Help deciding on family tractor

[3020G]

My grandpa had a 3020 gas that he bought a few years old. It was the only tractor he kept when he quit farming and sold off the farm and equipment. I used to ride with him after that plowing tobacco and such. The tractor has sat outside the majority of its life. It has a crappy rattle can paint job. That s half peeled off. The hood has a nice dent in the front. Air cleaner is all wrapped up in a trash bag because the bowl broke. None of the gauges work. None of the lights work. 3pt adjustments are all froze up and possibly the cable. Both side tins are gone and the Spears that day John Deere. It needs brakes, ($800+ for only labor) he ran it that way for a several years. I couldn t tell you the last time the oil was changed, air filter, etc any maintenance was done. I can try to help get pictures to upload.

It is a
1968 John Deere 3020 gas
Syncro
1 remote
16.9x38 tires that were new 10 years ago but have set out
5600 hours on meter but probably closer to 6,000
Wide front

I was wanting some help and opinions on if this tractor is to far gone to bother buying. Or if I should buy it, and at what cost. I have many memories with him on it but I feel it would take atlesst $2,000 to get it to be useable. I need to purchase a tractor to help with my small farm instead of borrowing equipment. Work full time and try to get 100 acres tillable taken care of on weekends and nights. I was originally looking for something 100HP+ and didn t need work..

If anyone has any advice I would be all ears..hate to let it go but I think it is maybe in my best interest to save the serial number and keep track of who buys it..

 

[Dean]

That would be a labor of love.

Certainly not a cost effective project, regardless of acreage.

Dean

 

[NY 986]

For some people grandpa's tractor remains lost such as it is with my maternal grandfather's 3010 diesel. I'd buy the tractor with the understanding to make it appear in very
good condition never mind Expo quality will run several thousand dollars. You don't have to do it all at once and you could sell it if you change your mind about it and not be
out a lot of non-recoverable money. Get it mechanically good first then worry about cosmetics. If money is no object then have at it. If you need 100 HP now and can't
afford the 3020 as a luxury then pass on the 3020 and don't feel bad about it.

 

[fastfarmall]

I agree Dean ! It wouldn't be a very good farming tractor,being it's a gas!

 

[jeffcat]

Just remember....if it's gone...it gone! Get it home and at least park it under
some kind of cover. Slowly start to gather up some of the parts and pieces you
will need and remember it will be a labor of love. If it is not trashed
mechanicaly you will be WAY ahead of the game. Cosmetic and paint can wait.

 

[Bruce from Can.]

I guess if you want buy it. That being said, no gas
tractor would be my choice to run a farm with 100
acres.

 

[2510Paul]

You're vacillating between "Granpa" and Business.

Most of what you comment on is cosmetic in my mind. The real question is was the maintenance so bad the tractor needs major engine an/or transmission/Hydraulics attention. Are your skills up to evaluating current condition or do you need to have a professional do it? Are your skills up to doing most of the work on this tractor?

Who is competing for this tractor, auction, relative, private buyer? I assume estate settlement is at the root of this. If you can buy it cheap buy it and call it "Grandpa's tractor and then go look for a diesel tractor to support your business. Put the 3020 on a different path for restoration timing and money wise.

Regarding the importance of "Grandpa's tractor", only you can answer that. Hopefully you can get it inside to slow further deterioration.

Regarding your business, a two SCV, diesel, wide front that is clearly "serviceable" to your business would be a better choice in my mind.

Just my thoughts. Good Luck.

Paul

 

[3020G]

(quoted from post at 18:16:54 06/22/19) You're vacillating between "Granpa" and Business.

Most of what you comment on is cosmetic in my mind. The real question is was the maintenance so bad the tractor needs major engine an/or transmission/Hydraulics attention. Are your skills up to evaluating current condition or do you need to have a professional do it? Are your skills up to doing most of the work on this tractor?

Who is competing for this tractor, auction, relative, private buyer? I assume estate settlement is at the root of this. If you can buy it cheap buy it and call it "Grandpa's tractor and then go look for a diesel tractor to support your business. Put the 3020 on a different path for restoration timing and money wise.

Regarding the importance of "Grandpa's tractor", only you can answer that. Hopefully you can get it inside to slow further deterioration.

Regarding your business, a two SCV, diesel, wide front that is clearly "serviceable" to your business would be a better choice in my mind.

Just my thoughts. Good Luck.

Paul

Thank you for your input. I can do it with time and I do have a barn space rented where my combine will be parked with extra room so that part will be taken care of. I would have to do some hard penciling with the spouse to see if we can afford to buy them both and back burner the 3020 until funds are sufficient.

I don t quite know what I m competing with. Everything goes to probate in 6-8 weeks and we ll see from there. But I needed to hear your comments. I am/was trying to mix them together.

 

[SDE]

I am well over $2000 on a 9n Ford. It isn't about the money. It is my girlfriend's Great grandfather's tractor that had only been off the farm for one day of its existence. It probably wasn't a tractor that should have been restored, but the restoration itself is a source of satisfaction.
My uncle tried to get his Dad's tractor back from a person, who was letting it rot outside. After my uncle had cancer, it was offered to him. He knew that he would not be able to restore it. My Aunt told him to get it anyway. That is why I have it now and it is a source of pride for the entire family. Now try to put a price on that. For some people, it will always be about the dollar. Are you one of those? That is the real question you need to ask yourself.

 

[DeltaRed]

Buy it! It's grandpa's tractor. Once you let it go,it's gone,just like grandpa. You don't have to 'restore' it all at once. Take your time.Enjoy it. Think of grandpa. He will be there with you,sitting on the fender.Buy a bigger diesel for your farm. You will always find small light jobs for the 3020.And frequently a second tractor is needed.Buy it and don't look back.

 

[JD720]

I really think a tractor like that in this day is better left where it is. I will never understand why people put sentimental value into a machine. You will end up spending 2-3 times the actual cash value of that tractor in it and still have a tractor that's not practical to use You will always have the memories let someone else waste their money if they want to throw it away. I see people doing this all the time with old cars, trucks, tractors but it still makes no sense to me like my grandpa always told me it s just throwing good money at bad.

 

[tomstractorsandtoys]

I would buy it as it should not be worth big money in the shape it is in. I have 4 3020's here on the farm and some get used every day of the year. Only one is a gas but it still is handy for chores. I have the 4020 my Dad bought new and wish I could buy the 190XT Allis my Grandfather bought new. I know where it is but it was bought by a man that worked for our family that was later killed in an accident and is now owned by his brother. So it is a family tractor to them now. In the 100hp range in Deere tractors a 4230 is the most tractor for the money. Late model 4020's sell for more and lack many of the updates the 4230's have like wet clutch and other updates.Just park the 3020 untill you have the money to get it going. Shop for used parts and gather up what you can for it. With a Deere service book, some tools and some advice from this forum you could redo the brakes yourself. First makes sure it even needs them. Good luck and post back if you get it. Tom

 

[David G]

Cash wise you are ahead to leave it, just figure all the dollars are for sentimental value.

 

[pinball]

I have to disagree. properly maintained it will do a great job taking care if your farm and your grandpa will be helping you all the way for sure.

 

[Tractorcedric]

I have one side tin for ya if ya do wind up with. Many ways to look at. It was Grandpa's, I bet you would enjoy bringing it back to it's glory and learn a lot along the way. I have twenty old tractors and sure don't need that many. Only a couple would sell for more than I have spent to repair them. Today I used three of them, so they can earn there place. Being gas hurts it's value, but it should be easy to start in the winter.

 

[tomNE]

wave good bye! lots better tractors available for the kind of money it will take to make it a halfa** tractor.

 

[3020G]

I tried uploading pictures. These are a few years old but nothing has changed to my knowledge. Just sat out and ran once or twice a year.

 

[Bob]

I don't see where you stated the price you have to pay to keep it in the family, or did I miss that?

If you treasure the memories of your Grandfather and the tractor, and you can keep it for a price that's at all reasonable, BY ALL MEANS DO IT! You can sort through the issues one at a time, as time and $$$ permit.

Most of the issues you mentioned are cosmetic and/or can by dealt with reasonably with used parts or aftermarket parts.

The brake issue may be a bit more serious.

A "brake problem" could be as simple as the brake valve needing an overhaul, or as serious as the brake pads have lost their linings and the brakes have gone "metal-to-metal", which would leave the entire transmission, final drives, and the hydraulic system full of brake debris and metal filings.

What do you know about what the brakes need?

 

[showcrop]

I think that it should be an easy decision, by simply doing your research and evaluation, factoring in the sentimental value, then setting a price limit and sticking to it.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

Looks pretty good to me, weights too.Guess the deciding factor for me would be how much you have to pay for it to start with,the things you mentioned are about what you expect to deal with on just about any older tractor you will find.At least you'll know what its one needs upfront.I'd work on buying it myself.

 

[4wdtom]

If you decide to get it I would change ALL the fluids and make sure it parked under cover from now on. This will keep it from getting worse while you get to it and maybe
use it some.

 

[Northvale PA]

When I first started out, buying anything more than $500 seemed like way too much because there was
zero cash flow and everything to buy. Once you get financial things going well, you should have more
flexibility for these type purchases. I passed on a few tractors and pieces of equipment at auctions I was
not there for. I probably should have bought them and resold them as they really were good deals.
Opportunity does knock but not always at the exact right time.

 

[Grandpa's Fords]

From Northvale,
"Opportunity does knock but not always at the exact right time."
Reminds of a saying heard many years ago that really applies to me.

My ship came in but I was at the airport waiting for a plane.

Sentiment has to play some roll in the decision, I would only hope that this 3020 can be gotten somewhat reasonably, I have 3 of my now deceased FIL's tractors that didn't look as good a the one pictured.
There used to be a running 8n,2n or 9n within a stonesthrow in any direction. As they've slowly settled into the soil or been scrapped last I knew our 8n is one of 2 still running within 15 miles. Our 860 has become a novelty someone's always asking about it not familiar with the old models forgotten technoligies. And everyone loves the Farmall H because they remember their grandfather running them, or like me running one on my uncles farm for haying.
In this area 3020's then 4020's became iconic, small farms upgraded in the late 60's and good JD dealer at the time put many in the field. A lot of these are still here as well many 1066 Internationals.
If you can swing it and feel you have skills and determination for a project go for it. My sentimentality stems from these old girls help to feed and cloth me and I enjoy visiting with others that can remember when Grandpa was running it or maybe when you learned to drive it.
I may not count on it for my 100 acres but if it falls in the budget and you can afford it why not.
Coincidentally yesterday visited with a cousin whom I've been distanced from for several years. He asked if i wanted a 1969 580 case backhoe that I was with my uncle to buy. It was the first real machine I ever ran. I used this machine to help build my first house and used it in my construction business for several years. I'm in the process of cleaning up the scrap iron on our property and I'm going drag this home! Starts, runs, hydraulics all work. Tires shot been beat up pretty good. He said come and get it. Won't be restored but will be fixed. I do have work for it.
I'm lucky grandfather's, father, uncles and others taught me to fix things. What better way to honor them.
My young grandchildren cans still see and run the tractors and equipment that their Great Great Grandfather, Great Grandfather, Grandfather, uncles and their father have used. They remember their Great Grandfather as he was the real tractor man. He lived long enough to give them rides and lot's of memories.

 

[Leroy]

Family tractor means something and if you like it that means something as well. And it should handle that 100 acres very well. I see no reason for a hundred horse tractor on that many acres. And myself I would be glad it was a gas tractor, want nothing to do with a diesel. So if you like it then try to get it. Me I do not like them and would not want one around, that goes for any of the Deeres of that age or newer. So First question is do you like it. Have had about a dozen family tractors that I would have liked to be able to keep but just could not do it. So far I have been able to hang on to the 44 2N Ford Dad bought new in May of 44 and that tractor farmed that many acres.

 

[Grandpa's Fords]

I should rephrase;
I may not [u:7dc9e1cde6]count on[/u:7dc9e1cde6] it for my 100 acres (until I made sure it was mechanically sound)
I agree Leroy we've been maintaining road and doing some haying on 120 acres with our largest tractor being an 860 Ford.
You are right to say don't get the thing if you don't like it!
Gas tractors are definitely easier to deal with if one doesn't have any diesel experience. At 100 horse, power should be not much of an issue. Although I do like my newer diesel tractor's fuel use in comparison to the 860. She can burn a lot a gas in a day.
We also have a 800 diesel that needs an injection pump, I can clean and replace a lot of fuel screens, carburetors, set and clean points for the price of that pump.

 

[2 9600]

I would buy it even though as bruce said ,I would not want a gasser for any real work

 

[The Famous Grouse]

(quoted from post at 18:16:54 06/22/19) You're vacillating between "Granpa" and Business.

Nailed it.

If you try to mix hobby tractor restoration and business, you're going to go broke and cause yourself lots of frustration and misery.

Grandpa's ol 3020 is a hobby and a restoration project. Anything can be done with enough time and money as far as hobby restorations.

Farming 100 acres is business. The most valuable commodity in business is time. Especially trying to do it as a second full time job, you can't afford the TIME that old Deere will cost you.

It sounds like grandpa beat that Deere like a rented mule and didn't maintain anything.

If you try to use that thing as a production tractor, you will in short order discover everything that wasn't maintained, was wore out and not replaced, or was rigging-job fixed just to make it work for a couple of more hours. Every time you NEED that tractor to work because yo're trying to get 30 more acres planted before a big rain chases you out of the field for 3 days, that thing is going to go belly up on you as you discover yet another thing that was wore out.

Buy a tractor that has been properly maintained and is capeable of doing what you need it to do the minute it rolls tires on your farm.

Grandpa's Deere is a hobby project. Buy it if you can afford it, but don't mix business and pleasure or you'll have neithter.


Grouse