About 8 or 9 years back I was driving through Detroit and spotted a yellow Massey Ferguson forklift (they say HiLo around there), It was about a 1960 TO based machine looking like a mast was mounted where the 3 point should be and the seat was reversed. It was about 30 oF but the gasoline Continental fired right up.
Fast forward to now. Mitsubishi is making the Caterpillar forklifts. Towmoter, formerly in Mentor Ohio, closed quite a ways back.
I am told Mitsubishi Heavy Industries builds the trackhoes for Caterpillar.
[James Peck] From the book MASSEY FERGUSON 100 SERIES IN DETAIL. Page 11. MF125 Next in the numerical lineup is an oddball, the Japanese MF125, This model was produced in 1973 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at the Sagamihara works especially for the Japanese market under license from MF. It was powered by Mitsubishi's own KE135 diesel engine, a two cylinder, four stroke water-cooled with an output of 25bhp. Looks like collectors may have to try and import one from Japan.
I am not sure how close the relationship there is between MHI and the Mitsubishi that makes autos. Mitsubishi seems to be floundering since Chrysler sold off its controlling shares. Mitsubishis had drifted under control of Renault-Nissan alliance but the charges of tax fraud by the Japanese government against the Brazilian head of Renault Carlos Ghosn may have weakened that lash up.
MHI lists an impressive array of products including military tanks, but not tractors
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