The Tao of Walking Ridge

I’ve owned old farm tractors in the past and enjoyed running them.  It’s great if you have a use for them, you get to use old retro art.  I really missed my old John Deere Model 40 (circa 1954 as I recall).  But it was a bit big to sneak into the garage (required removal of the muffler sticking up out of the hood) and I had to remember to duck.  I had an International Farmall for a while, and it made me miss my Model 40.  I never quite warmed up to the offset of the Farmall, sitting to the right of the engine. So, I figured I’d try a Ford N series tractor.  They have a wide front axle, which was a must for the hills where I now live.  There are a lot of them, so parts are common.  They have 3 point hitches, which make them really versatile.  And the exhaust is low, which makes garage storage just a bit easier.  I went up to Paul’s Tractors in Clio Michigan and he had just finished restoring a 1952 Ford 8N.  I quickly learned that the 1952 8N was the last year for them, and the best year for them (side distributor and tach).  The 8N had a 4 speed transmission.  The 8N has a bit more horsepower than the older 9N or 2N.  This one was set up for trouble free operation with a 12 volt system and alternator.

A bit of trivia I learned to make sense of the model designations.  The 9N was 1939.  The 2N was 1942.  The 8N was 1948.  I had always assumed the 8N was a bit smaller than a 9N, but actually it was the latest and greatest of the N series. With a fresh paint job, they are really useful art where form follows function.  Here in Michigan, you see so many of the 8N tractors that I tended to dismiss them.  But a couple of trips around my yard and I realized that once you put one to use, there is a reason they made more 8N tractors than any other model in the history of the US.  You can stand and drive it, and the clutch and brake are easier to use from standing than my Model 40.  The exhaust note is very pleasant.  The engine fires right up, much easier than my Model 40 did in cold weather.  It is a very handy size for a few acres. Mowing with the 8N will be more like meditation than the chore it is with modern stuff.  An activity to savor, rather than rush to get over with.  The machine inspires you to acquire a more relaxed pace.  No ear plugs required.  A simple pleasure that can be lost with modern machines.

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 17th, 2009 at 9:48 pm and is filed under Journal, Simple Living. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.