Tired Race Prep'd Kent Engine Market?

Question: Is there need for race prepared but tired used Kent engines? The engine came as a spare in 1991 with my RF85 VD.

The seller indicated that it was running but needing refreshing. It appears to be a Loyning from 1988 per stampings in the head and block and then refreshed at least once by Butler.

Currently the spare engine is listed as part of a package with the car.

http://apexspeed.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65222

I'm considering listing it separately but have no idea of market value other than Pegasus prices for new stock and prepared parts are $$$$.

Thanks!

Dick
Raleigh, NC

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It has value.. not as a spare probably, but as a core to rebuild.

It would need a new crank, as it probably doesn't have the newer SCCA crank, along with a host of other goodies that folks have learned along the way.

I'd say it is worth $2-2,500, then needs $4-5k of rebuild at a reputable shop.

Dam, I recently sold an old Stimola motor I found in a storage container at a tag sale for less then half that. And it was complete with carb, intake, linkage, oil pump, clutch, etc. Oh and valve cover with Stimola plate on it.

Oh well.

Ed

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Originally Posted by mike g.

It has value.. not as a spare probably, but as a core to rebuild.

It would need a new crank, as it probably doesn't have the newer SCCA crank, along with a host of other goodies that folks have learned along the way.

I'd say it is worth $2-2,500, then needs $4-5k of rebuild at a reputable shop.

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Thanks!

Described engine with open "metal crate/frame" shown in pictures now for sale for $2000. Pick up in Raleigh, NC. "

I guess I should actually list it in the Classified section and revise the ad for the car. However, until I do the ad and price for the car with spares, engine, and trailer still stands. :D

Dick

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Originally Posted by EACIII

Dam, I recently sold an old Stimola motor I found in a storage container at a tag sale for less then half that. And it was complete with carb, intake, linkage, oil pump, clutch, etc. Oh and valve cover with Stimola plate on it.

Oh well.

Ed

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Ed, I would have paid good money for the valve cover with Joe's sticker on it. Anybody else out there with one, contact me.

I do have this one in my collection!

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Originally Posted by Jeff Jagusch

I do have this one in my collection!

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If you ever want to part with it,........:D

I'd say it is worth very little unfortunately. It is really an unknown. Most likely a core at this point.

National guys don't need Kents anymore (Honda). Maybe a regional or local club guy who builds his own engines would be interested.

Hate to be the bad news guy, but if it needs a refresh, and is from that "era" it likely doesn't have any of the updated parts (steel crank, forged pistons, etc). Maybe $1500 if you are lucky.

Top national Fords are not worth anything anymore, maybe $5k for a fresh ready to go National Ford, and $7-8 for a mythical super strong engine. If someone is planning on sending this to a builder, it is likely only worth the block, rods, rockers, push rods, and head if the head is a good BLC iron head, otherwise they would want an AL head anyway.

Cliff Johnson sold his two great, fresh, Farley engines for about $6k each I think.

At this point it's a block that may or may not be usable (need to measure bore and deck height), an oil pump that may or may not be usable, a set of rods that may need rebuilding, and the various covers, push rods, timing chain pulleys and such that everyone seems to have drawers full of (I did until I moved and threw them all out). The head is a crap-shoot as to what power it can make, grinders have found a lot of power in the past 25 years, and it probably needs a valve job, valves and springs.

And a nice valve cover sticker!

My bid would be around $500, less if it actually doesn't have an oil pan, which it might not since it was for a RF85 and they use a special oil pan.

Brian

Thanks guys. I suspected the $2K to $2.5K number was a bit high. ;)

That said this engine probably is in decent "core race engine" condition compared to a total unknown.

The engine was running when the car's previous owner replaced it with the even older 1985 Ivey which had also been freshened last by Butler. The Ivey engine in the car has been freshened 3 times since by Dennis Shaw with no new bottom end parts (the car has only been used for autocross since 1992 so "fresh" lasts a long time).

Dick

Funny stories - back before the new cast steel cranks came into being there was a shortage of cranks, so I went to our local crank grinder and asked what he had. I bought three or four cranks for $100 each, all mag'ed and ground undersize, and ready to go, and stuck them on my shelf. Couple years later the cast steel cranks came in, and a decade after that I threw those ground down, unknown history old street cranks out to the recycler. When blocks got scarce and people were looking for old Fiestas I got a couple of old engines (I still have one complete yank-out engine in my junk pile) and I had some blocks. Lo and behold the new Ford Motorsport blocks came out and used blocks were dock anchors. I threw them out too. Old stuff just isn't worth anything after someone builds new ones again. No real engine builder is going to put $10K into a mystery mileage old used block that needs sleeving and might crack the center main on the dyno when for less money than the machine shop will charge he has a new block with subtle strengthening and decades more modern casting technology. About the only things that are really usable in a modern context are the push-rods (I never heard of a push rod wearing out), the front and rear covers, the dry sump pan and maybe the oil pump.

Brian

Over here in the UK many of the top engines still have old spec cranks and blocks. Prepped well they are still OK.

I'll take it for $750 if you throw in delivery.

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Originally Posted by Hawke

I'll take it for $750 if you throw in delivery.

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:p assuming you mean to Australia. :D

Correct. Looks like a good deal for me.

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Originally Posted by Hawke

Correct. Looks like a good deal for me.

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Thanks. Too bad shipping is probably mega $$$$.

Vintage types stateside would be interested...perhaps. :o

Yes, this would have some value in the vintage market. We still run the old motors. Just dropped over $5k on a rebuild last winter. Worth it. The motor is really strong.

Thanks for the vintage suggestions. My engine builder (Dennis Shaw) also suggested this and I just spoke with a local vintage prep shop Apex Vintage who is going to email some customers. A relatively local sale obviously has advantages.

Thanks,

Dick

RF-85 VD (for sale)