9N for military buffs

RedMF40

Not from Iceland!
IMG_6569.jpeg
 
Sounds like a case of "Instant history, just add paint!".

And I haven't seen that color end up on either end of a baby (though it looks like a WWI shade of green?).

Also not sure why the govt would order it on steel?

Mike
There are a few conflicting things about this tractor but the government is known to order weird stuff. So who knows.

The early 2Ns had steel wheels, magneto and hand crank to start because batteries and rubber tires were in short supply in that era. Also early 2N had horizontal grill slots, the later ones had vertical grill slots. This tractor has the early steel wheels but it also vertical grill slots, a starter which means it had a battery. Later 2Ns had rubber tires, battery, and electric starter. However, I don't know it the tires and battery upgrades happened at the same time or if one preceded the other.
 
The 2Ns had 9N prefix for serial numbers. I have not found any documentation that indicates there ever was a 2N prefix serial number. So a 1943 2N with the above serial number would be correct.
Yes, the serial number is fine. What's wrong is calling it a 1943 9N under the picture. There ain't no such animal. My 1947, whose serial number also starts with a 9, is still a 2N.

The grille was changed in 1941 from horizontal to vertical bars, with a solid center. The slotted center shown in the pic is correct for 1943.

I know of no better source of identifying info for the N tractor than this page.
 
Yes, the serial number is fine. What's wrong is calling it a 1943 9N under the picture. There ain't no such animal. My 1947, whose serial number also starts with a 9, is still a 2N.

The grille was changed in 1941 from horizontal to vertical bars, with a solid center. The slotted center shown in the pic is correct for 1943.

I know of no better source of identifying info for the N tractor than this page.
I agree on every point especially the Ford Tractor Collectors website
 
There are a few conflicting things about this tractor but the government is known to order weird stuff. So who knows.

The early 2Ns had steel wheels, magneto and hand crank to start because batteries and rubber tires were in short supply in that era. Also early 2N had horizontal grill slots, the later ones had vertical grill slots. This tractor has the early steel wheels but it also vertical grill slots, a starter which means it had a battery. Later 2Ns had rubber tires, battery, and electric starter. However, I don't know it the tires and battery upgrades happened at the same time or if one preceded the other.
This may be of no help whatsoever but as a kid I remember tractors like this being used on the hop harvest in Kent.
And I know it's a very very long time ago but I remember them being gray.
Did some more digging;
And almost at the end of the page there is a detailed history of the US military Ford tractor.
 
The hole is for the limit chains I believe.
There are more pics here
(Also a 39 9n)
(Scroll down to 4th, and 5th listings)

https://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/for-sale/ford/9n/tractors/1100

Aren't the holes in the centers for bolting on wheel weights?
The holes when I see them, are not the way around the rim.

My guess is the holes were drilled to balance out the rims before paint and tires.

I'm going to check the right side rear wheel today for those holes.

The front wheels don't have them.
 

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  • 1947 8N LEFT FRONT WHEEL.JPG
    1947 8N LEFT FRONT WHEEL.JPG
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