1992 JCB 1550B—worth the gamble?

[CowboyGunner]

Hello I’m brand new here and have a chance to get a 1992 1550B for under 17k. It was a county vehicle or in Colorado. I’m a novice at mechanical work. Can’t afford another model and rentals for one month approach 10k.

Parts are an issue as it’s old and British. I understand that. Videos show it working great. I go tomorrow in the am to scope it out, kick the tires and look for leaks.

Any advice is welcomed. Run? Buy? Rent? I really want to do the work myself to save tens of thousands for our roads, culvert, and foundations out in Yoder, CO.

TIA.

 

[Alan]

Can't say anything too specific about these models, but I'd start with the basics. Check the color of the oil, see if there are any leaks and drive it a bit with some light load to see how it does.

Let us know how it goes and maybe we can help you out a bit more.

Welcome!

 

[270TOwner]

Welcome to the forum. As a former municipal employee for 2 cities, I can say that our equipment was well maintained and serviced per the manufacturer's schedule. It looks like $17K would be the high end for prices, so it would need to be in really good condition for me to buy it. You might contact your local JCB dealer and inquire about parts availability. The Perkins diesels were reliable engines and parts for them are available through several sources.