Harlen Persinger LABOR OF LOVE: In retirement, Donnie Thomas of Hartford, Wis., has rebuilt this Ford 8N tractor and two other Ford 8N’s. He plans to work on his inventory of eight other machines. My Favorite Tractor: A Hartford, Wis., mechanic rebuilt this tractor from bottom to top. After retiring as a mechanic and service manager for three auto dealerships around Hartford, Wis., Donnie Thomas began looking for new projects and challenges to work on. In 2010, he saw a 1950 Ford 8N tractor that had sat outside for 30 years and was advertised as junk in the local paper. “I needed some of the parts, paid $50 and brought it home,” Thomas says. “Since the engine was not working, my plan was to completely rebuild that tractor. I tore it apart down to the last bolt, checked all the bearings and brakes, sandblasted and powder-coated all the rims and fenders, and added oversized tubeless tires on the front and back, along with a new seat. However, the biggest change was boosting the original horsepower rating of 25 to 900. That makeover included putting in a V8 original engine plus adding a 671 supercharger [two four-barrel carburetors] on top of the engine.”