MTFCA Forum

What is an original 1920 frame worth? The frame is straight but has a small bulge in the middle of the right side.

Is a complete, but rusty frozen engine worth anything? By complete I mean: engine, manifolds, carb, starter, generator, fan, timer and even a {coil box(in really bad condition)}

Running board brackets? Which style? What about the spare tire and battery brackets? Fender brackets?
Location makes a big difference. Some parts of the country have lots of frames, other areas seem to have nothing within hundreds of miles. I would imagine in this case it would be near Napa in Califunny?
Frame should be worth somewhere between twenty and a hundred dollars depending on real condition, more if all the brackets are on it and good.

Stuck engines are tough. I have had some given to me. The sad fact is they can be a killer to get apart, and then may need expensive machine work to rebuild. Sometimes, they come apart easy and have the nicest parts inside! Someone that has been through several of them can get a "feel" for them.
The year of the engine is very important. Earlier engines are worth more, the earlier they are, the higher the price! Starter/generator era engines are near the bottom value-wise, but if they have the starter and generator along with a few other external pieces, those may be worth nearly as much as the rest of the engine. The transmission and the drums might be the most valuable parts. But they cannot be adequately assessed without almost fully disassembling the whole thing. And that could take a couple full days if it doesn't want to cooperate.
If it looks pretty good? It might be worth a couple hundred. If not so good? Maybe fifty bucks, or even less.

It isn't all about the money here. It would be nice if all the people interested in preserving these cars all had deep pockets and could offer high prices just to preserve things. However, most hobbyists struggle with dwindling discretionary income. An engine really isn't worth all that much as scrap metal, unless the state is using taxpayer's dollars to subsidize the scrap metal industry and collection.

Is this something you want to sell? Or looking to buy? Either way, you should first assess just what is there. Determine if the engine is just a commonplace year, or something that may be worth much more? If looking to buy? What are your plans for it? Might make a big difference in deciding what it should be worth.

Good luck!

Wayne covered the subject pretty well. Getting pictures of it out there in ads or on forums like this is the best way of finding someone interested in it. Putting $100 or best offer or more or less depending on how bad you want to get rid of it. Or maybe just make offer. There will be someone who would like to have it but finding them is a problem. Also, those most likely to enjoy it may not have the funds to pay much. Many of us have things we would like to get rid of but the items aren't that valuable these days. Pictures would show if there is anything special or of great value and we may be able to help here in that way if we can see it.
Rich

100.00 for the chassis if the spark plugs were still in it and the oil filler cap was on it. Yes I know it’s probably gotten water in it but if the plugs were out of it 50.00 at the most.

Usually parting out something is worth more than the whole. All depends on the condition and part. For example the frame with a bulge is of no interest, a front or rear cross member in decent condition may be worth something. You would get a better answer if you included pictures

I have a 1914-16 frame that had the opposite of a bulge - it apparently had been bumped in at one place on the side rail. I know a '14-16 frame is worth a bit more making it worthy of a repair if possible, but it was pretty easy to fix. Rich C.