Flathead engine worth

[PhoenixFear]

Motor is a '53 Merc. Ford crankshaft, freshly magged and ground .010. Cylinder has I believe a .125 bore, just honed. Hastings rings, new rod and main bearings. Needs a valve job. Engine is disassembled right now. Just want to see how much (ballpark) this would be worth. Thanks.

[oldford2]

Well, apparently you started with a good block ($400?) and you should know the machining/parts cost to-date. ($1,500?). So, your pile of parts is worth $2,000(?). John

[Ol' Ron]

Why a Ford crankshaft? what pistons, size?

[PhoenixFear]

I have no idea why this motor was put together the way it was. The guy who did the work on the crankshaft said it was a Ford crankshaft. I'll have to get the measurements on the pistons. The engine was rebuilt, stuffed into my truck about 40 years ago, and hasn't been really ran from what I could tell. There weren't any ridges at the top of the cylinders and the crosshatch marks were still visible. I honed the cylinders to clean them up.
The valves are in good shape however it still needs a valve job. It will need a set of springs, I have a set of good used matched ones but it still needs retainers. Apparently my motor has a weird 2-piece retainer and so the springs are about 3/8" shorter than what the stock springs would be.

[37ford4dr]

i hate to be the guy giving the low estimates but unless an engine is running and you can get compression readings from it and hear and see it the value is not that much.

[flatheadz-forever]

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maybe 900 if that you can do all the tests as 37ford4dr said

[mtflat]

In all honesty to a buyer, you're selling a 53 Ford flathead, not a 53 merc - if the crank has been swapped out. That's the only significant difference between the two.

[PhoenixFear]

I believe the pistons measure 3.15".
I'm not expecting the motor to be worth much, just weighing all my options to figure out the best way to go. I'm looking at perhaps a $400 valve job, not sure if that includes the parts or not. Then need a radiator, unless I can have mine recored. $90 for each water pump, maybe less if they can be rebuilt. At this point I may as well have the engine hot tanked and magnafluxed. If the motor ran I wouldn't consider selling it, however I am trying to see what options I have, cost considered.

[ford1]

stock bore is 3 3/16, .125 over makes it 3 5/16, a 1/16 =.067. i think you read the measument wrong, who knows what crank was installed, no easy way to know with out pulling the pan or one head, 3 3/4 " stroke is ford ,4"stroke is merc, a good merc crank adds $400 to the value of the engine, good block and merc crank = $800

[PhoenixFear]

The motor is disassembled with the exception of the cam. I'll take pics later.

[cmbrucew]

1/16" = .0625

Works good
Lasts long time

[Gumpy]

ford cranks are easy to find and I could pick one up for about $200..to turn the crank would cost between 150-200...to hot tank block ,mag,hone,surface,, you may pay 300- 450...rod and main bearings may cost up to $160.....your engine block is worth 400 assumming its good and you have good rods and pistons....these prices are just estimates based on some work on a 51 merc motor i had recently worked on....I come up with a value of $1360...make an offer of $950. if the block is good just my 2 Cents==gump

[ford1]

lol your right 1/16" is .0625, i was allowing for inflation

[PhoenixFear]

I'm sure I measured wrong. I'm going to have it magged soon and the bore size checked.

[PhoenixFear]

I had a guy mag the block, it turned out fine. However the cylinders need boring. He thinks they might have a taper to them, probably from someone reaming the heck out of the ridges on the last rebuild and then honing it a lot. The pistons are stock size. I'm probably just going to keep the engine and build it. I have most of the parts for a rebuild other than the pistons and rings anyway.

[Gumpy]

I believe egge will have your pistons,,,you could lift the compression with the right set