Continental Aircraft engine ? Whats it worth???

[BigAl]

Ok . So a friend comes in the cafe and says do i want a aircraft engine ? My years perk up . Its a 4 cyl continetal about 60 hp . The guy who owned it died and the guy who has it store away for years wants his garage back . its going to be listed for sale locally soon . He knows it is worth something and so do I . He also has an old single ski Snow mobile hidden in the juck .
Any ideal what it is worth as a rebuilder? I think I can get it very cheap ??

 

[Snowtrac Nome]

i would be hard pressed to try to give a good running alpine away around here but some folks that need one for work will give a good sum of money for one. my guess if it's not a runner it would be worth $150.00 as for the engine it would have a core value but with out the paper work it won't be worth as much. if it runs it may be worth more to an airboat person.

 

[Snowtrac Nome]

a buddy of mine said if it were compleate with mags and it will run the experimental aircraft crowd could pay up to 3 grand for it. but for it to be used in a certified aircraft it would take an overhaul and likely a talk with the faa to recreate a log record for it.

 

[JimVT]

did you buy them?

 

[BigAl]

did you buy them?

No, not yet . Still thinkin about it . It is mine for $400. but it is buyer beware . The guy owns a lot of nice stuff and I think he knows exactly what it is worth . I suspect it may be a lemon .

 

[Snowtrac Nome]

Allen My contact on that engine said it wont last long on an airboat the mains arn't desighned tp push, this maybe why your buddy wants to get rid of it worn out on an airboat

 

[alaska120]

My 10 cents...
My guess is it is an old A-65. I don't recall them ever making a 60 horse. How old? I would say pre-WWII. After the war they had the C-75, C-85, and C-90. Each named for the ponies they made. Also, very limited parts, use a small 25 A generator for accessories, no electric start and not designed be run 'backwards' primarily due to the cooling design.
These were used in lots of aerospace ground equipment as well to run compressors and other aircraft support equipment.
As for the value? Might be worth the parts. The crankshafts and crank cases are very hard to find. It would be good to find out somehow what kind of time is on it and where it came from. If it is from an airplane, and you could get the N number or serial number, you could do a little research from old FAA records and get a good idea.
If it was mine, and it was all there (mags, carb, kidney tank, generator) I would put $1,000 on it and see what happened.

 

[old yeller]

Have a look at it if it has all the parts and was tucked away in a dry place with inhibiting oil (good luck with that) $400 is a steal. Do a little research I think you would be surprised.

 

[BigAl]

Have a look at it if it has all the parts and was tucked away in a dry place with inhibiting oil (good luck with that) $400 is a steal. Do a little research I think you would be surprised.

There is something not right here . The guy that has it is a motorhead . The motor has a bunch of reduction gear boxes on the back . I do not think it is an aircraft motor . I think this guy is looking for a sucker to bite on it . I passed .

 

[old yeller]

There is something not right here . The guy that has it is a motorhead . The motor has a bunch of reduction gear boxes on the back . I do not think it is an aircraft motor . I think this guy is looking for a sucker to bite on it . I passed .

I've been an Aircraft mechanic since 1976. Seen lots of little engines so here is what to look for. Is there a data plate on the top side between two of the cylinders ? might be just 4 little holes or rivets where the data plate used to be. If it's gone is a pig in a poke. The engine to a homebuilder if it is complete regardless of what is bolted on it as a core before overhaul is worth about 3 to 5 thousand. If the mags are on it that's a biggy. Updraft carb on it ?? See it really don't matter because most wanting to put it in their homebuilt should overhaul anyway. Give you a little story to make you think. I worked with an old fella whom passed away some years back and his family where cleaning out the house. He had a 6 cylinder Lycoming 540 in his basement for many years. His son took it to the curb and it went we think to a local scapper. The core alone was worth 12G. So it would have had some other parts on it. I was sick when told about it by his daughter and did not have the heart to tell what they had done.