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The Funk Aircraft Company of Coffeyville, KS, was run by the Funk twins, Joe, and (forget his name). They built light aircraft in the '30s and '40s, but branched out into other arenas. One of them was conversion kits for Ford "N" series tractors. Their first effort replaced the standard tractor motor with a Ford straight 6 (I believe various motors could be used) which gave something like 90 horsepower as compared to the 20-odd of the standard motor. Several thousand of these kits were made and sold. The purpose was not so much added pulling power (which was more limited by the weight and traction of the tractor itself) as to provide a tractor with plenty of PTO power. Following interaction with one Delbert Heuskinveldt, who had built several V8 conversions from scratch, the Funks later offered a V8 conversion kit which shoe-horned a Ford 8BA 240cid flathead V8 into the "N"-series. Again, about 90-odd horsepower on tap. By best reports, only a few hundred of these kits were made, and a V8 Funk-Ford is a highly-prized collector's item. The 6 conversion you have seen is not to be sniffed at and makes a very nice collector's item. If it's in tolerable shape and runs well, it is worth something between $3500 and $5500 as it stands. A fully-restored Funk-Ford 6, like new in every respect, is worth $10,000 and up. As a working tractor, it's definitely a big dog, and may be considered rather overpowered for its size and weight. You also have to bear in mind that's it's 90 hp in a transmission and final-drive designed for 20 hp. Parts for the 6 motor are much less readily available than for the standard 4. Funk got out of the airplane business entirely, concentrating on foundry and heavy-equipment components. They continued to offer speciality tractor items like auxiliary transmissions, reversing gearboxes and so forth, through the '60s and early '70s. They are now the Funk Division of Deere and Co, still in Coffeyville, making tractor transmissions and associated assemblies. llater, llamas
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