Well I didn't get a bounce from this post, but now that I've used the tractor for about a month I am able to form an opinion and thought I'd share it for those that may have an interest in a C series JD.
The first thing that I noticed right off was everything is easily accessable. There are large body panels that come right off and working on this machine is a pure pleasure. Nothing is hidden and all zerks are right there. This is the first tractor I've owned that looks like it was designed with the mechanic in mind. All fluid changes are made easy. like the design engineers actually figured out that somebody was going to actually do maintenence and made dipsticks, filters, drain plugs easy to reach.
The hydraulics and Torque converter are smooth and overall power from the 70hp 4 cyl diesel is plenty. My machine came with a 1.25 yard 4 in 1 Gannon front bucket, I removed it and replaced it with the 7/8 yd fixed bucket, both are factory. I never did like 4 in 1's anyways, but the real reason was I felt it was too heavy for the machine. I also have a Gannon 3 pt hitch and 6 way BB that I'm going to sell, while the backhoe comes off it just looks like too much trouble to be swaping.
I got an education in backhoe buckets. It came with a 12" and I was looking for a JD 24" and having a hard time finding one until I realized that the connecting arms on the dipper boom can be reversed to accept a Case or Cat pin on bucket. Fact is, there are several combinations of linkage so almost any backhoe bucket will work. That made life sooo much easier and I found a nice used 24" Case bucket for $300 that works perfectly.
I've put ~50 hrs on the tractor so far and really like it, fact is being a Case man, had I known JD was so good I'd probably have got one sooner, they really are nice tractors. I paid $16,500 plus the $300 for the extra bucket. That sounds like a lot for a '88 machine, but condition is a big factor and this particular tractor was/is pristene.
My only complaint is trying to condition my brain to work the 2 stick JD backhoe controls, man I tell ya getting off a Case and never running a JD its like learning all over again. I could litterally pick up eggs with a Case or Cat but man I'm dangerous on this thing! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
