Author	[Modern View]
rodney williams 10-23-2012 17:20:12 69.80.115.148 Report to Moderator	Looking thru tractorhouse.com add today and ran across the above tractors. Never heard of them before. How available were they, did they have 3 pt. pto's? Was the engine any larger than the 8N? Why does it look like the hood has more clearance above the head? [Reply]   [No Email]
AJ-in-BC 10-26-2012 18:46:37 173.180.73.203 Report to Moderator	Re: 8N FUNK industrial tractors in reply to rodney williams, 10-23-2012 17:20:12   @Tony Jacobs. You mentioned that Delbert Heusinkveld was the inventor/patent holder of the V8 conversion. Do you know the patent number by any chance? [Reply]  [No Email]
TONY JACOBS 10-27-2012 14:50:28 205.188.116.20 Report to Moderator	Re: 8N FUNK industrial tractors in reply to AJ-in-BC, 10-26-2012 18:46:37   Hello AJ , I probably have in my files but do not know it off hand . If you do a search at the Patent Office online you could probably find it . Why are you looking for it ? Thanks Tony [Reply]  [No Email]
AJ-in-BC 10-27-2012 16:40:41 173.180.86.194 Report to Moderator	Re: 8N FUNK industrial tractors in reply to TONY JACOBS, 10-27-2012 14:50:28   Tony, I am interested in patented improvements (purported or real) on the N tractors, among other things; I find it a fascinating subject to study, one could say it is a hobby of mine. The reason I asked you was that I could not find this patent when searching the Patent Office files. For comparison, I had no problem tracking down the Glover patent regarding the six-cylinder conversion. [Reply]  [No Email]
TONY JACOBS 10-23-2012 21:29:34 205.188.116.20 Report to Moderator	Re: 8N FUNK industrial tractors in reply to rodney williams, 10-23-2012 17:20:12   Hello Rodney , The Funk Conversions ARE NOT Industrial tractors they all had three point hitch and pto's on them . They were all designed for AG USE , more power to pull bigger plows . The Funk Kits use the Hood Extensions the original designs did not however . Thanks Tony Jacobs [Reply]  [No Email]
Dell (WA) 10-23-2012 19:13:31 63.226.219.125 Report to Moderator	Re: 8N FUNK industrial tractors in reply to rodney williams, 10-23-2012 17:20:12   Rodney......the reason 6-cyl "Funks" have a dashboard extension, is the 6-cyl "industrial" engine came with a TALL radiator. ALL "Funks" were DEALER installed and each tractor mechanic had a slightly different vision of how to modify the original N-Tractor. The advantage of the 6-cyl inline engine is low speed TORQUE. Very handy for plowing. Believe it or not, Funk Bros was originally in the small airplane mfgr business before WW2. They had the ability to make CAST-IRON oilpans which is very handy with N-Tractors as the engine oilpan is part of the CHASSIS. Records are incomplete but it is believed that there were 6-8000 6-cyl "Funks" ...and... about 250 flathead V-8's. That is outta over 800,000 N-Tractors. .........Dell, the historian [Reply]  [No Email]
Ken(Ark) 10-23-2012 17:36:36 71.30.143.205 Report to Moderator	Re: 8N FUNK industrial tractors in reply to salfonsi, 10-23-2012 17:20:12   Funk was an aftermarket conversion kit to add the Ford 226cid flathead to the N series Ford . http://ytforums.ytmag.com/viewtopic.php?t=952385 [Reply]  [No Email]
rodney williams 10-23-2012 17:53:01 69.80.115.148 Report to Moderator	Re: 8N FUNK industrial tractors in reply to Ken(Ark), 10-23-2012 17:36:36   Thanks Ken for the info. Rod [Reply]  [No Email]
Ken-Pa 10-23-2012 20:37:18 75.179.43.1 Report to Moderator	Re: 8N FUNK industrial tractors in reply to rodney williams, 10-23-2012 17:53:01   With farmers desires to pull 3 bottom plows with their small 9n tractors , the Funk brothers were contacted about designing a conversion kit to accomodate the installation of a larger Ford industrial engine to replace the original flathead 4 cyl . So the Funk brothers started out in the 40s by designing & installing their kits to accomodate the installation of a 75 hp flathead v8 in the Ns . Then they installed the flathead 6 cyl 225 cu. inches up to 1951 . Then in 1952 they installed the OHV 6cyl 215 cu inch engines in the 8n . Also in 1952 their factory burnt down causing all stock , files & their machinery to be destroyed . In their kit design , they had to design a hood extension to make up for the additional lenghth caused by the different engine lenghth . The dash/hood extension also raised the heighth of the hood to allow for the taller aircleaner system needed for the newer engines . Also they designed extensions for the tie rods plus large brackets to move the front axle forward . Theirs a lot of info available to copy & read on another site if interested . If you are interested in learning more email me directly . About 30+ yrs ago , I had found a 1952 8n Funk conversion with a OHV 6cyl sitting & embedded in some heavy weeds / brush . So I hounded the property owner about selling it to me . But he kept saying no that he & his son planned on rejuvinating it . Finally he said yes , so I bought it in 2000 & have been slowly doing a total rebuild . So thru the years I"ve done a lot of searching for Funk literature to copy to a notebook . I could possibly forward some of my saved info . Its been an interesting study of a great history of the Ford tractors & the Funk conversions . HTH ! God bless, Ken [Reply]  [No Email]
Ken-Pa 10-24-2012 02:40:30 75.179.43.1 Report to Moderator	Re: 8N FUNK industrial tractors in reply to Ken-Pa, 10-23-2012 20:37:18   Well hi Tony . Man I haven't seen your name & any postings from you in a coons age . You are correct my friend & I apologize for the error . Memory is fading & I did know those guys names in reference to the Funk design & build , but couldn't remember them at the time I typed my response to Rodney . Any chance of you sharing with me that info you mentioned in your response to me ? You know , I still haven't gotten that Howard installed in my 1952 8n Funk conversion . Being I have to work alone with that heavy thing , I'm afraid of messing up at drilling the holes in the back of my Everett trans to mount it . Not quite as strong or brave as I was when I first started my rebuild in 2001 . How abouty shooting me an email concerning that other info & letter concerning the Funks , will you please ? Once again Tony , it was great to see your post to my attention my friend .God bless , Ken Crisman [Reply]  [No Email]
TONY JACOBS 10-23-2012 21:45:11 205.188.116.20 Report to Moderator	Re: 8N FUNK industrial tractors in reply to Ken-Pa, 10-23-2012 20:37:18   Hello Ken , Your history is quite bit wrong here , Funk had nothing to do with the design of these kits , refinement maybe that's all . Funk was only used to mass produce the kits and make the cast iron oil pans to get rid of the Frame Rails supports on the original kits . Delbert Huesinkveld is THE ORIGINAL INVENTOR/DESINGER/PATENT HOLDER on the V8 8N KIT . Ollie Glover is the ORIGINAL INVENTOR/DESIGNER of the 6CYL 8N kits . Both original kits did not use Funk's ugly hood extensions . I still have a copy of Delbert's original drawings and notes for the V8 kits that he sent to me personally over 30 years ago and he still has the very first or third tractor he converted to a V8 in 1949 . Just making sure credit goes where credit is due . Thanks Tony [Reply]  [No Email]
KCM 10-26-2012 06:40:43 184.185.80.36 Report to Moderator	Re: 8N FUNK industrial tractors in reply to TONY JACOBS, 10-23-2012 21:45:11   I guess the way the Funks look is a matter of option. I think the extension, raised hood, and longer hood/wheelbase gives the 6-cylinders a bad boy touch look. Plus it is obvious right away you do not have a stock tractor. The extension on the V8, on the other hand, looks a little cobbled up to me and it does not flow into the hood at all. So basically Huesinkveld and Glover came up with the idea but Funk make it a practical application for everday use and mass production. By raising the hood they reduced the amount of tractor modifications and kept the standard fuel tank in a practical location. Do you know how many tractors Glover and Huesinkveld built before Funk took over? [Reply]  [No Email]
TONY JACOBS 10-27-2012 14:46:41 205.188.116.20 Report to Moderator	Re: 8N FUNK industrial tractors in reply to KCM, 10-26-2012 06:40:43   Hello KCM , I think if the hood extension on both kits looked better and flowed into the hood as you say that would be huge improvement so that they don't look so cobbled together , but I don't like the way it blocks your forward view . Kind of like a Supercharger or a Tunnel Ram and Dual quads on a Hot Rod that block your view also . The added length of the tractor is not a problem . I like the way Delbert widened his hood and placed the gas tank behind the seat above the rear axle out the way and away from the engine heat . As far as the tractors go Delbert built a dozen or so before he met up with the Funk Brothers from what he remembered when I spoke with him about it and them later sold the rights to Staffuer Ford to make kits in the 90's I believe . I never spoke with the Glover's so I do not know and don't remember reading how many he built before the Funk Kits . Thanks Tony [Reply]  [No Email]