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Vintage Clark Forklift Identification

jerry1

Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2021
Messages
11
Location
Austin
We have this 65 or 66 Clark forklift we are going to rebuild. No tag and no serial number.

Trying to determine the capacity by the counterbalance to order the correct manual.

C20, c25, or c30🤔

Also, know of a good industrial engine rebuilder in the Austin area?
Thanks.
 

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matt_i

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Mar 14, 2008
Messages
10,726
Location
SE Michigan
There should be a serial number stamped into the frame somewhere.

I can't tell you who has the records, maybe your CLark dealer could help once you have that serial number.

Is it a Continental flathead engine(?) What's up with that giant LP cylinder (?) Can you convert to a standard forklift tank 35-ish lb bottle stood vertical?

Unless smoking I'd say you can probably go awhile, in a shop setting you just idle around and rarely need much more power than that. I don't know the HP specs but I'd guess less than 15 on propane.

I have a newer 1980s version, C500-30. Very handy inside the shop :thumbup:
 

IndyGarage

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Joined
Apr 29, 2010
Messages
9,684
Location
Indy
I had a couple just like that - they were 2000 lbs. I don't recall the model number. I think the one with the tall mast like yours was actually de-rated to 1500. My other one had a short mast and it was 2000.

I had another that was 3,000 lbs and it was larger.

That has an aftermarket aluminum steering wheel and mag wheels on it and someone put a grille in the air scoops - I've never seen that on a forklift. It also has some kind of funky propane tank on it - not sure I like that.

They just have continental flat head 4 cylinders in them - about the simplest engine to work on ever made. They are pretty robust engines, especially running on propane. I wouldn't think they would need rebuilt. I had one with a stuck valve one time just pulled the head and worked it manually to get it unstuck and it ran fine. One thing interesting, one of my 2K ones was a couple years newer than the other, and the engine, which looked identical ran the opposite direction of the other.

You can get Lowe's to mix up the Clark Neon Green paint - I forget the code number but it's easy to find. They have cans of Valspar anti-rust which can be mixed to any color - nice machine paint used by several OEM's.

The only problem with those lifts is they lack power steering, which is why I got a newer one. They are really compact and handy though.
 
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jerry1

Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2021
Messages
11
Location
Austin
Thanks guys.

Serial number has been covered over.
Keeping that propane bottle.

Lot's of custom machined goodies on this lift.

Complete teardown and rebuild. Paint, powder coating, chrome and more machined parts.
 
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IndyGarage

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Apr 29, 2010
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9,684
Location
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Thanks guys.

Serial number has been covered over.
Keeping that propane bottle.

Lot's of custom machined goodies on this lift.

Complete teardown and rebuild. Paint, powder coating, chrome and more machined parts.

Seems like a lot of effort for something like that, but it will probably be cool.

Any engine shop will have seen dozens of those continentals. They were in tons of older equipment - cars, boats, tractors, generators, air compressors, pumps, welders.
 

matt_i

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Mar 14, 2008
Messages
10,726
Location
SE Michigan
For the stuck valve, a couple of drops of marvel mystery oil thru the spark plug holes. Being flathead the valves are inverted and if you can move the engine with all 4 plugs out you can get to the point where all the valves are open at one time or another.

The "air scoop" is an OEM Clark part.

How are you going to get that bottle certified for fill? Will anyone even hydro test it?
 

IndyGarage

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Joined
Apr 29, 2010
Messages
9,684
Location
Indy
For the stuck valve, a couple of drops of marvel mystery oil thru the spark plug holes. Being flathead the valves are inverted and if you can move the engine with all 4 plugs out you can get to the point where all the valves are open at one time or another.

The "air scoop" is an OEM Clark part.

How are you going to get that bottle certified for fill? Will anyone even hydro test it?

Nope marvel wouldn't fix it, but taking the head off and lightly tapping it with a hammer did. That was about 4 years ago and I sold the lift a week later for a nice profit.

The other nice thing about those is they have fantastic access to the engine - the side panels swing out and the seat flips up and the engine is right there.

Yes the Chrome air scoop is a Clark part , but the fins inside it are not - somebody has added those.
 
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