The VERY FIRST Ford Funk V-8 Conversion - Signed by Joe Funk & Delbert Heusinkvelds!!!
Lot Number: 8
Time Remaining: 16d 20h 14m
Current Bid: $7,900.00
Start Time: 09/26/2024 01:00 PM Central
End Time: 11/04/2024 06:00 PM Central
Bid Count: 71
Location: 20114 IL Route 16, Nokomis, IL 62075
This is a piece of history! A tractor that has so much historical value that it should be in a very serious Ford collection or museum. You are buying history here! This 8N is the very first Ford Funk conversion that was ever done. It comes with the original prototype hood that has signatures of both Joe Funk and Delbert Heusinkveld. It is fully documented, signed papers, restored, 1949 8BA flat head Ford motor, Sherman high/low transmission and foot throttle.
During the restoration of this tractor it was decided to keep the original paint prototype hood with the signatures of the designers and a new one was built for the restoration. This hood is of course selling with the tractor and documents the history of this important piece! There are separate photos of the hood.
The current owner sat down with Delbert Heusinkveld, the original designer in 2004 and he relayed the entire story to him. They had always kept track of the first tractor throughout it's history and made the trip to Indiana to visit it once again and make sure the history stayed with the tractor. Here is their story:
The Story of the First Funk V-8 Conversion
Mr. Delbert Heusinkvelds and Mr. Quinton Nelson (deceased) took Mr. Heusinkvelds' V-8 conversion to Funk Aircraft in Coffeeville, Kansas in 1950. The Funk Brothers were so impressed with Mr. Heusinkvelds' V-8 conversion they decided to produce the V-8 kit. The Funk Brothers used a cast iron oil pan instead of the frame rails as on Mr. Heusinkvelds' tractor. Mr. Heusinkvelds' tractor was used in the original advertisement for the Funk V-8.
Mr. Heusinkvelds received the first two kits ever produced and Mr. Nelson received one, which is still in the Nelson family. Of the two Mr. Heusinkvelds received, he installed one in his cousins' tractor.
The first kit though was installed in Don Wynia's 2N Ford tractor. Mr. Don Wynia used it until the time he purchased a John Deere 70. At that time Mr. Heusinkvelds bought the tractor from Mr. Don Wynia, along with a 4 cylinder engine from a Woods Brothers combine. Mr. Heusinkvelds then removed the first V-8 Funk conversion kit and installed the 4 cylinder motor in the 2N and sold the tractor. Mr. Heusinkvelds kept the first kit for many years with plans of installing it in another Ford tractor, which never came to be. Mr. Heusinkvelds sold the first Funk V-8 kit to Mr. Delbert Wendell of Gregory, South Dakota. Mr. Wendell rebuilt the engine and installed it in an 8N Ford but it was never completed. The seller purchased the tractor from Mr. Wendell in 2001.
The second V-8 kit that Mr. Heusinkvelds installed in his cousin Duane Wynia's 8N Ford tractor, is still up and running in southwest Missouri. It is said it still makes daily trips to the local coffee shop.
In the beginning the Funk Brothers experimented using a wide radiator to cool the V-8s on the first three V-8 kits. In order to use a wide radiator, the hood had to be widened six inches. On first three original V-8 hoods the hood was sent to a Ford body shop and they were split down the center and widened six inches. That original hood is with this tractor and is signed by Mr. Joe Funk and Mr. Delbert Heusinkvelds.
Originally the Funk Brothers were planning on casting an aluminum spacer to go down the center of the hood. The hood would be cut down the center and then the spacer would be installed. After pondering over the idea of the problems associated with utilizing the spacers the Funk Brothers decided to use a tall and narrow radiator so that the hood and gas tank would be kept intact and just raised with an aluminum hood extension at the rear of the hood. The aluminum hood extension was already being used on the flathead 6 cylinder conversion. The only thing that had to be done to utilize that extension was to shorten it.
It is believed there are only three original Funk V-8s with the wide radiators and wide hoods. This tractor is believed to use the first V-8 kit ever built.
The seller sincerely appreciated Mr. Harold Ludens and Mr. Delbert Heusinkvelds for all of their help in documenting these facts. Mr. Ludens and Mr. Heusinkvelds are cousins. Mr. Ludens is one of the fabricators of the original V-8s Mr. Heusinkveld built in his garage.
This story was typed out and by the seller and signed by both Mr. Heusinkvelds and Mr. Ludens in 2004. We have included a scan of that in the photos section.
Located in our climate controlled showroom in Nokomis IL.
This day's auction will feature quality restorations and awesome original paint tractors! We've got ultra low hour originals along with nut and bolt restorations! Don't miss this opportunity to own some of the best!
20114 IL RT 16, Nokomis, IL 62075