were a dud.
The extra 8N features were nice.
Maybe an 8N with Sherman Combo would do it.
PS,
I had not heard you lost your wife.
I'm sorry...
If it helps, my wife is widowed twice.
Her words to live by are "Eat, drink and remarry."

 

[Bruce(OR)]

Ultradog--Well, I am now divorced twice and widowed once, at 65, it might take some time, but if i find another one that was close to the last one, will probably do that.
JD39B-- I spoke to the owner and he w=said all the right things. Looking at the pics, that cylinder head has been off for the first rebuild and then again after the first overheat. Now has no comp in 2 cylinders. I figure to oil up the cylinders, see if I can make it get compression fire up and run for about 6 minutes. Just long long, I pray, to free up the rings. Won't be the first time I got lucky doing that. God willing, it works. As for a good deal, that might have gone out the window once i get the freight bill paid.
Tim -Daley-- The 2N has a wonderful paint job on it versus the faded and chipped canary yellow 8N I have. The wife of the PO on that machine said that desired to look out the window and be able to see it in the field. If i can't get a fast fix on the engine, I will swap in the side mount 8N engine.
Jim L Wa--Backwards stat did come to mind. Now with possible stuck rings this might be a fun project. Coolant in the engine is pure rust from the combustion gas getting into the coolant. Yellow yuck.

As was mentioned, the 8N 4 speed trans has too fast a reverse gear. Currently that 2N has a Sherman step up in it. 30 feet away from me is a basket case Sherman combo that has spent 30 years sitting on a shef. At the least I get to re-paint an engine. I don't desire to squirt the rest of the machine. I am already regretting this toy and it has yet to get he


lre. I probably will be adding a few Redrock toys to it just to make it easier to use. That

​

 

[Bruce(OR)]

Well it seems that getting that machine loaded up is a daunting task in Illinois. I contacted "Heavy Haulers" in Florida (?) for a broker and he is looking for a hauler. Eventually it will be here. I figure I will leave it as a 2N with the 3 speed gear box due to the 2nd gear ratio being more friendly to use with the mower and the slower reverse gearing. It already has Sherman step up in it as well as the underbelly mower, I can't see any reason to put the Sherman Combo into it.
Another interesting twist is to find another woman who will put up with my toys.
God wiling, she might turn up sometime soon.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I had one experience with long haul trucking companies. Actually LTL (less than load) freight.
2 1/2 years ago I bought a machine in Southern LA area.
Made arrangements to get it shipped here through UShip.
Had several bids and picked one in the middle.
It got here fine but when I looked at my Visa statement that month there was a $275 surcharge for "waiting time".
I contested it with the shipper. They told me to go take a flying leap.
I contested the charge through Visa. They looked into it. I got a sheaf of papers showing every stop it had made on its way here but no explanation of why the waiting time. The seller was a decent fellow and he said there was NO waiting time.
Dunno. I had to pay the $275.
My only experience with long haul freight but it was not a good one.
You might look into the hauling schedule page here. Click below.
You could also specify to the hauler that the driver must be a pretty gal about 55.
She'll get it there and a romance blossom.
Get two birds with one stone...

Hauling / Transport

If you are hauling a tractor across country or between cities and have room for another in either direction, please post your information here. Someone else may have a tractor they need hauled too. This is a great way to save on gas and reduce the...

www.yesterdaystractors.com

 

[Bruce(OR)]

Ultradog, I like your thinking.

It's already scheduled and partly paid for. $800 up front and $1450 upon delivery in cash.
So $2250 for roughly 2100 miles. Beats me wrapping up my time and hassle. I believe this is going to be delivered on the back end of a semi truck trailer and am going to need a set of ramps from his bed to my trailer. Then once loaded onto my trailer can then be dropped on the ground.
This might be a large scale monkey "game". Can you say "Cluster F"?
I am going to see if I can contact the hauler inbound and see if he can suggest a decent off load site.

 

[Den N Ms]

Bruce check local tractor/implement dealers ,they often have outdoor ramp/dock to unload equipment. Maybe you can use their dock.

 

[560Dennis]

I like the challenge , so do it , keep us posted on your successes and the failures, It’s not perfection till it’s running

 

[Dave G9N]

Ultradog, I like your thinking.

It's already scheduled and partly paid for. $800 up front and $1450 upon delivery in cash.
So $2250 for roughly 2100 miles. Beats me wrapping up my time and hassle. I believe this is going to be delivered on the back end of a semi truck trailer and am going to need a set of ramps from his bed to my trailer. Then once loaded onto my trailer can then be dropped on the ground.
This might be a large scale monkey "game". Can you say "Cluster F"?
I am going to see if I can contact the hauler inbound and see if he can suggest a decent off load site.

Is that ALL? You can shoot me too. I sold a mechanically restored 9N in NH for short money and bought a freshly painted one that will cost me more to restore to the same condition than you paid for shipping. The one I sold was purchased used by my grandfather in the early 40s. My dad should have scrapped it based on the bill for the restoration, he could have bought 4 for the price. Someone got a really good deal.

 

[Bruce(OR)]

Track the failures. I understand.
The first failure being buying this. The "restoration" is a bit lacking in my opinion and actually needs another "Restoration".
Paint job must have been his first one out of the box. Some loosey goosey joints and connections.
Yeah. Being stupid is one thing. Old and Stupid is quite yet another.
Second failure is dropping $500 plus (530?) on a 12X26 Shelter Logic tent with a side kit.
Tomorrow is more rain and I should be out there for some part of it putting the Big Top Tent up to allow the circus to begin.
I need to check valve operation and suspect I will pull the hood and gas tank to observe valve movement, since the engine has no comp in 2 holes. (Not verified yet)