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Ford 9N, 2N & 8N Discussion Board |
THE FORD/FUNK 8N STORY
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Posted by Skeeter/Kansas on July 13, 2001 at 09:53:58 from (64.254.42.175):
WHEN FORD MADE THE 9N AND 2N TRACTORS, MOST OF THE FARMERS WANTED MORE HORSEPOWER TO PULL THE 3 BOTTOM PLOW FROM THE STANDARD 2 BOTTOM PLOW. SO THE 8N SERIES WAS MADE IN 1948 WITH MORE HORSEPOWER. STILL THE FARMERS CLAIM THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH.
A MAN NAMED OLLIE GLOVER OF GLOVER EQUIPTMENT COMPANY, MILFORD, ILLINOIS STARTED TALKING TO FORD ABOUT A LARGER HORSEPOWER ENGINE. MR. GLOVER HAD A NUMBER OF FARMERS IN ILLINOIS, IOWA, AND INDIANA THAT NEEDED THE LARGER TRACTOR-PLOWING POWER.
MR. OLLIE GLOVER HAD BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH HOWARD C. FUNK, AND JOE C. FUNK DURING THEIR DAYS IN AKRON, OHIO WHEN THE FUNK BROTHERS OWNED THE FUNK AIRCRAFT COMPANY. FUNK AIRCRAFT HAD SOME HARD TIMES AND CLOSED. HOWARD AND JOE FUNK MOVED TO SOUTH COFFEYVILLE, OKLAHOMA IN 1941, AND STARTED THE FUNK MANUFACTURING COMPANY FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING AN AIRPLANE WHICH THE FUNK BROTHERS AND BERNARD WADE HAD DESIGNED, DEVELOPED, PRODUCED, PRIOR TO W.W.II. DURING THE WAR, PRODUCTION OF AIRCRAFT WAS DISCONTINUED AND THE COMPANY DEVOTED ITS EFFORTS TO MANUFACTURING PARTS FOR GUN DIRECTORS FOR ONE OF THE LOCAL CONTRACTORS.
AFTER THE WAR, PRODUCTION OF AIRCRAFT WAS RESUMED. IN 1947, THE SALES OF AIRCRAFT DROPPED OFF, AND IN 1948 THE COMPANY DISCONTINUED MANUFACTURING AIRPLANES.
DURING THE LATTER PART OF 1948, AFTER THE 8N HAD BEEN SOLD BY THE DEALERS, THE FARMERS INSISTED THEY NEEDED A LARGER HORSEPOWER ENGINE IN THE 8N'S. OLLIE GLOVER STILL INVOLVED IN THE STRUGGLE
TO GET A LARGER ENGINE FOR THE FARMERS, CONTACTED THE FUNK BROTHERS ON THE PURPOSE TO MAKE A CONVERSION KIT TO ADAPT THE 95 HORSEPOWER 6 CYLINDER ENGINE THAT FORD HAD.
FUNK MANUFACTURING COMPANY ENGINEERED, DESIGNED, DEVELOPED THE PARTS TO ADAPT TO THE ORIGINAL 8N TRANSMISSION. THEIR FIRST DESIGN, WERE THE I-BEAN (RAIL BARS) TO SUPPORT THE ENGINE, AN SPACER BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, ENTENDING THE RADIUS ARMS, AND NEW AIR CLEANER PIPE, AND OTHERS PARTS TO COMPLETE THE CONVERSION KIT.
GLOVER EQUIPTMENT COMPANY BEING THE ORIGINATED IN ALL THIS, MADE AN AGREEMENT TO TRADE RADIATORS FOR THE KITS, AND THEY WOULD HAVE SOLE TERRITORY EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
DURING THE EARLY DAYS OF THE CONVERSIONS KITS BEING INSTALLED, JOE FUNK MADE A TRIP TO DEARBORN TO TALK TO THE FORD PEOPLE. THEY HAD HEARD ABOUT THE CONVERSION AND THEY (FORD) WASN'T TOO PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME AS THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SALES OF THE 8N TRACTORS. A LAWSUIT WAS LOOKED AT, AND AFTER SOME THOUGHT, IT WAS SHELVED FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF THE DEALERS AND FORD.
FORD ENGINEERS MADE PLANS TO LOOK INTO A LARGER AND MORE POWERFUL TRACTOR, WHICH RESULTED IN THE DISCONTINUING OF THE 8N IN 1952, AND THE START OF THE GOLDEN JUBILEE IN 1953. THEREFORE, THIS ALSO RESULTED THE END OF THE CONVERSION KITS FOR THE 8N TRACTORS.
THE RECORDS SHOW 6,180 6 CYLINDER KITS WERE MADE, AND 140 V8 KITS SUPPLIED TO THE DEALERS. IN OCTOBER 1954, FUNK AIRCRAFT COMPANY WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE WHICH WAS LOCATED IN SOUTH COFFEYVILLE, OK. IN EARLY 1955 PRODUCTION TO SOME EXTENT STARTED AGAIN IN WHAT HAD BEEN THE OLD PAINT SHOP. IN 1956, THE COMPANY HAD GROWN TO THE EXTENT IT WAS NECESSARY TO CONSTRUCT A NEW BUILDING IN COFFEYVILLE, KANSAS SOME TWO MILES NORTH OF THE OLD COMPANY. IF YOU EVER NEAR OR IN COFFEYVILLE, KANSAS.. STOP BY THE OLD AIRPORT AND TAKE A TOUR OF THE FUNK MUSEUM. YOU WILL SEE AN ORIGINAL FORD/FUNK 8N TRACTOR. ALSO IN THE HANGER IS THE FIRST FUNK AIRCRAFT (THE"BREASEEY") THEY BUILT. MR. JOE FUNK HAS ASKED ME TO FORWARD THESE WORDS TO ALL THE FORD/FUNK 8N OWNERS.. "HE AND HIS BROTHER, HOWARD.. NEVER THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE SUCH CONCERN FOR THEM AS COLLECTIBLE. HE SAID, HE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO EACH ONE OF YOU ABOUT THE FUNK/8N'S".. JOE IS NINETY YEARS OLD, AND LIVES DOWN THE STREET FROM ME. HIS BROTHER, HOWARD DIED SOME YEARS ALSO.. THERE ARE SEVERAL OF THE EMPOLYEES STILL ALIVE.
FUNK MANUFACTURING COMPANY WAS SOLD TO GARDNER-DENVER, AND GARDNER-DENVER SOLD IT TO COOPER INDUSTRIES, AND COOPER SOLD IT TO JOHN DEERE, WHICH STILLS HAS THE NAME.. FUNK MANUFACTURING COMPANY. This report was made by.. Fred J. Barner.. July 13, 2001.. Also known by..Skeeter/Kansas on the N tractor forum..
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