Repair or scrap an engine?

Each to their own. I've brought all sorts of stuff back from the dead and spent much more than it's "worth" to do it, purely because it's enjoyable to do so.
"value" is a lot more to me than what the thing might fetch on ebay if I were ever to sell it...
cheers
Jules

Reading the post on another group about magneto rewinds prompted some thoughts. While I cannot add a great deal to the magneto discussion, I do find the question of engine value v rebuild cost interesting. Should we be prepared to spend a considerable proportion of an engine's current value on rebuilding it? As one poster put it, "keeping a £100 pound machine going by spending £100". Are we trully commited to preserving our engineering heritage? How much influence does money have on our decisions? Should we preserve our engines without reference to their market value or scrap them when the cost of repairs exceeds what we could sell them for? I realise the answer isn't an easy one as part of the decision to scrap is to actually dismantle an engine for parts to keep others working. However, the world is then short of one engine.
John
My view is I don't rebuild an engine to make money at a later date, I tend to keep all of my engines, as for breaking one to save another I don't have a problem with this as long as the one being broken is beyond economic repair but carries useful parts. I will say though that my money pot is very shallow so there is a limit to what I will spend and that includes paint :-))
Martin P

My Douglas SV54 is actually the remains of 2 engines. The original crank had been ruined by a restorer who omitted the oil dipper. A very tatty one picked up at a show provided a new bottom end and the result is a nice example of the breed. The SV54 is not a particularly sought after engine, they date from the mid 1950s. There are quite a few sitting under benches in pieces but a good reliable working one is rather a rarity.
One day it might be worth money but that is not the point. A piece of Bristol heritage lives on.

So your decision to break an engine is based on how much some one else will pay for it.
If your funds are that tight Martin, I will send you a brush, a tin of paint and some pills for Christmas. The brush goes in the paint. The paint then goes on the engine. The pills are for your allergy to the first two :-)
John

Please point out where I implied that I seem to have missed that one, re the last comment TITTER TITTER.
Martin P

My background and experience is more in the realm of the Classic car (ill-health now directing me to the more easily accesible stationary engine). I, together with many others have always approached the restoration of a classic vehicle with the concept that I will enjoy restoring it and using it once it is restored, and when the money runs out, restoration will have to stop. On the other hand, along the way I have found various associated ways of "making a few quid" which has been plowed back into my restoration projects. However when I have had to sell a car, if I have "made money" on it I consider it a bonus which will help another restoration. If I lose money (as I am sure will happen on the next car which I need to sell) I just have to accept that as a fact of life. I have taken exactly the same approach to my stationary engines (solving one of the cash-flow problems by persuading my wife to buy me one as a birthday present). I bought a little Douglas single cylinder engine some ten years ago at an autojumble for a fiver. I knew nothing about it and it is only in the last year or so that I started to pay it any attention. It appears that it is a VS25 which hardly anyone seems to have heard of, let alone seen. I have gained so much enjoyment ion the process of researching this engine and consequently setting up a website for Douglas engine enthusiasts, that I feel I now owe it to that engine to restore it to its former glory, which I fully intend to do, although it may take a lot longer than I would like as I am more akin to the tortoise than the hare nowadays.
Peter Chadbund Douglas VS25 &SV??
Reading the post on another group about magneto rewinds prompted some thoughts. While I cannot add a great deal to the magneto discussion, I do find the question of engine value v rebuild cost interesting. Should we be prepared to spend a considerable proportion of an engine's current value on rebuilding it? As one poster put it, "keeping a £100 pound machine going by spending £100". Are we trully commited to preserving our engineering heritage? How much influence does money have on our decisions? Should we preserve our engines without reference to their market value or scrap them when the cost of repairs exceeds what we could sell them for? I realise the answer isn't an easy one as part of the decision to scrap is to actually dismantle an engine for parts to keep others working. However, the world is then short of one engine.
John

Whilst painting is a personal choice, there is little doubt that an engine left visually in original condition will fetch more. John Despite your many words on the subject I suspect we are not all quite clear on your approach ;-) Perhaps its more than mere words can express and maybe you might consider buying a worthy subject and showing step by step the process of its restoration. I'm sure it would be worthy of publication within SEM.
regards Roland

It never crossed my mind to consider what it is costing me to fix an engine. The ABC WW1 generator & engine are a good example. It belonged to a Pete James in the 1970's & he was probably the one that had various bits stripped, ground & DHC plated before regrinding to size - there's commitment for you!
I have spent well over £300 already & there's more to do yet by way of having an exhaust system fabricated etc. and making anew a replica of the control box that was originally fitted above the dynamo. OK, it's rare, but it will never make its money back - although it might be one of those that raises my kid's eybrows at the auction that will follow my demise!