8N Ford - overdrive - was there a 8 cylinder?

[sonnythomas]

Grew up on farm. Me, on the small to start. Uncle found a 1949 8N 4 speed that had overdrive. I was born in 1949. It did whine in overdrive, and it proved faster than my uncle's International H and M.
Since then, I've seen some said 8Ns (4 speeds) that didn't have overdrive. Wondering if it was optional?

I plowed, harrowed and raked hay a bunch back then. The plow was 2 16s and low gear was used all the time plowing.

My brother said he worked on one that had a V8. Could he be wrong? I think he is. Can't remember what engine, but a farmer way down below us had a Ford with select transmission and it was way more powerful my 8N.


More history. Years later, the local motorcycle club bought the 8N I used. They used it for mowing and grading for some years.
Tracked it down. Another owner has it and still mowing with it. 73 years, coming up on 74 years old. He did give it a good paint job. I think the local college did it.

 

[Mike Groom]

Yes, there was a 8 cyl. conversion, Google (FUNK conversion) it was a flat head V-8, there was also a 6 cyl. conversion for the N-series Fords.

 

[showcrop]

There were multiple different auxiliary transmissions available for the Ns and for later Fords.

 

[KCM]

Overdrives, over/underdrives (combination), and much rarer underdrives only (and later on reversing transmissions) were a dealer accessory installed either by the dealer or the tractor owner. Later,
sometime in the late 1950's or early 1960's Ford tractors could be ordered from the factory with combinations and reversing. The most common brand and supported by Ford was Sherman, but others such as
Hupp and F&T to name a couple were also available.

As Mike said, Funk Aircraft Company was the supplier of aftermarket 6-cylinder and V8 engine repowering kits in the day. Six cylinder kits were by far more common in mostly flathead but also overhead
valve engine configurations. Ford never sold a V8 tractor from the factory (not counting early prototypes), and the first factory 6-cylinder was the 6000 in 1961. Click on the link for a short
history of Funk. More recent kits have been sold by Stauffer, Awesome Henry, and Red Rock Mfg.

The Select-O-Speed transmission came out too early in 1959, and is basically a manually shifted automatic transmission for a tractor. The first ones had all kinds of problems and were recalled for
updates, with other improvements in 1963. The main engineer behind it actually left Ford and went to John Deere, where he perfected it and was call the Powershift. They seem to be a love it or hate
it option. If you do a search on the web there is a lot of info out there. They would have more power than an 8N as they were installed in newer tractors with more powerful engines. The one you know
about was probably in the much more powerful 801 or 901 tractor, but they were also standard issue in a 6000 which was more powerful yet.
Funk Ford Conversions Ford Collectors Association

 

[sonnythomas]

Thanks to all and especially you.

The Select transmission I remember wasn't must bigger than my 8N.

I'll tell my brother about the available 6s and 8s. Flathead V-8s. I had a 1949 Ford Sedan with a V-8 and two deuces sitting on top. It ran great. Remember the battery being under the floor board on the driver's side.

The archery club I'm a member of had a 901 Ford - powering steering. It was great until we the local college mill the head. It was trying to leak coolant - seeping all the time. We got it back and just wouldn't run right after it got warmed up - about like boiling the gas in the gas tank. Other than that when idling it ran so quiet you didn't know it was running. Surprised the heck out the college instructor and no muffler - exhaust pipe under the tractor.

Dummy me didn't open my mouth when the club sold it - 901 Ford tractor, Woods finishing deck, Wood brush hog, back blade and three point boom - $2500. I was nuts for not speaking up when the club President said "they thought about selling it."

 

[KCM]

The Selecto-O-Speed was also installed in the 601 and maybe some 701 tractors. The 701 and 901 are row crop models so are taller. The 601 and 801 are utility and look like the 1953 and 1954
Jubilee/NAA. They would be only a little larger than an 8N, so what you saw was likely a 601 or 801. The Funk V8's would have used the same engine at the 1949 Ford.