21 Stud Complete Motor - How Much?

PeterC

PeterC

Well-known member
[FONT=arial,helvetica,verdana]Would appreciate your thoughts here - I just pulled from an my original 35 Ford Coupe a 21 stud Ford Flathead motor complete from air cleaner to oil pan that was re-manufactured and installed in the late 70's - has a re-manufactured tag and number on it. It appears to have only a few hundred miles of use before it was properly stored. It runs perfectly and even the clutch and pressure plate are as new (marked re-manufactured as well). It has cast iron heads (not aluminum) with original starter, gen, fan, carb, ignition, exhaust manifolds etc. I may consider selling it as I have a high performance flathead to install and the $ would be helpful to offset cost of the new motor. I am uncertain as to what the value might be. I am familiar with willing seller/will buyer, what the market will bear, etc. Any thoughts on a range of value might be is appreciated. Thanks in advance for your comments.:)
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I would guess in the $1000. to $2000. range. You could try higher but without documentation that all this work has been done and only a few hundred miles put on since, it's might be a stretch.JMHO
 
Peter here's what I would do. Remove the spark plugs, replace the oil with Castrol 20/50 and install a mechanical oil pressure gauge where the oil sender is. With a parts cleaning syphon gun spray Marvel Mystery oil down both sides of the carb with the plates open in all the cylinders and up the exhaust ports if the exhaust manifold is off. It isn't nessessary if they are still on. Let it sit over night, turn the engine and spray it again with the cylinders in a differant position. Let it sit for a day or so. This will lubricate the valves and free the rings. Put a rag over the plug holes and spin the starter with 12 volts just enough to blow the excess oil out. Spin the engine with 12 VOLTS and take a compression test of each cylinder and check the oil pressure. If you get 35 plus oil pressure and over 75 lbs compression on all cylinders you should have a good running engine. If the pressure is low come back and I'll tell you how to get it up in most engines. This assures the buyer of no major problems and the engine wil be one he could use as it is. The only questionable thing would be a cracked block or head gasket. This could be pressure tested but if there is no water in the oil which would be on the bottom of the oil in the pan and come out as soon as you crack the drain plug or no rust in a cylinder which would have stuck that piston I would take a chance on buying it. I would say $1,500.00 would be in the range if it's good. I sold an 8BA recently that that was running good 15 years ago when I pulled it. I checked it as describe and found 3 slightly stuck valves which the MMO freed up without removing the heads. I sold it with the understanding if it had any major block problem I would return all but $500.00. It worked out good and the buyer is satisfied. G.M.
 
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If your block is a 45, it is worth much less than a 36 which looks just like it because 35's have poured mains and may not have a internal breather in the valve valley. $500 would be a good price to a knowledgeable buyer. You may sell it for more to someone who does not know the difference.
 
Thanks GM - as you know the engine in question is mine own engine - it runs perfect and was in the 35 Coupe in my Avatar picture. It starts and stops as it should - runs smooth, silent and strong and no question re condition - was just curious for range of price if I were to sell it. Many thanks for your good advice / response.
 
To build an engine like that today, I believe you are talking at least 4 to 5k and that would be with you doing all the work that you can do and farming out things you can't do, maybe like all the machining, etc. I know someone who just paid over 10k to have his 21 studder completely rebuilt, with him doing none of the work. Having said all that, if I were buying your engine I would be thinking somewhere in the $1000 to $2000 range and that would be with some sort of guarantee from you that it would be good for some amount of miles without me having to do a complete tear down to check everything out myself. JMO, JM
 
Peter the problem is when a lot of people sell things they don't yell "rotten fish" and some exagerate "a little" when describing the item. Some parts you can look at and see the condition but an engine might not be what you see. Doing a simple test as I described gives the buyer a good idea of what he don't see. It also gives you a good insight into what you are selling knowing it isn't going to be problems between buyer and seller. Once set up the buyer can see the test results and be willing to pay a little more knowing he isn't buying a questionable engine. Just my experiance and opinion. G.M.
 
A guy from Utah on here with a running '51 8BA wants $1,000. Watch his video.
http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=230&highlight=running+engine
I don't get why good flatheads aren't worth more. They'll go down and give $3,500 or $4,500 for a crate motor for their Muatang, but won't give scrap price for a good flathead. Just because they gave $300 for one 30 or 40 years ago shouldn't apply - our $ is only one tenth what it was then. I've got a NOS 59A engine in cosmoline, and a guy offered to buy it for $500. I told him it was FREE - just give me $5 a week for storage... since 1938. theBoB
 
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