Bill,

Most likely the reason the dealer isn't too helpful is he knows that when he tells you what Mother Deere wants to convert your planter if it is even available from Deere may give you heart failure.  It's bad publicity for customers to have a heart attack at the parts counter.

It can be done.  Someone with more experience can tell you exactly what you will need, but my understanding is you will need come up with boxes, meters and meter drives.  I suspect by the time you are done it would be just as well to leave the plate planter set up for peanuts and buy a used plateless planter.  I'm not sure how long it has been since 7000's were made, but if it were a car I suspect it would qualify for antique plates in Illinois.

Let's look through the AgTalk classifieds just as an example.  There are regional trader publications and TractorHouse to look at as well, but this is a quick and easy example.

I realize it is probably a long ways from where you are, but there is a 4 row 38" 7000 listed for $1500 (see http://agtalkplus.com/?q=node/27505)

Dave ... oh man I wish I hadn't seen this ... Dave at Rochester, Illinois has a 12 row Case 900 horizontal fold for $2500 (http://agtalkplus.com/?q=node/27402) That is my favorite planter if it just could get the seed in the ground space anywhere close to evenly.

On the other hand Dan in Iowa is parting out a 7000 plateless (http://agtalkplus.com/?q=node/27311) and might have just what you need!