Clark forklifts

I've got a little forklift in Melbourne that I bought off the previous owner of our house (orchardist). Wonderful little gas thing although a little cantakerous times. Very capable machine.

Anyone on here with a Clark themselves or know anyone who is familiar with them? I'll be getting its build data this weekend.

Andy - Yes, I have fallen into the forklift collection habit, with 4 of them currently cluttering my shop. 3 are mine, 1 is a mates, that I'm rebuilding for him. I've got an old ex-RAAF Yale with a flathead 6 Chrysler, a Cat V60B (Continental flathead 6), a Clark CY50 (186 Holden) .. and the mates fork is an old Datsun with a H20 Nissan powering it.

I have a couple of books that give comprehensive forklift specs. Give us the model number and I'll see what I can dig up.
Clark were amongst the first builders of forklifts in Australia, along with Yale. They were all built under licence by local manufacturers.
One of my mates who's a machinist has a 1956 AY40, a real antique, fitted with a grey (138 cu in) Holden motor. This is a 2 tonner (4000lbs capacity).
When we went to get some tilt ram seals for it last year, The Clark dealer couldn't even find any record of the models existence!
Even better, when we pulled the tilt rams apart, the seals (original fit) were leather buckets, like in windmill pumps!!

We ended up modifying the tilt ram pistons to take fabricated urethane seals, that we had made up. The next job is to fix the handbrake on it .. the complete handbrake assembly was thrown away, years ago!

The AY40 has a 2 speed mechanical tranny with a foot clutch, like all of the older forklifts. My Yale has a manual 2 speed tranny with a foot clutch, but has a fluid coupling in the drivetrain, giving the best of both worlds .. the simplicity of a manual, with the ability to stop and manouvre in gear, like an automatic.
The Cat has a hydrostatic tranny .. it seems like a simple setup, just a pump driving a hydro motor. There's no gears, just a treadle to increase or reduce speed.

Here's a pic of a new AY40 outside Wesfarmers Tutt Bryants in Bassendean, in 1956! (pic courtesy of the State Library of W.A.)

Thanks Juan, I'll let you know. A bit beefier than the pic above but the body looks quite similar. Understandable, I guess.

Handbrake on mine certainly works (or it did when I left her in the care of my brother-in-law when we moved up here and they started renting) as I took off a couple of times with it still on and couldn't get up out of the shed. Have only nudged the shed once with the bum too so reckon I'm doing okay moving fruit boxes and firewood around. Best $1,500 I ever spent. Neighbour across the road bought one recently for a squillion and, according to my b-i-l, it is gutless.

Baz and Burkey were a bit more adventurous with it as I recall in Nov 09. LOL.

This is what I pulled from the dataplate on my forklift:

CY25
CY20BR/C-10/817
Engine 20769
MFH 154

Whats the old saying ,A picture is worth a thousand words .

NO no Eeeeee n Oz
U got it all rong

'A pixture is worth a million wordz ...........give or take a few Doz'

LOL

Cya
[ch9786]

It's a forklift. Use your imagination.

Sorry, chaps, haven't got any and with the amount of crap in the shed, not worth it.

That said...

Here is the only pic I have of her ... with quite a useful accessory...

Here is the only pic I have of her ... with quite a useful accessory...

Yep, wouldn't go far without the steering wheel!

Must be going blind .Buggered if i could see some thing really usefull ,like a stubbie holder .

RE:some thing really usefull

The loose nut B hind the wheel

LOL

Sorry Bazil me jist couldn't resist th@ one


Cya

[ch9786]