FYI John's forklift conversions(Farmall BN's) up on ebay

They just put 2 of them up.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Internation...899539689?pt=Tractors&hash=item4d0b2646e9

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Internation...899547241?pt=Tractors&hash=item4d0b266469

The 3rd one not listed is the tricycle front end one that has a smaller mast and lift cylinder(less lifting capacity, but probably turns sharper).

I bought the 4th one last Saturday, which was the first one they put up on ebay. These machines were built in Grand Rapids, MI by John's Mfg I think from the 60's thru early 80's. They converted a lot of BN's, which is why BN's are harder to find. They went out of business due to a frivolous lawsuit that they could not afford to fight. They are used by the orchards and veg farmers in Mi. They rarely come up for sale because the orchards hang onto them and really like them. I'm in IL, and my veg farmer neighbor has two of them, which is how I learned about them.

These machines were built in Grand Rapids, MI by John's Mfg I think from the 60's thru early 80's. They converted a lot of BN's, which is why BN's are harder to find. They went out of business due to a frivolous lawsuit that they could not afford to fight. They are used by the orchards and veg farmers in Mi. They rarely come up for sale because the orchards hang onto them and really like them. I'm in IL, and my veg farmer neighbor has two of them, which is how I learned about them.

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I don't think they were made in Grand Rapids. I think they were made near Grand Junction, MI.

It's darn near impossible to find a Farmall A, B, or BN without a tillage tool in SWMI today. The ones with cultivators/grape hoes saw/see field work, many without were bought by John's throughout the years for the forklift conversions. I think they also either made or had made weights, axles, axle housings, and the drop housings. The "BN" width is the most popular. Some use the original B/BN NFE, some have wide fronts (now rears). Farmall A/SA-B/BN "clones" are out there, too, ranging from incredibly crude to as nice as any Johns unit. Farmall C-SC, and styled AC WC-WD-WD45 have had "farmerized" forklift conversions in the area, too.

Johns forklifts are very popular with the fruit/veggie farmers in SWMI, especially for handling crates when harvesting fruit and veggies and loading those crates onto flatbeds. They "rarely" come up for sale because there aren't tens of thousands of them out there. I see maybe 7-8 a year come up for sale at farm auctions in the local papers. There's probably several more, I'm just not really looking for one when scanning fliers. Usually they are not for sale until someone gets out of fruit/vegetables or totally gets out of farming.

I heard Johns went out of business because of a BS lawsuit, about a decade ago. They did the conversions until the end or really close to it. I was going to go to the auction, but my knee was giving me fits at the time.

AG

I'm glad to hear more info on them as I have not found a good source of info. They need a webpage dedicated to the John's conversions.

I have looked for one for two years, mostly by internet mind you, and this is the second I've come upon any in that time. The one I did see went for a lot more money, beyond my budget. My veg farmer neighbor who has two of these, told me how much he paid for his and I was surprised it was so much. He said they sold for about $20K new. He told me that even used you were going to pay a good penny because of the orchard and veg farmer market for them.

Thanks for posting about those. I first saw one of those on a blueberry farm in SWM back in the early 1990's. I was doing service work for Walker Sprayers and went to a farm that had just purchased a new Walker Sprayer and he had 3 or 4 of them. Did John's do any Farmall C or Super C's? Always thought I would like to have one someday.

I went to the sale! I was a lot younger and more ambitious then. I saved several pallets of bell housings, transmissions, and final drives from the scrap man. I saved them alright, they are still on the same pallets taking up space in my barn and getting closer to the scrap man again!

(quoted from post at 06:23:45 04/02/13) I went to the sale! I was a lot younger and more ambitious then. I saved several pallets of bell housings, transmissions, and final drives from the scrap man. I saved them alright, they are still on the same pallets taking up space in my barn and getting closer to the scrap man again!

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Well post some pictures of what you've got. Or email me your pics and I'll post them. Should be able to sell them, right? They shouldn't end up scrap.
When exactly was that sale of John's?

I can't remember when but it was two trucks and a trailer ago. I'm guessing about 1995. I can't bring myself to scrapping the stuff. In the meantime if anyone needs a trans, a final drive, a bell housing, a tricycle front end, I have them and they are cheap!

(quoted from post at 17:04:51 04/02/13)

When exactly was that sale of John's?

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(quoted from post at 18:06:19 04/02/13) I can't remember when but it was two trucks and a trailer ago. I'm guessing about 1995.

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I think it may have been a bit later, maybe 2000 or 2001. Were Glassman's out of Eau Claire the auctioneers?

AG