My Ford Tractors

FLATHEAD V8-8N WIRING

As with every other system, nothing on the engine was designed to work with the tractor, and nothing on the tractor was designed to work with this engine. The starter has an integral solenoid that will not work directly with the 8N start button. A relay will be required to keep the start button and neutral safety feature working. The electric cooling fan will need a relay and temperature sensor wiring. A standard 8N ignition switch and pull-out light switch will be used to run a breakerless ignition module, and lots of lights. In addition to headlights/taillights/worklight, my gauges have small dash lights and some LED color-change strip lights might be really cool hidden up under the hood (oooh ahhh). When faced with any impossible task, break it down to smaller pieces that can be solved.

These diagrams are done in the "pictograms" style created by JMOR a frequent first responder on the ntractorclub.com nboard forum.

The Charging System

The Ignition System

The Starting System

This uses a relay, so the 8N start pushbutton could still be used to operate the starter. This is a standard automotive relay usually used to switch large loads.

Radiator Cooling Fan

The radiator fan turned out to be nearly identical to the starter circuit. The fan also needs a relay so a temperature switch ground wire will control the fan.

Lights

Lights are wired using a fused light switch and tapping power at the junction block. All controlled circuits run from a switch output terminal to the lights. All lights must be grounded at each fixture, or run ground wires from each fixture all the way back to where the battery ground strap connects to the tractor frame.

Completed Wiring Diagram

This is everything on one drawing. All of my power taps are to the battery side of the junction block. This means everything works separately from the ignition switch, just like the 8N tractors do. The light switch is fused, so I added an in-line fuse for the other accessory circuits.

This is an example of how some people use the ammeter post instead of a junction block. There is plenty of length on that terminal for the wires, but there is no convenient place to land the second set of wires. Ford didn't put anything in these tractors without good reason, so the cluster of wires on the ammeter in this photo were moved to a standard 8N junction block. The second terminal on that junction block is for the ignition wires.

Standard automotive relays have a one-hole mounting tab. The battery tray flange seemed like where they should be.

Lighting circuits will be more than normal. My gauges are all aftermarket illuminated type. There will also be some cool LED strip lights under the hood to highlight where most of the custom conversion work was done. The ignition switch has two ON positions. That may not be sufficient to switch everything the way I want it to work.

LIGHTS ON A BUDGET

The originality police will have a heart attack with this one. Finding original lights used, or new restoration grade from someone like Dennis Carpenter has gotten very expensive. Most of us have more things on our list than we have money to buy. Bolt-on accessories such as lights are one item that can be shopped way down in price with good results.
I've been able to find several round metal and even plastic trailer lights that seem reasonably close for tail lights.

Metal or plastic can be painted, and have survived for years on my tractors.

Headlights have been much harder to find. Used originals turn up regularly on eBay but they just seem to get more and more abused and expensive. Most aftermarket round headlights are the wrong shape or way too big. My most recent find is another Harbor Freight item. These "off-road" lights are the right size, and the shape is very close. They even come with 12-volt H3 bulbs! I've bought H3 conversions for 9N headlights that cost more than these did.

The photo shows one headlight as-purchased for $10 with an ugly double closure-ring and exposed wire harness. It was easy to trim the gasket down and do away with one trim ring.

Side by side the HF version is not quite as pointy in back.

The exposed wiring was really well done, almost good enough to keep, but the Ford hollow headlight bolt fits perfectly, so wires can be concealed. A rubber or stainless plug will need to be scrounged for the hole in the housing. It's not in a location that will be easy to see.

The H3 bulb housing has a flat, clear lens that some people may not like or maybe we are shopping for a 6 volt tractor.

Just for grins, This photo shows one with a standard 8N 6-volt sealed-beam bulb and trim ring. The chrome trim rings are not as wide, but could probably be made to work by trimming the rubber gasket differently. My current project is 12 volts, so the H3 kits will be fine.

This one looks so good on there they may stay chrome.

The doglegs were drilled to accept the early headlight "wings" just because I prefer those over the proper 1951 round headlight bases.

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