1939 Aluminum Hood Ford 9N: Tractor of the Century

It was October, 1938, and a “handshake agreement” between Henry Ford and Harry Ferguson would result in what is generally regarded as the tractor of the century. Incredibly, the prototype of the 9N Ford-Ferguson would be designed and built is a matter of months. There hasn’t been as revolutionary a tractor introduced since this ground-breaking design saw the light of day on June 29, 1939 in Dearborn, Michigan.

Henry Ford once said, “I have walked many a weary mile behind a plow, and I know the drudgery of it”. The advances made by the 9N put nearly 20 million agricultural working horses out of business. Henry Ford recognized the use of hydraulic power as the wave of the future, and when he saw the Ferguson three-point hitch demonstrated, he immediately came to an agreement with Ferguson with the desire of building a tractor that was inexpensive, rugged, and reduced the grueling physical workload for the farmer.

The beauty of the Ferguson system was that its three-point hitch system allowed an operator to change to any of 18 implements in a matter of minutes, and with its patented Draft Control, the hydraulic system would regulate the working depth of the implement. So effective was the Ferguson system that virtually every tractor built since the 9N has used variations of the system. A bevy of standard features included rubber tires, an electrical system utilizing a starter, generator and a direct-driven distributor, and a rear Power Take Off. Essentially using a 28-horsepower Ford Model A engine, and with a price tag almost half of any comparable tractor, this was a value-rich machine.

 This 1939 Ford 9N will cross the block at the 3rd Annual Gone Farmin' Tractor Auction August 3-4, in Walworth, Wisc. 

Early examples of the 9N were built with aluminum cast hoods, grills, and side panels. Approximately 600-700 were built with alloy parts. Most original hoods were destroyed under harsh working conditions, or replaced with steel hoods when the harder material was available. There are fewer than 35 known examples of original aluminum-hood 9N tractors remaining. I recently received a phone call about some rare Ford tractors, and I headed out into a blizzard to see what was being offered. When I saw this 1939 aluminum-hood 9N, Serial #528, I knew that braving the elements had been worth it. While hundreds of thousands of 9N’s and their Ford successors have been built, pristine examples of a very early 9N are something of a Holy Grail. This will be an outstanding addition to any serious collection.  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mecum Auctions
Presentation Department
262.275.5050 

MECUM AUCTIONS CELEBRATES 25 YEARS IN BUSINESS AT INDY 2012
Offering Over 2,100 Cars at Dana Mecum’s Original Spring Classic Auction, May 15-20, 2012 

WALWORTH, Wis., March 21, 2012. – Mecum Auctions will celebrate its Silver anniversary at Dana Mecum’s 25th Original Spring Classic Auction.  More than 2,100 vehicles will cross the auction block May 15-20, 2012, at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Ind.

Over six massive action packed days; collector cars, motorcycles, and road art from all genres will be displayed in nearly 1 million square feet of buildings and tents during the world’s largest collector car auction. Since the very beginning, Mecum’s Original Spring Classic has always been the industry’s epicenter for the world’s finest muscle car offerings and 2012 is absolutely no exception.  Some of this year’s main attractions include a 1967 Chevrolet Yenko Camaro (Lot S134), one of less than 10 known to exist and the only Butternut Yellow example to have survived the test of time.  The 1963 Corvette ZO6 (Lot S165) piloted by the legendary Mickey Thompson at Bonneville, a fully restored 1968 L88 Convertible (Lot S188), and the very last L88 Corvette (Lot S233) to roll down the assembly line highlight the incredible line up of Corvettes to be offered.

On Saturday May 19th, NHRA drag racing legends Don “The Snake” Prudhomme and “TV” Tommy Ivo will watch their history making dragsters take center stage.  Prudhomme will offer the record breaking 1982 Pontiac Trans Am “Pepsi Challenger” (Lot S182) from his private collection, and the 1974 Streamlined Top Fuel Dragster (Lot S200) piloted and more famously crashed by Tommy Ivo will go up for sale just moments later.   

While the success and exponential growth of Mecum’s Original Spring Classic is most certainly the result of dedicated hard work and customer service, Dana Mecum candidly comments, “This is what I envisioned my auction to be in the beginning, it took 25 years for everyone else to catch up!”    

Dana Mecum’s 25th Original Spring Classic Auction is open to the general public with tickets available at the gate for only $15.  Gates open daily at 8 a.m. Eastern Time.  Discovery’s Velocity Network will broadcast 32 hours of live coverage from the Indiana State Fairgrounds.  For more information, and to learn how to become a registered bidder go to www.mecum.com or call 262.275.5050.

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Schedule:
Dana Mecum’s 25th Annual Original Spring Classic Auction
Indiana State Fairgrounds
1202 E 38th Street
Indianapolis, Ind. 46205
May 15-20, 2012
General Admission: $15
Preview: Gates open daily Tuesday thru Sunday at 8:00 a.m.
Auction: Starts at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday thru Sunday
(All Times Eastern)    

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mecum Auctions
Presentation Department
262.275.5050

MECUM BRINGS THREE DAYS OF ACTION TO KANSAS CITY
Offering 750 Vehicles in the “City Of Fountains,” March 29-31, 2012 

WALWORTH, Wis. - Mecum Auctions welcomes the Spring auction season as it fills the Kansas City Convention Center/Bartle Hall in beautiful downtown Kansas City, Missouri with a full slate of collector cars on March 29-31, 2012.

With nearly 750 collector vehicles expected to cross the block, the auction action promises to be intense and exciting during the first of two visits to the “City of Fountains” in 2012. All of the auction cars will be on display indoors, giving Buyers, Sellers and Spectators an ideal environment to inspect the gleaming metal. This year’s auction has been expanded from 2 to 3 days, and Discovery’s Velocity Network will be broadcasting live for 15 hours during all three days of the auction, bringing the action home to those unable to attend in person.

Schedule:
Mecum Kansas City Spring Auction
Kansas City Convention Center - Bartle Hall
301 West 13th Street

Kansas City, MO 64105
March 29-31, 2012
Preview: Gates Open Daily at 8:00 a.m.
Auction: Starts at 11:00 a.m. Thursday – Saturday
Live TV Times: Thursday, 5-8 p.m. Friday, 3-9 p.m. Saturday, 1-7 p.m.
(All Times Central)

The Mecum Auctions in Kansas City have always seen a diverse range of vehicles falling under the hammer, and the 2012 auction is lining up to continue this trend with a wide variety of machines rolling across the block. From a 1949 Divco Model 49N Milk Truck (Lot S125) to a 2007 Dodge Charger SRT/8 (Lot F215), this auction will offer something for everyone’s taste, style, and budget.

The auction is open to the general public with tickets available in advance or at the door for just $15 per day. For information about bidder registration or to consign a vehicle for this event, visit www.Mecum.com or call 262.275.5050.

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