Technical 8BA Flathead

What should I expect to pay for a complete running one?

 

I paid 800 for mine

 

I've never really looked for one, is $800 a middle of the road price or on the low end? I've found one a guy wants $900 for

 

Paid $100 for one two years ago.

 

Here's a picture of it, it is missing the carb.

 

$1100 today. It's supposedly rebuilt and was removed from a '34 truck several years ago. The guy who had it kept it covered and periodically squirted oil in the plug holes and turned it over.

 

U need to hear it fun don't trust it I saw mine run frist before I bought this was about 2 years ago

 

Hear it run? Never mind oil pressure...Temp? Radiator hooked up? How long did it crank? Listen for starter variance...Why? Low compression in some cylinders...
I have to laugh at the guys that hear something start cold, run for 30 seconds, and hand over $1K+/- cash. Use your 'noodle'. Run it for awhile. If there's no water present for the cooling system, how will you know it doesn't have a cracked block?
Oil pressure may drop, under 10 PSI after 1 minute is food for thought...ESPECIALLY pre- '49 engines with full floating con rod brgs.
But you knew that...

 

Atwater Mike has some excellent points. And when you have one set up to check out those things, expect to pay more as it's known to be good.

I see rotating engines going for $200 to $1,000.00 and you can't let them run long (if at all). So you roll the dice.....

I just paid way too much for a complete, rotating '38 engine. I've got to get it hooked up and I'll let you know how the dice landed ;~)

 

More than the carb missing,..... pump and pump stand , generator, bellhousing and starter and starter plate, which are all parts you need to make a 8BA run. Look at the fairly complete motor Tweed deluxe posted... and decide if you can find and afford to add the missing parts to make it run..... Has it got water pumps and front pulley?
For his extra 200 bucks he also got a floor change, open drive truck gearbox and a clutch.that's a lot of stuff to buy .

 

This is why I purchased this engine. It's fairly complete like you said. Not to mention all the fastners are there too. I also have the air cleaner assembly and bracket for the cross shaft(I think that's what it's called). I found the guy who owned it trust worthy and he bought it to bolt it in just like I do. His project just never came to fruition. Hopefully it works out as planned. The trans gives me some options since I already have a '39 top loader.

 

At the very least you need a compression check. I've seen flatheads that start up and sound great with two cylinders having less than 65lbs pressure.

 

i paid $350 for one that was supposed to of been rebuilt, I pulled the bearing caps, needs rebuild. I bought another for $800 supposedly ran perfect. he also stated he put oil in plug holes to keep it free. i pulled heads and found oil was put in to free it up. had to bore and complete rebuild got back $350 from him. with my experience around here I would always try to get at $500 or below and figure for complete rebuild. I would never pay more unless I saw it run for awhile with all gauges.

 

Thanks guys, I think I'm going to pass on this one and try to find something local. I really wasn't even looking for a flathead but a friend showed me this one on Knoxville CL and he was going up there today to pick up some parts and offered to grab it while he was there.

 

I gave 400 for mine a few years ago and pulled it out of the rig it was in where it still had the cooling system hooked up and full of clear antifreeze.

 

thing to remember too is with buying flatheads it is always a gamble whether or not the block has cracks.