Pricing for a rebuilt engine - been sitting for a time

ronn said:
2000. is a fair number- I sell old runners for 800.


do you want the "steal" or be fair? sounds like this motor is better then the 4k rebuilds out there now.
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Solid reasoning and more than fair as far as pricing....
Many thanks.
 
WHN said:
ronn said:
It needs to come apart!. You know that that's why you only turned it 1/2 turn. All of the exposed machined parts have rusted, unless everything was coated with steam clylinder oil, it needs to come apart.



I have a Model A that sat from the end of WWII until 1980. It started right up and still is running strong today with nothing added but a new head, rebuilt distributor, leak less water pump, clutch, pressure plate, and new timing gear. Oh! Also new Zenith carburetor.

No smoke, no knocks or valve noise, compression in mid 60’s.

It’s like going to the casino, put your money down and see what happens. You could be a winner, but you have to bet to know. With what you are saying, I would take a chance.

Good luck.
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Thanks..... I also had a Town Sedan that sat for decades and I ( then a 14 year old kid) got it running without any nightmares. The car went through 4 floods to boot!

“You pay your money and take your chances” . I hope to get back over there soon maybe tomorrow and see what he really needs for it. He bought it as a back up from a solid reputable builder. We both still have this gentleman’s engines running in our Fords. Mine has been solid since ‘78.
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ronn said:
It needs to come apart!. You know that that's why you only turned it 1/2 turn. All of the exposed machined parts have rusted, unless everything was coated with steam clylinder oil, it needs to come apart.





if thats the case, then every restored A out there that hasnt been run in 20 yrs needs to be torn apart.


I dont agree............
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✔️ :cool:
 
Dennis Pereira said:
If you have the loose change I would buy it for insurance . Its worth what ever makes you feel good . Happy Motoring
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Time to clean out the sofa for loose change maybe. It would be a valued back up engine only - on the bench again playing the same part it has been playing with the current owner. An insurance policy so to speak.....

Great pic of your A Model Ford .
 
I bought a rebabbitted and rebuilt short block engine a few years ago at a swap meet. I have not yet, but plan on pulling it apart and checking tolerances etc. Without knowing who did the work or anything else, I'd plan on checking everything before putting it in service.
 
if it is completely rebuilt including babbet that is an expensive rebuild.
but you need to know what has been done inside there. some will say rebuild and it has only seen a can of spray paint.

I'm doing mine rite now and its going to be north of $5500cnd
 
Thankfully I personally knew the builder and we are still using the engine he rebuilt for our car back in ‘78. I saw him working personally work on various engines and many times assisted in some ways. He was a true professional and a great friend/mentor.

So since I don’t need it at this point the engine would continue to sit on the stand as it has for so long. It was purchased by the present owner for a project never completed. ......
My thoughts: buy it, pull the pan and make certain all is still well (it checks out visually and also by interior scope). Then button it up and perhaps ( here is where I could use input) fill it with some fresh oil and turn it over. Keeping it wet on the interior to include the quart going s down the distributor hole for the bearings.
Good idea?
 
old ugly said:
if it is completely rebuilt including babbet that is an expensive rebuild.
but you need to know what has been done inside there. some will say rebuild and it has only seen a can of spray paint.

I'm doing mine rite now and its going to be north of $5500cnd
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Best of luck with your project. It has been decades since we rebuilt our A. I can only imagine ( and you are providing $$ monetary proof) that things have gone up considerably since the 1970’s .
All the best ✔️:cool:
 
Sorry for leaving this story for a bit but now I’m back. Sometimes life gets in the way of our A’s.
An update on the engine and it is good I believe. I was quoted a price $1500.00 and this price is very realistic compared to a one time asking price of $3900.00. I was told he offered it to others at the higher price and obviously no takers so it must be time to let it go I suppose.

I personally have been downsizing some of my goods, but this engine is different and may need to come over to my place. If I do so would it be wise to get it wet with fresh oil and leave it sealed while also turning it over as a maintenance procedure? I value your input...
My thanks in advance. ✔️🇺🇸
 
Here is an idea. It is just an idea. I occasionally see cars for sale that are in good shape but have a broken engine or a missing engine. Buy the engine and the car and put 2 and 2 together. I know you are downsizing but maybe one of the grandkids would help and end up with the car. Or sell it. I think in this case the sum total would be worth more than the parts.
 
I stored my engine (unintentionally) from 1980 when it was overhauled by a well known shop until restoration neared completion in 1998. In an enclosed residential garage. No disassembly, and it has had no issues... except

Mice got into the water jacket through the opening in the head just like yours has. The head was full of seeds and hickory nuts. It isn't just rust you need to worry about. My head had to come off and the mess got cleaned out, but I suspect some crud is still in there, it runs warmer than other As in the summer.

It isn't just corrosion and build quality you need to worry about.
 
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$1500 seems like a good deal to me too, knowing what you do about the builder. I bought a brand new engine, NOT model A, that had been sitting for 40 years in a crate. I just overfilled the crankcase with oil until it was completely full, put some lube in the cylinders, then carefully and slowly turned it over by hand until I felt it was in everything, then drained down to normal level and started. Not sure if it was necessary but made me feel better.
 
Mister Moose said:
I stored my engine (unintentionally) from 1980 when it was overhauled by a well known shop until restoration neared completion in 1998. In an enclosed residential garage. No disassembly, and it has had no issues... except

Mice got into the water jacket through the opening in the head just like yours has. The head was full of seeds and hickory nuts. It isn't just rust you need to worry about. My head had to come off and the mess got cleaned out, but I suspect some crud is still in there, it runs warmer than other As in the summer.

It isn't just corrosion and build quality you need to worry about.
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I was working on a 27 Chrysler for some people. it hadn't ran for a more than 5 years. i did all the checking and fluids and started it. i ran it for about 10 minutes, the shop was smelling like over cooked/burnt oat meal breakfast. mice had filled the muffler with seeds from the farm. the whole shop floor was covered with seeds that had sprayed out the tail pipe.
 
Offer them $500. When you need it, pull the dist and pour a quart down that hole (this takes a while). Tope off the oil (actually change it) Pull the plugss, put a tablespoon of ATF down there. Spin the starter a few reviolutions. Next day put the plus in, and the distribustor. Fire it up and enjoy it.

Don't over complicate it, just enjoy it.
 
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