The Classic Machinery Network

Hi all, I'm after a working 3C Mkii or Mkiii, ideally with 4 in 1 bucket and pallet forks. I'm based in the midlands and happy to travel to have a look at any suitable examples.
Not bothered by mechanical or cosmetic issues as long as it starts, moves and digs!
Other makes/models happily considered but only in the same price range as would be expected for a 3C as above.
Thanks in advance, Simon

Budget might be helpful?

Good point, essexpete!
Well, budget is always a subjective thing... Up to about 5k for a decent example I guess (inc VAT if that applies). There are a few examples advertised that look potentially promising but I thought I'd ask here in case anyone has one they are thinking of selling but haven't yet advertised.
3C Mkii manual would be preferred as it shares a lot of parts with my Leyland tractor but I'm open to any ideas.
Cheers, Simon

Personally, if you can find one, I would go for a build 5 powertrain. So much better to drive and than the manual gearbox and the shuttle can be removed for repair without too much of a problem. I am also guessing the later machine were more likely to be speced with a 4in1. Find one in a good state mechanically and expect the cab to be nonexistent, sh1t or heading that way.

Which leyland tractor do you have Simon? The 3c3 is based on the 270 skid, but the mk2 is potentially a 384 with 38dt etc. I think the 3c3 is a improvement over the 2 in quite a number of ways having had some experience of working on both and I like the brockhouse shuttle in my 3c3 but I confess its the only part I haven't had to fix so far in 10 years of ownership, although they are not well liked in comparison to the later powertrain setup.
I have a 3in1 with bucket forks on my 3c3. Its awkward to see what you are doing with the forks compared to a framehead mounted fork or a fork truck but nothing a banksperson can't help with but mostly I scoop things up with the bucket.
Just chipping in as a current owner, don't have one to sell, but your budget should secure a nice one in good working fettle, what Pete says about the cab is also spot on I'm afraid but I'd expect a decent cab for that kind of money.

Thanks MrF,
I've got a Leyland 245 which is a great little machine, and I'm quite familiar now with a lot of the mechanics on it.
I appreciate the advice (and also from essexpete) regarding the different variants of 3C. I had read somewhere that the torque converter models were best avoided as the torque converters themselves were apparently impossible to repair/replace, but I now realise that advice does not apply to the powertrain model! And it may not be particularly sound advice in the first place...
Anyway, I'm hopefully going to look at a 1979 3C in the next few days, and possibly a 1969 one, so I'll report back if either of them is a winner.

MrF wrote:Which leyland tractor do you have Simon? The 3c3 is based on the 270 skid, but the mk2 is potentially a 384 with 38dt etc. I think the 3c3 is a improvement over the 2 in quite a number of ways having had some experience of working on both and I like the brockhouse shuttle in my 3c3 but I confess its the only part I haven't had to fix so far in 10 years of ownership, although they are not well liked in comparison to the later powertrain setup.
I have a 3in1 with bucket forks on my 3c3. Its awkward to see what you are doing with the forks compared to a framehead mounted fork or a fork truck but nothing a banksperson can't help with but mostly I scoop things up with the bucket.
Just chipping in as a current owner, don't have one to sell, but your budget should secure a nice one in good working fettle, what Pete says about the cab is also spot on I'm afraid but I'd expect a decent cab for that kind of money.

When using the forks do you open the clam? You can see through the opening to the forks more easily.

Simon_F3 wrote:Thanks MrF,
I've got a Leyland 245 which is a great little machine, and I'm quite familiar now with a lot of the mechanics on it.
I appreciate the advice (and also from essexpete) regarding the different variants of 3C. I had read somewhere that the torque converter models were best avoided as the torque converters themselves were apparently impossible to repair/replace, but I now realise that advice does not apply to the powertrain model! And it may not be particularly sound advice in the first place...
Anyway, I'm hopefully going to look at a 1979 3C in the next few days, and possibly a 1969 one, so I'll report back if either of them is a winner.

We had a 1970 11 with the Brockhouse. We had no bother with it but that was a long time ago. The build 5 transmission is still repairable and more easily removed from the machine.