New to tractors, grandpa is selling his and trying to determine value - any help appreciated!

[Vito]

If I was the grandpa, I'd give the kid the tractor!! It's a tractor $2000 at most

Did you ever consider his grandfather might need the money?

Not everyone one is well off.

Vito

 

[Hobo,NC]

What area of Missouri are you in?? The 3000 was one of Fords worst tractors but better then an 8N but still not all that much better

Did you make that up are did you hear it somewhere, I have never herd one bad thing about a Ford 3000. A many of us moved up from a smaller tractor some of them 8Ns to a Ford thousand series tractor. Tells us what's so bad about a 3000.

 

[Hobo,NC]

Get the 3000 the only bad about it is its 50 plus years old and some things will need attention. The Ford forum on YT is as good as it gets you will find plenty of help.

 

[Wdj]

I have Grandpa's, Dads, and Father in laws tractors. Means something to me if not to anyone else.

 

[joeysmith]

I have great grandfather's tractor he bought new.
Just an old A JD that isn't worth much but nobody could buy it

Been in the family since new.
Doing my part to keep it that way but have no real use for it

 

[Rich'sToys]

I have one of Dad's tractors and one of my Grandpa's. My son will probably end up with both of them.

 

[ss55]

I'm looking for a tractor for a 10 acre lot in Missouri with my home on it. It's mostly flat, about 60% field and 40% wooded. I expect to use it for snow, gravel driveway maintenance, mowing regularly with the occasional other projects like post hole digging, and moving material with a dirt scoop or similar attachment. I've attached images of a Ford 3000 my grandpa is selling, I know the battery needs replacing but very little beyond that. Immediate thoughts/details on the apparent condition and features of this tractor? Appreciate the help!

Before this opportunity I was planning on keeping it simple and getting an 8N as they're a bit cheaper and available in my area and seemed to have the specs I need (at least if I added a clutch to the PTO for things like a brush hog), Is the Ford 3000 a worthy upgrade, or should I keep it simple?
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Tractor Warehouse has a range of dealers selling tractors. These are asking prices, not selling prices. https://www.tractorhouse.com/listings?keywords=Ford 3000

Condition, hours and options can make a big difference in price. So can family and financial situations. If your Grandfather is a multi millionaire he might let you have it at a bargain price. If you are financially secure and your Grandfather is in need of money it would not be unheard of to give two to five times its actual value to help him out without hurting his pride. That would be worth just as much as the tractor.

 

[Welding man]

Did you make that up are did you hear it somewhere, I have never herd one bad thing about a Ford 3000. A many of us moved up from a smaller tractor some of them 8Ns to a Ford thousand series tractor. Tells us what's so bad about a 3000.

Hobo, I work on Ford tractors almost every week. We just finished a complete engine and clutch rebuild on a 3000 Diesel yesterday and will run it on the dyno today. The Diesels are a very popular tractor in my area, but the gas ones are few and far between and if you own one you can't hardly give one away. One won't even bring half of what a diesel will. No one in my area likes them. Too many distributor, carb, fuel pump and governor issues.

 

[Hobo,NC]

Hobo, I work on Ford tractors almost every week. We just finished a complete engine and clutch rebuild on a 3000 Diesel yesterday and will run it on the dyno today. The Diesels are a very popular tractor in my area, but the gas ones are few and far between and if you own one you can't hardly give one away. One won't even bring half of what a diesel will. No one in my area likes them. Too many distributor, carb, fuel pump and governor issues.

I understand what you said my point.

They are 50 plus years old all of them have issues that pop up every 50 years and that will go for any tractor. I am seeing 30 year old issues pop up on Kubota tractors does that make them bad, its mostly oil leaks that comes with age are the environment they work in. The first thing that popped up when I looked at the Pix was the dreaded Holley carb that can be replaced. I can work around the distributor. The fuel pump issue is folks hack the ell out of it when its not that bad to fix the fuel system properly and be done with it.

If a Gasser had 10 more HP are so it would be nice.

 

[showcrop]

My friend's father bought a gas 3000 new in 1970. My friend operates the farm now, and the 3000 has worked on it every year ever since. It is usually the rake tractor. A compression test could tell you a lot about the tractor's condition.

 

[Old Ford Mechanic]

Here in Alabama that would be a $3000 machine. Even being a gasoline burner it looks to be well maintained. Yes, the gasoline engine is less desirable but, one of the best utility tractors Ford built. The power steering and the nice tires would boost the price up a bit more on this one. Regular service and engine tuneups and the little Ford thousand series tractors are good machines. Most guys including me would rather have the diesel engine but, i would not run from the gasoline version. I have been wrenching on tractors for over 50 years and the thousand series Ford tractors produced 1965 and later were very good.

 

[JWA]

What area of Missouri are you in?? The 3000 was one of Fords worst tractors but better then an 8N but still not all that much better

Please qualify your statement that the 3000 is one of Fords worst tractors.

 

[47fivewindow]

My friend's father bought a gas 3000 new in 1970. My friend operates the farm now, and the 3000 has worked on it every year ever since. It is usually the rake tractor. A compression test could tell you a lot abI out the tractor's condition.

I just bought a gas 3000 in similar condition to your picture, I paid 2200.00 and the seller and I both left happy. I have a 9n and it is a chore to get it to do any real work.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

I'm looking for a tractor for a 10 acre lot in Missouri with my home on it. It's mostly flat, about 60% field and 40% wooded. I expect to use it for snow, gravel driveway maintenance, mowing regularly with the occasional other projects like post hole digging, and moving material with a dirt scoop or similar attachment. I've attached images of a Ford 3000 my grandpa is selling, I know the battery needs replacing but very little beyond that. Immediate thoughts/details on the apparent condition and features of this tractor? Appreciate the help!

Before this opportunity I was planning on keeping it simple and getting an 8N as they're a bit cheaper and available in my area and seemed to have the specs I need (at least if I added a clutch to the PTO for things like a brush hog), Is the Ford 3000 a worthy upgrade, or should I keep it simple?
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3000 gm

 

[NY 986]

Get the 3000.

 

[Texasmark]

I'm looking for a tractor for a 10 acre lot in Missouri with my home on it. It's mostly flat, about 60% field and 40% wooded. I expect to use it for snow, gravel driveway maintenance, mowing regularly with the occasional other projects like post hole digging, and moving material with a dirt scoop or similar attachment. I've attached images of a Ford 3000 my grandpa is selling, I know the battery needs replacing but very little beyond that. Immediate thoughts/details on the apparent condition and features of this tractor? Appreciate the help!

Before this opportunity I was planning on keeping it simple and getting an 8N as they're a bit cheaper and available in my area and seemed to have the specs I need (at least if I added a clutch to the PTO for things like a brush hog), Is the Ford 3000 a worthy upgrade, or should I keep it simple?
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I have had Ford 3000s for decades. I like diesels because they are just less trouble. I started with gassers until I could afford a diesel. 2700 hours on that tractor, with any kind of reasonable upkeep is fine. Power Steering is a BIG plus. Good rubber is a BIG plus. Looking at the overall condition says it was cared for. If the instrument panel doesn't work ebay has them at a good price.....surely YT sells them also but I do a lot of shopping with ebay and I just go to them first without another thought. The tractor has an 8 speed transmission which is the better tranny for this tractor. It probably has a Live transmission/clutch arrangement:

The clutch has 2 discs, one controlling the ground speed and the other the PTO. With the clutch all the way down both are disengaged. When you let the clutch out (let the pedal rise) about 1/4 the total distance, the PTO (if the lever is in the active region...lever is on the left side behind your foot...) is activated and starts spinning. As you let the clutch out more, about 3/4 the way all the way up the ground speed is engaged. This transmission is perfect for digging post holes in a straight line.

A service manual is your best friend. I and T makes one that dealers used to stock...maybe still do, and places like ebay sells used OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) Ford manuals. Usually the first thing you do is change all the fluids and check the air filter (the big black circle on the left side of the cowling) for cleanliness. I use the Motorcraft FL-1A engine oil filter and 15w-40 HD oil...both reasonably priced at Walmart. The tranny and differential use THD (tranny, hydraulic, differential) fluid. Radiator gets 50-50 mix and full is the top of the coils when the engine is cold....it will expand and fill the tank as the fluid heats up. Don't forget to get a grease gun and red grease and go over the whole tractor hitting the grease zerks , especially on the front king pins....pump grease into the zerk until you see it coming out the top of the vertical portion (kingpin) of the front end.....its adjacent to the top of the front tires where it oozes out when the pin area is full, zerk is in the middle rear of the pin.

On safety, be careful on hills if driving parallel to the hill....you don't want a tip over. Any thing you pull needs to be below the rear axle which forces the front tires down.....above the rear axle is inviting a rear up.....front tires off the ground.....unsafe!

Good luck

 

[SkipperII]

I have worked on thr Ford thousand series tractors since they were introduced. The 3000 is an excellent, general purpose tractor, They are relatively easy to work on, and parts are readily available. As others have said, I lean toward the diesel engine, but the gassers are still a good engine.

 

[sotxbill]

I'm looking for a tractor for a 10 acre lot in Missouri with my home on it. It's mostly flat, about 60% field and 40% wooded. I expect to use it for snow, gravel driveway maintenance, mowing regularly with the occasional other projects like post hole digging, and moving material with a dirt scoop or similar attachment. I've attached images of a Ford 3000 my grandpa is selling, I know the battery needs replacing but very little beyond that. Immediate thoughts/details on the apparent condition and features of this tractor? Appreciate the help!

Before this opportunity I was planning on keeping it simple and getting an 8N as they're a bit cheaper and available in my area and seemed to have the specs I need (at least if I added a clutch to the PTO for things like a brush hog), Is the Ford 3000 a worthy upgrade, or should I keep it simple?
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Def get the 3000. Leaps and bounds better tractor.. It has power steering, it has a live pto, it has live hydraulics, it has 38 hp at the pto vs 22hp on the 8n. It has 8 speed vs 4 sp on the 8n. And even worse, do NOT get a 2n or 9n as they are even worse with no position control, only draft control, so you will need stay bars or stay chains, no running boards, and only a 3 speed. And you cant give away an 8n around here unless you hang a shredder on the back, so you can sell it as a lawn mower at best for $1500 to $2200 if running perfectly. While a 30000 start at $3500 to $6500 if new paint, and do all the chores on the farm easily. Both tractors are gas and will unfortunately use alcohol laced gas which means you will have to rebuild a couple of carbs in its life to remove the goo. Remember the "n" series was design to replace the farm mule with gas powered donkey.

 

[EFV]

Tractor has a known history,in good repair with very good tires and you have an actual use for
the machine. Intrinsic value of family owned for lawn mower money. Forums available for
future repairs. We all get old and things break. Check local market and see what your
budget will allow. Buy the tractor but trust me on the sunscreen .

 

[NDIHC]

Def get the 3000. Leaps and bounds better tractor.. It has power steering, it has a live pto, it has live hydraulics, it has 38 hp at the pto vs 22hp on the 8n. It has 8 speed vs 4 sp on the 8n. And even worse, do NOT get a 2n or 9n as they are even worse with no position control, only draft control, so you will need stay bars or stay chains, no running boards, and only a 3 speed. And you cant give away an 8n around here unless you hang a shredder on the back, so you can sell it as a lawn mower at best for $1500 to $2200 if running perfectly. While a 30000 start at $3500 to $6500 if new paint, and do all the chores on the farm easily. Both tractors are gas and will unfortunately use alcohol laced gas which means you will have to rebuild a couple of carbs in its life to remove the goo. Remember the "n" series was design to replace the farm mule with gas powered donkey.

As far as gas goes, it depends where you live. I use nothing but non-ethanol gas in my small engines and old gas tractors. I know some places don't sell non-ethanol gas, but it is available in ND in both 87 and 91 octane.