Very Old Forklift Finds a New Home

After several months of waiting (almost a year) my 1960’s Hyster QC20 three wheel forklift is in my shop. It was a bit of an ordeal. It hadn’t been started in seven years. It was located in the back of an airplane hanger. It had a homemade steel 3’ X 8’ platform bolted to the forks. Obviously the forks were down and the bolts were on the bottom. The platform was too wide to come out without being lifted to ten feet. The only way to move the forklift was to get it running.

This forklift was converted to LP gas sometime in the past. The LP tank was full, we had spark but it wouldn’t run. The solenoid on the fuel lockoff valve was frozen. WD40 would not free it up. The company that made the valve has gone out of business. After a half day of phone calls, I located one that looked like a good match. It took several hours and a trip to the auto parts store to remove the old one and install the new one. Still no luck, it wouldn’t start. In frustration I called a forklift service company.

The serviceman came the next day. He inspected everything, tested to make sure that the new lockoff valve worked, pulled out the choke, pumped the gas pedal a few times and it started right up. Really! That bill was for $251.60. We got it out of the hangar but none of the arrangements I had made to get it transported worked for today. In desperation I called a wrecker with a rollback. $225.00 to deliver it 14 miles. While we were waiting for the wrecker a good friend of the owner stopped in to visit. His next door neighbor just retired and bought a rollback. He charges $75.00 for the same service and the same distance. Oh well, the wrecker I had already called arrived. He was friendly and helpful and we got it loaded and unloaded at my shop without incident.

Everything on the forklift seems to work fine. It could use new tires and a paint job. I will build a new, sturdier cage some time in the future. I will eventually restore it because it’s just so cute. In the meantime, I will finally be able to move everything up into the mezzanine in my new building and get some much needed space back in the shop.

I wore my lucky green T-shirt today. Believe it or not, despite the unexpected expenses, it was a very good day.