I have a mercury flathead V8 and I am wondering what it is worth. It's a mercury engine and it is on a '48 frame, however I dont know if that is the correct year of the engine. It isn't running and is siezed up, but was reportedly rebuilt 4 years ago. Any help would be appreciated, I figured in the 400-600 range but I really have no idea. Thanks for the help.

 

My rule of thumb
1. any engine that's not running and is seized: $50-250 (you have to figure it probably has cracks)
2. running but lots of blowby in need of overhaul $250-500 (gonna cost me another $2K)
3. running and in decent shape, compression good and even $750-1000
4. newly rebuilt verified by certified mechanic $1500-2500 (and I don't mean new rings and valves lapped by backyard mechanic - I can do that myself)

You might be better off pulling it apart - IF it has a reusable 4" crank, that alone is worth $350-400. But without measuring the stroke it could just as easily be a Ford crank worth $75.

Don't believe everything you see on ebay. There are just too many good flathead engines out there. I know some guys will disagree with that, but in some areas of the country we're still falling over them.

 

a rebuilt short block without the head's goes for 3000.00 i was just looking at one in a book where you can order them.

 

Those are for the Boydster type folks. The ones who point and pay.

Take some time, look around, and as MTFlat says, They are there.

 

If it's in your way and you want to get rid of it, I'll give you $50.00 for it sight unseen and can be there pretty quickly. Anything more than that will depend on verfiied condition. As stated above, do not believe what you read on ebay and do not belive that the engine was rebuilt recently and now it is siezed. I must have looked at a dozen "recently rebuilt" or "rebuilt before it was pulled" engines. Of that dozen I only purchased one and that was for $50.00. IT has two cracks and was not rebuilt. I know because it has 1/4" thick 1950 oil smeg/sludge in the tray between the two cylinder banks.

The owners of the others I looked at would
1) not pull heads and would not drop the price
2) pull the heads, find the block was cracked and not drop the price
3) not pull the heads and not drop the price
4) see #1 and #3

Again, if you want it out of your way, I'll give you $50.00. If you pull the heads and the block is not cracked, I will up it to $100.00 - $150.00 depending on how nasty it is.