Newly acquired 1948 8N

[zuhnc]

New to me 8N. Particulars: Serial *8N66692 (no * or diamond after number). Front mount distributor. Six-blade fan. Generator (unknown model) on right side. Long oil fill tube front left on block. Date codes on various parts - Left Trumpet-C35, Right Trumpet-3-18-48. Differential housing-A71. 8N only on bell housing, C238 directly above. Transmission housing-C12. Vertical bar grill with slots in center. Bolts for head (NOT studs). Sherman under/over. Late Spicer steering box with external mesh adjustment.

It appears to have had a FEL at some point in its life, as there is the 6-splined hub attached to the front engine pulley. Rear fender-to-axle mounting plates have u-shaped loops on top, with evidence of some sort of beam resting on top. The loops appear to be for securing said beams to the axle.

Front has a triangular plate attached at the bottom of the radiator support with two pins protruding to the front and one hole (other than the hydraulic pump shaft hole) near the bottom of the triangle. Pins are not drilled for any cotter pin.

Nothing under the rear axles, other than one attachment point on the right side for an anti-sway bar for an implement.

Any insight into the date code conumdrum would be appreciated. Images attached of various parts. zuhnc

This post was edited by zuhnc on 12/03/2023 at 05:49 pm.

 

[John in Mich]

Does it run and what do you plan to do with it?

 

[zuhnc]

No, it does not run; a lot of pieces missing. I do have hood and tank. No restoration, just get it into the same condition as my 1951 8N. Need two tractors. I plan on leaving the 5' Bush Hog (tm) connected to the '51, and use this for other general duties: moving spreader, dressing the driveway, general tree limb moving, fence line maintenance, etc. 40 acres will keep both busy. No farming, just mowing. Probably going to take a couple of years!

Sorry about the blue paint. It will probably go back to some shade of blue, my SO really likes blue, and this is (maybe) going to be HER tractor. She drove a Jeep 5-speed, with no power steering, for 20 years, so should have no issue driving this! zuhnc

This post was edited by zuhnc on 12/03/2023 at 05:59 pm.

 

[Tim PloughNman Daley RIP]

Yeah, I see a STAR prefix. Hand stamped serial numbers often were weakly done. Take a piece of fine steel wool, nothing else abrasive, and rub gently over rust area.
Use white chalk to swipe across and you will see s/n better, BUT, don't sweat over a s/n. It means relatively nothing unless a low number for restoration. Note it and
hold your bragging rights and move on to important issues. The GEN and oil fill tube are correct. Got the VR too? Can look at bottom of hydraulic pump base and find a
casting ID Date Code Tag too. The Sherman is a plus. The fender mounts are not OEM and the triangular plate is not either. No big deal. Head bolts mean someone has
done a revamp, possibly an engine rebuild. Now B4 you do anything else, invest in the Essential Manuals and read religiously and don't start yanking parts off to buy
new. Keep us appraised.

FORD 8N ESSENTIAL MANUALS:

Tim Daley (MI)

 

[showcrop]

Loader "beams" go under the axle.

 

[zuhnc]

As one can see from the rear view picture, nothing under the axles to attach anything but a sway bar. Possibly the beams went under, with some sort of bracket for the attachment at the top. There is a splined drive plate for a hydraulic pump mounted to the crankshaft pulley.

I do have all the essential manuals! Got them when I acquired the '51.

Regulator is attached to the severely deteriorated wiring harness, as is the resistor/junction point on the back of the dash.

Wide range of date codes for a 1948 tractor! I decipher a 1948, 1945, 1951, and 1952. Plus the complete 3-18-48 on the left trumpet. I do not know the history, but this one seems to have been abused a little during its lifetime. But, it could be a marriage of two different tractors; one 1948, the other a little later, with various other pieces and parts added.

Not to worry, however, the parts are all good and a complete teardown and refurbishment, where needed, is the plan. No original restoration for my uses! zuhnc

This post was edited by zuhnc on 12/04/2023 at 10:32 am.

 

[John in Mich]

Those brackets are for a Dearborn 19-21 loader.

 

[zuhnc]

John in Mich -
Thanks for the information. I am not well versed in implements or accessories for the 8N's. I will have to look up the information/manual for that loader. zuhnc

 

[showcrop]

"Rear fender-to-axle mounting plates have u-shaped loops on top, with evidence of some sort of beam resting on top. The loops appear to be for securing said beams to the axle". The 19-21 rear mount manure loader used those holes as one end of the mount for optional hydraulic cylinders which made it possible to lift he load a little higher. I have one of those rear mount loaders but it is not for use it is for showing with a tractor. The beams to an actual loader, as I posted earlier, go under the axle.

 

[zuhnc]

The front-mount loader with the hydraulic pump up front show these exact same mounting brackets for attachment of the Dearborn 19-21 heavy duty front loader, as stated earlier by John in Mich. I have verified this by looking at the installation and parts manual. No beams with that one, only a tubing frame, and the triangular plate on the front of the tractor also confirms this is for that model loader. zuhnc

This post was edited by zuhnc on 12/05/2023 at 06:23 pm.