THE CLASSIC TRACTOR

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SEVERAL YEARS AGO,a couple of fellows who wanted to make a statement about conservation and automotive simplicity drove a 1929 Model A Ford from Alaska to Argentina. Their magnificent gesture was noticed by almost no one except the nice people they met along the way. It was a tough trip; obviously, a modem four-wheel drive would have been more effective.

Similarly, any farmer knows that a modem diesel tractor is more "cost effective" than an 8N for a large spread. These days, you won't find many small, gasoline powered tractors working in large fields. However, just as the Model A may be a fine weekend car for an auto buff, the 8N tractor is perfectly adequate for most part-time farmers. A lot depends on how much work you have to do.

But before you spend months finding and restoring an 8N, you should be aware of its limitations. After all, most Model A aficionados know exactly what they'll wind up with before they start rebuilding one. The N-series tractors, although considered the first of the modern tractors, do not have a "live" clutch (that is, the power takeoff doesn't work when the clutch is engaged). Folks who have never driven any other kind of tractor and experienced operators accustomed to the N-series do not find this a problem. It's simply an idiosyncrasy of an obsolescent machine. You learn to work with what you have.

If you'll need a wet (hydraulic) line for other machinery (a wood sputter, for example), keep in mind that the 8N was not intended for such an adaptation. However, one tractor dealer I talked to said he once saw an 8N jury-rigged to take a wet line, so if you have a friend who knows hydraulics, just possibly your 8N could be so rigged. They do have power takeoffs, of course.

Many of the tractors that came after the 8N, such as Ford's Jubilee, can be adapted for a wet line and have a live clutch. And the Jubilee's overhead valve engine puts out a bit more horsepower. But these tractors, which which may cost you a few hundred extra, are also more complex machines. As with most of our contraptions, the more recent they are, the more complicated they can be.

As I mentioned before, of the N-series, the 8N is preferred because of its availability, its four-speed transmission (as opposed to the three speeds of the 9N and 2N) and the fact that it is newer. Any other mechanical differences are considered inconsequential by people who know tractors. In fact, many owners do not know there are any differences at all between the N-series tractors, and refer to them all as 8Ns. But true connoisseurs will tell you that the 8Ns-especially those from 1950 and later with the side-mounted distributor are the most prized machines of the bunch.

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