Appreciate all the feedback on what you think we should do with the JCB. Glad you all enjoy the story as much as we do

Restore to the highest of standards, she'll be worth a fortune, who needs the next generation, those machines were absolutely fantastic!!

Working restoration, ready to use, make it the best she can be, it’s a legacy to carry on through time

I think you put her back in her work clothes and take it out to shows and enjoy it and maybe have her do some light digger duty’s .i love the story behind it !

When you started off at 18, you probably dreamed of owning a brand new JCB. Now that you have the time and most importantly the money, here is your chance to put her back to her former glory like the day she rolled out of the factory. I personally love to see a good restoration. Thanks for sharing your story.

My 3c3 was vandalized but I still like it. I re-hosed it, injection pump rebuilt(probably have to do it again moisture). It's almost like driving a tank in the woods. I'm proud/lucky to have it. No brakes as well as a lot of small thing wrong with it including rust.

What a fab story. Give it a refurb, but still use the old gal for light duties! Love this!!

If I owed it I would restore it back to working condition, she was born too work. Brilliant video and story 👏🏻 👌

i remember riding in the cab of one of those in the 80s defiantly worth restoring it in my opinion

Just seen this, great story. Remember working those with my Dad as an apprentice. I don't know what you decided. But a full restore and take it to shows and tell your story.

Love hearing the stories of how people got started years ago and when they reunite with some of their original machines! It would be brilliant to see it like it’s just rolled off the production line but also see you using to play about with! You have a very impressive business going on, I have come over to your channel from watching Olly and Joe. Look forward to seeing the progress! All the best. 👍👍

I have a 3c3 that I'm trying to keep alive. Don't have a lot of money but it's stronger than a Case 480 which people around here go crazy over.

You have got to do a nut and bolt restoration and keep her as a family air loom or just for the history of it would look ace restored.

We’ve got the same JCB , minus the rear actor which we had removed ,but now we only use it for loading in our Builders merchant ,Good memory’s what you said about the Snow clearing ,I remember going with my Dad in 1978 with him ,I’m now 52 ,Good days,you need to restore it there’s not many left out there.👍

Complete rebuild this is a legend she's gorgeous

Lovely video to watch 🙏 we have a 1973 JCB MK2 my Dad bought 30 years ago off the Man who had it new & my Dad had helped put a clutch in it when he was 16 & to this day we go to her after laying for weeks it's on the button just still does the job, it's very nostalgic driving it listening to the pump whining! As I'm 32 & used to ride on it on the mudguard with Dad as a kid. So personally I think you'd enjoy having it usable 👍

I too started digging holes and bits of leveling out ditching on a old jcb 3c2 and sold it on once we started on 360s to a man about 4 miles away you have just got me thinking on going to see if he would sell it .ours had the fuel pump tweaked it would do 30 mph on the flat if you were brave enough .things that dreams were made of

She deserves a Birthday - new paint, (refurbished) cab and bring her back to her original glory. My twopence on it anyway. Great story!

Brilliant video, really love listening to the stories like yours , where you’ve had that long connection with a machine and the pics , absolutely brilliant 👍and a JCB too boot which I must say i too have a soft spot for those machines . I would say do a light restoration, use it /show it and keep telling your story with it , look forward to seeing more vid about its Journey 👍👍👍👍

Restore as a working machine as JCB have as new ones. I drove 3c for many hire and contractors, Sir Robert McAlpine was one that even had a time and motion team watch me for a couple of days, putting in road gulley's and made no comment. Once drove one from Cardiff to Lydney, Glos. for some w/e work and back again on Monday.

Do up well and keep her working….. They’re at their best when working. Someone somewhere will work and love her for the next generation. ❤ P

You have to restore her such a good machine,I have driven one and loved it

Tidy and pint it to the day you remembered it and have fun digging in it for another few years.

Hi what a fantastic story, I had a 1976 jcb 3c mk2 with was an ex wimped machine to which I did a restoration but ran out of cash to Complete it then it had to go wish I did,nt, do a light restoration on her, cab ,electrical , buckets ect but no paint 😀

Great hearing the history of you and this machine, I think you should put her back in her working clothes.

I got a brand new JCB 3CMK11 in 1974, it was the love of my life and if only i could find her now i would most certainly restore that machine SUP 644M

My late father was the plant manager for a company who were the first JCB agent in Lincolnshire in the late 1960’s. If he was still around today he’d say restore it to showroom condition. The very best of luck whatever you decide to do with her.

I think any one who loves these machines as much as this community of followers do, would love nothing more than to get inside and load a few dumpers of topsoil and spread a bit of stone. There are plenty 3cs in warehouses for us to look at. We want to hear the engine, smell the warm hydro oil and diesel fumes on a cold frosty morning. I d pay good money for a few hours in that cab.

I hope you paint it and use it for working days and shows. It's a great advertisment for your company and will be a compliment to your firms skills and hard work. I personally like to see them working and doing what they were made for. To do a minter is another thing like you say it will just be something to look at. No use at all that would be a shame. It's enjoyable when you can work them it will keep any standing problems at bay. Thanks Ruth 😁

I have loved tractors all my life and JCBs above them all. She started on the button because she wants to work again and to not let her would be cruel! Give her a restomod overhaul and a new coat of paint and put her on light duties so she feels useful again.

Rear valve block has been changed at some point...off a latter 1978 onwards 3C ...levers different. Also, rigged for hand held road hammers...thats what the little hoses in front of the windscreen are for

I think you owe it to Uncle Ted and Auntie Jean, but also yourself to get it back to concourse but also call Mr Bamford himself and ask if he will help out with whatever he is able to.

Do it up to how you remember it CB areal, new extra lights etc, with standard paint and use a bit of it, could even add a 2nd hand manual quick hitch off a 3cx so you could use it on the hobbles

Lovely digger. Give it a small tidy up. It has earned it .clear coat it and enjoy it

I think personally Bring this machine back to showroom condition put it on display but be able to take it to shows to promote your business

Full restoration job back to show room condition you can still do working days with her like J C Balls do, plus do the unimog put it on the road with a hispeed low loader trailer and it can run the 3c round to shows and working days!

I’d paint it to use like I’ve done with my Ford 7910 and will do the same with my8210 when it arrives . machines were built to work after all. Best of luck.

Our naughbour had a JCB like that slightly newer but a powerful digging machine with plenty of weight compared to our Ford 550. Still a useful machine today with a good operator. If I were you one could go through it mechanical with a new cutting edges on the bucket and sort the cab could be used for odd jobs,paint job could be done later.

I learned to operate a Thwaites tusker digger dumper by my dad I operated that for 6 years before learning to drive a black cab JCB For 30 + years i have been trying to trace it even asked Wandsworth borough council to try and see if they still owned it but as helpful as they were they had no records of it A984 SYR + PLUS SISTER DIGGERS

Brilliant video and what a lovely story to listen to from way back when you were 18 and the history that goes with the digger. I think you should restore it back to its former glory I wouldn't change the cab I would do it up it doesn't sound the same when you say we done it up but we put a different cab on it. It's two different diggers keep it original thanks

Restore it and work so this generation can see what we had to do but enjoyed what ourselves

Machines including classic cars should always be able to be used for what they were built for. Restore but still use it to drive and dig

Restore it because it will be super valuable! Those are the best years made! Those were made for real operators in the Americas! My father owned an MK3, a 3C and a 3D! The 3D was absolutely the perfect machine! Now they are all plastic and in a battle to make the cheapest quality the most expensive money can buy! Restore it to show room condition and use it for parades and social gatherings!

I would fix the rot make mechanical solid and see what paint be like with wire wool do love the clean working clothes look

i think you should make it like it was new keeping as many original parts as you can the old girl deserves it.

I remember you mate I worked for croft yard plant hire it's just clicked

You were lucky to find it again. Congratulations.

My view, you could do as Ive done with mine, restore to almost concourse condition, but dont paint the inside or underside of the front bucket...that way you can still play with it carefully 🙂 P.S. great to see vids like this of these old machines still being loved

She was built for work not for standing still looking pretty .... you know what you have to do 👍

Being a connection to yourself it will be up to you.. sympathetic upgrading is definitely allowed if it going to be used as intended... even soundproofing... can't wait to see it in action. Stay safe 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Excellent back story, have now subscribed and looking forward to the restoration ❤

It was made to work! If it's just gonna sit shouldn't have pulled it out the nettles! My opinion, but then again, I Believe it should look good as well!! Great equipment and backhoe!

Restore it to good working condition and you can use it and besides and your standard s are excellent and your shop will take pride pride in it as well

Put it back to how you remember- good tidy working order

Restore Restore Restored

What a great video remember that model well the first machine i operated in 79 happy days then had a 110 tracked shovel 👍👍I'd say restore it but in it's working clothes cracking channel

If it was mine I'd go through it so it's 100% mechanically right, bring the cab back to good but don't lose your uncles paint job. It's part of the machines history and once you lose that you'll never get it back. Then use the digger and enjoy it

She’s done her time. Restore it so she’s like brand-new. Let her live the rest of her days as if she left the factory.

I'd choose to restore it to good working order, change those near 50 year old hydraulic pipes, and keep using it whenever it suits.

restore to good working order as it doesn't deserve to be a museum piece it need to work now and again

Tart it up a little and get it working! 👍👍

Great back story restore to former glory but I think it needs to at least do a bit of light work / show etc you know you want to play with it & as it’s apart you do her up to the best you can good luck boys

Put it in the same condition as it was when YOU had it. And use it some times it keeps them healthy. Good luck.

Hopefully restore it

Keep it ❤

restore to working order maybe to use as demo at shows she worked hard now let her play hard and look good doing it {:-) PAV UK

good working order

good working order for use

brilliant video great story of how you started

Hi restore the JCB digger to working order and lick of paint, don’t completely restore it that’s why you can use it on show days as she would be in the days .

Restore it 100% and still use her now and again

Restore it, use it have some fun with her.

fix up in working order keep up the good videos

Full restoration

New subscriber, fab video, my favourite Jcb ever. Showroom please, models of these fly out the door, looking forward to more videos. Thanks

Could I ask a question? Did release your franchise to farmers in need of their new machine to your yards related to many farmers lost combines and tractors after insurance paid out because you'd probably deliver

Just leave it the way you used to have it. It's all part of your history

Get air into working condition nice coat of paint and sto we're rusting redo or anything that needs doing and still user I'm sure the grad kids would love to have fun with her

Clean it up lick of aint an put it to work. Still a very capable machine.

Fully restored

It's obvious really . You have to restore her . And then take her out on the occasional job . Operating the machine yourself.

Part restoration, cab, engine bucket and hydraulics. Thats what I would do

Concourse and use in my very humble opinion

I think fix her up to a working state nice n tidy order and get some use out of her put a good cab on little paint be good as new awesome videos keep them coming thks

Restore it as original and show it at construction and agricultural shows and advertise your name.

Restoration but in working cloths no paint mechanical go through it

Restore it and use it for small jobs. Mattie Galway Ireland.

1st time I driving one kent plant hire Ashford

It should be restored

Hi folks, I'm a old. Mechanic. And painter ,please. Restore her.

I think you should restor it to working order

could you do a fleet tour

Restore!!

You must restore it 😅

How about getting it back to working order and lending it out to farmers that are doing small projects for free, maybe you could ask for a donation to a charity? Something different to do. It would be a shame to see it stood still for years on end.

Restore it to condition it was when you used it, but add your auntie & uncle's name written on it, NOT printed but written.

You should restore it to good working order and keep a bit of the age

Restore as a working machine

Personally I would restore it but not to pristine condition so you could take it to a working day seems a shame to park it up and not use it for digging

I'd love to know what you sold her for and what you paid second round