The Classic Machinery Network

Hi all, I have had a 1973 3CII for home use for the past 20+ years and am now getting too old to manually shovel stuff into the front bucket and have decided to get a hernia (the missus hates me doing manual stuff and I don't mind so I think she arranged it so as to stop me) so the time has come to get a 4 in 1. I'm really wanting one with the fork attachment too.
Is there anyone out there who has one they will sell me and who could help with the fitting? If it can be put onto my trailer I can pick it up and get it here. I'm near the South side of the Humber Bridge. I'm happy to pay a realistic price but as a pensioner whose main business has been stopped completely by COVID I'm not able to pay the silly money some are asking.

I will not be easy to find a straight JCB 4in1 for bargain price. New equipment is so eye wateringly expensive and that has made second hand worn out stuff more expensive. What would you budget be?

Around £800-£1000 fitted?

It will be tight at that. You may pay that for bucket on its own if straight.

There's one advertised complete with controls and forks for about £900 but it's on a machine and up to the buyer to remove which I can't do, maybe I could stretch a little but not by much.

Have you tried this chap on ebay?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1968-JCB-3C- ... xytdlQ-Q-0

Or contacting Vicary Plant?

Many thanks Slooby, Been dealing with vicary plant for a while (great guys, Simon alway very helpful and knowledgeable), Ebay item does not have the forks but may be worth a punt although it would be a 400 mile round trip and would probably need to be too cheap with lack of forks and distance.

Yup, having been put on to Vicary I don't think there's any need to go anywhere else for new/refurbished bits!

I wonder if you could attach a Q fit type 'quick' change like my 3CX has and then weld the brackets onto the bucket so you could then swap bucket for a forks attachment from a telehandller at a later date? Just a thought as finding a 4 in 1 at a sane price could be tricky

I've got a (very) short pair of forks on a non adjustable 'hook' but it is a complete pain in the proverbial and the centre of gravity is all wrong (I know I shouldn't be lifting cars and 2 tonne rocks about) I guess there may be a better way with a 4 in 1 as the front could be out of the way but to engineer something really easy and useful would probably be beyond me. The quick fit idea though is something I had not thought about and I'll have to look into what would be involved as it's a new concept to me. I'm stuck in the dark ages with some things as I like to be able to mend rather than replace things so never considered liberating something modern!

I'll take some pics of mine so you can get an idea.

Looking on ebay at the carriages there mine is far more basic; it is a pretty simple arrangement with a bar to take the hook at the top and a pair of of eyes at the bottom to take the locking pins, certainly no remotely operated mechanisms!