1953 eac mercury engine value

[cas3]

I have a running merc motor on mpls craigs list now. been on about 3 weeks. I did not say much in the add because I want to talk to the person to see what the project is, I probably have more stuff they would want. Can't put a phone # in anymore or they want to fire off 20 text messages back and forth. So, I ask them to send me a # and I'll call and tell them all about it. Even that is too much I guess. I had one guy email me asking what year it is, 8ba style merc is in the add. Then he emails back, good he wants the top dizzy, then asks if its been rebuilt. I email back if you would just send me a phone number I would call you up and tell you lots of stuff about the motor and we would not have to send one liner emails back and forth all morning. Well.I guess I'm a jerk and he has not mailed back. Why is society getting away from human speech? running motor in a test stand with a radiator, got the rear sump pan and matching bell housing, clutch, PP, flywheel, generator, merc carb and manifiold, and the 8ba manifold with a 94 on it so I could make it run, noticed johnson lifters in there when I changed the manifold, very respectable compression numbers, listed for 1200 so they can feel good by offering me 1000 which is what its worth, and nobody writes with a phone number, thats too much work

[flatford8]

At $1000 bucks each......my retirement is looking better!.....a long time poster on here had a tested block for sale for a few years....$300.....I don’t think it ever sold.....about five years ago I bought a fixable, complete (minus engine-trans) ‘46 Fordor that came with a good complete Merc engine for $550. Have a dozen or fifteen complete engines and five-eight more blocks. At this point I’ll take a chance on the free ones. I don’t see that kind of money for them ever.....Mark
PS...cas3’s engine is a different story. Running on a stand, I hope he gets someone he can have a conversation with and it makes it back into a vehicle that someone will enjoy!

[Tim Ayers]

I'm really bummed to hear this. My buddy and I will have (pending a possible pick) appropriately 15 blocks between us. We were planning on having them cleaned, mag'd, and pressure tested with documentation and then bring them to Hershey with a price of around $800-1,000 each.

The thought was no shipping, buyer has eyes on the item and we'd have documentation to prove the condition of the block would make them good sellers.

May need to change our plans after hearing some of these stories.

[flatford8]

If your customer is building a stock motor and you have a decent set of matched rods and the crank, you may find some interested parties. We all know it’s a lot of work to tear one apart and you don’t know what you’re going to have when you’re done. The running one from cas3 or one all built from Tony. Paying $1000 for an unknown lump of iron doesn’t sound like a good idea. I think the OP was right to walk…..I’m ready for Spring……how about you guys?!?!……Mark

[tubman]

Since they haven't been "mag'd, and pressure tested", you really don't know what you have yet. I, for one, would like to know, how many of the 15 turn out good.

We have an interesting conundrum here. When the O/P comes here and asks about the value of a Mercury engine, just about everyone says to reject it out of hand, because it must be cracked. Then, as the thread matured, the same crowd seems to assume that just about any flathead block is good. My experience has been that most "field find" blocks are fatally cracked, while blocks taken out of running cars and stored inside are usually good. I do know that if I were 20 years younger "cas3" would already have my money.

Perhaps that says it all. The guys that want these are "aging out" and in the process, more and more blocks will become available. "KiWinUS" has 5, Tim and his friend may have 15. I myself still have one. In 10 more years, how many of these will be back on the market, sold by family members who have no idea of their intrinsic worth. There may also be a corresponding lack of interest in flathead-powered cars and hot rods in general and the day of the good flathead block for $100 may return. If you can wait and gamble, fine. If not, you have to pay up or wait for the inevitable drop in prices. Most of us don't have time to wait.

[KiWinUS]

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Originally Posted by tubman

Since they haven't been "mag'd, and pressure tested", you really don't know what you have yet. I, for one, would like to know, how many of the 15 turn out good.

We have an interesting conundrum here. When the O/P comes here and asks about the value of a Mercury engine, just about everyone says to reject it out of hand, because it must be cracked. Then, as the thread matured, the same crowd seems to assume that just about any flathead block is good. My experience has been that most "field find" blocks are fatally cracked, while blocks taken out of running cars and stored inside are usually good. I do know that if I were 20 years younger "cas3" would already have my money.

Perhaps that says it all. The guys that want these are "aging out" and in the process, more and more blocks will become available. "KiWinUS" has 5, Tim and his friend may have 15. I myself still have one. In 10 more years, how many of these will be back on the market, sold by family members who have no idea of their intrinsic worth. There may also be a corresponding lack of interest in flathead-powered cars and hot rods in general and the day of the good flathead block for $100 may return. If you can wait and gamble, fine. If not, you have to pay up or wait for the inevitable drop in prices. Most of us don't have time to wait.

KiWinUS has way more than 5 blocks. The pic is of the next 5 in line to build. I know of approximately 300 available within 2 hours of me. I know of 250 new French available as we speak. That’s just me. That’s why I believe that good blocks aren’t worth a lot. You all know what it takes to get these apart and I doubt anyone can strip them much quicker than I. Then there’s all that associated work and test processes and procedures.
I believe location is a big factor of Price along with how patient you can be. Visual appearance means nothing or where they have been stored in my experience. The last 10 I have stripped the nicer one from inside storage were junk. The raggedy Ann’s from outside are crack free. Makes no sense.

[tubman]

The last one I sold was 7 years ago. The guy had gone through 5 engines and all of the blocks were bad and he was almost desperate. I sold it to him at what I believed the going price to be, although I could have gotten more. At 80, I am out of the active buying and selling aspect of the hobby. For all I know, the downslide has already started.

This is probably why Todd Butterworth's new flathead block project died on the vine.

Merc crankshafts are still valuable.

[KiWinUS]

Originally Posted by tubman

The last one I sold was 7 years ago. The guy had gone through 5 engines and all of the blocks were bad and he was almost desperate. I sold it to him at what I believed the going price to be, although I could have gotten more. At 80, I am out of the active buying and selling aspect of the hobby. For all I know, the downslide has already started.

This is probably why Todd Butterworth's new flathead block project died on the vine.

Merc crankshafts are still valuable.

Personally I believe location is the same for Merc crank values. I have quite a stash and I know of a bunch more. That being said the time and cost to remove plugs clean prep and grind into a stroker is expensive and the Scat route is actually a good choice price wise.

[flatford8]

My cynicism on prices could be age related, combined with the time I have to complete my plans....I have plans to be build maybe three more engines and I think I can cover that with what I have.....I think Tony is spot on with location being connected to price and availability.....but, $1000 for an unknown engine....I don’t see it......Mark

[cadillac512]

Originally Posted by flatford8

My cynicism on prices could be age related, combined with the time I have to complete my plans....I have plans to be build maybe three more engines and I think I can cover that with what I have.....I think Tony is spot on with location being connected to price and availability.....but, $1000 for an unknown engine....I don’t see it......Mark

I agree on the price ( too high) of the original poster's questionable engine. However, Cas3's Merc running on the stand with all the parts is a very good deal indeed!
Anyone in the market for a late flathead to start with should be all over that one. I don't need another one and I'm still tempted...good thing I'm in Kansas.


Terry

[Tim Ayers]

Circling back, we started collecting blocks when I had such a hard time finding a good one for my hot rod project. 5 blocks of various lineage (Merc 99A, 59AB & 8BA), it took the 5th to wind up with a 59L that was already bored 3 3/8ths and needed to go +.30" to be round again. This motor was literally given to us.

We were confident it could be punched out that far by the sonic testing results.

Anyway, the process and hassle of tracking down cores was daunting; especially with a looming deadline, so I vowed to not be in that position again.

Having more blocks available to you tilts the odds in your favor that some of them will turn out to be good. My buddy and I still have a few more engine builds left in us, so we'll use them eventually. We are both 52.

I have two Merc 99A's blocks from this process that have identical cracks at the exhaust pocket to cylinder #3. They look to be repairable, I just haven't had the time to drive them up to Albany (3 hours each way) to get them repaired.

[Merc Cruzer]

Field of dreams:

[Tim Ayers]

Am I always amazed how something like this happens. The thought process, how so many were accumulated, etc. Not sure where this is, but if it is somewhere that dips below freezing, sadly most if not all are cracked from ice damage.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by Merc Cruzer

Field of dreams:

[Merc Cruzer]

Now for the bad news. This salvage yard has been closed, since I took the pictures, and everything went to scrap. It used to be, my main supply of parts for my car.

[cadillac512]

Was it somewhere in Eastern CO? Looks like foothills in the background....


Terry

[Merc Cruzer]

Loveland, CO

[cas3]

Some junk yards store the outside motors upside down. They are usually OK when stored like that