Raised on a farm, Henry Ford had a personal interest in creating a tractor for small-scale farmers. His first tractor, built primarily from automobile parts in 1907, was referred to as an "automobile plow." This early experimental vehicle can be seen today at the Henry Ford museum.
With company shareholders skeptical about the prospects for a tractor, Ford had to set up a separate company -Henry Ford & Son-in order to get into the tractor business. His first model, dubbed the Fordson F, rolled off the assembly line in 1916. It had a four-cylinder engine, a three-speed transmission, and an affordable price of $ 750.
The Fordson tractor came along at the right time. When World War I broke out in 1914, tractors quickly became much more important. The war drained manpower from farms across the country, at the same time dramatically increasing the demand for food. An affordable, mass-produced tractor was just what Uncle Sam needed to keep agricultural production in high gear. Despite an unreliable engine and other limitations, the Fordson F quickly dominated the tractor market.
The Depression temporarily put an end to Ford's tractor production in the US, but growing demand in the Soviet Union prompted Ford to keep manufacturing tractors in a factory in Cork Ireland. Back in the US Henry Ford made a "handshake" agreement to produce a version of the Ferguson-Brown tractor developed by fellow industrialist Harry Ferguson. This was the beginning of the Ford "N" series of tractors, starting with the Model 9N.
When materials became scarce during World War II, a modified version of the 9N was developed -dubbed the 2N-to conserve steel that was needed for tanks and ships. Mr. Ford died in 1947, leaving his grandson Henry Ford II in control of the Ford Motor Company. His passing lead to a bitter and swift end of the business deal struck between Henry Ford and Harry Ferguson.
Henry Ford II made clear his intentions seize control of the tractor market starting with the new Model 8N (an improved 9N / 2N). This move quickly forced Ferguson from the company, but not without one of the longest and most expensive lawsuits in the nation's history. The results of the lawsuit forced Ford to change the hydraulic system and a few other items to avoid patent infringement on Ferguson's design. The Ford NAA, also called the Jubilee, rolled out in 1953 with these new features.
Source by Ines Maric