Potential Sale: 1937 complete V-12 engine (without transmission) running car

[Ty]

Hello,
I am considering selling my complete '37 Cadillac V-12 engine (without transmission) in a few days. The engine runs very well but I have an opportunity to purchase a new engine from an estate sale. I will be glad to send photos if interested. I would like to know the value of this good complete running V-12 engine. Also, if interested please let me know what you are willing to pay for it. I live in Annapolis, Maryland and would welcome your looking and running the engine before it is taken out of the car.
Thank you,
Ty Stinson
CLC22330

[Mike Lepak 17679]

Ty,
For what it is worth please consider this:  If your 37 is a correct numbers matching the build ticket car, changing the engine will
greatly reduce its current and future value. Switching any V12 or V16 is vastly different than putting a 350 crate engine in place
of a say 283 chev etc.  Since all build tickets printed by Cadillac in the early years used the engine number as the VIN you would
be altering the identity of your car. 
If you are still wanting to do the switch, I would highly recommend keeping the original aluminum crankcase with the original
numbers and then the next owners wont spend the rest of their lives hunting for it.
All this being said, in the event the current engine in your car is not the original, then I will quote Lily Tomlin by saying"nevermind"
 Regards Mike

[Stinson]

Thank you Mike, I understand what you are saying,
I know there are several of you out there owning 1937 V-12 engines. I hope you can suggest an average Ball Park value for my engine. I need to know. I understand the reluctance to suggest a value not having seen this engine run; and I know CLC's concerns regarding removing the original V-12 and replacing it with another. However, I can not affort to pay for the "over restoration" to bring my current engine to the level of the one I can replace it with. I certainly can't keep them both, but I can keep one of them in a Cadillac.
Many thanks,
Ty Stinson
CLC22330

[Roger H]

Hi TY

How did you run accross a New v12? is it actually brand new? not rebuilt?
What a great find.

Roger

[Ty]

Hello Roger,
It is from an estate sale. A wealthy man had spent $29,000 restoring this engine. It looks like it was just put together at the factory with all new parts and is mounted on its own roll away. The current parts dealer wanted $15,000 for it when I was there last Sunday, but called me back and offered it to me for $11,000 if his deal goes through on another car he wants to purchase this week.
From all the comments I have received, advising me to consider keeping my engine in my car, I am considering purchasing it and putting the complete engine in my car, but using my original block. If I don't get the opportunity to buy the new engine then I will still want to rebuild mine.
Hope all is going well with your restoration,
Ty Stinson
CLC22330

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Ty,
With all due respects, pulling a motor that supposedly cost 29K to build and put together and reassembling the parts using your crankcase and what ever numbered castings required does not seem to make sense.  Probably at least 3/4 of that "29K" went into the labor for the project.

If you motor runs as well as stated and has no obvious defects, I have a hard time seeing the advantage of changing it.  But then It's not my wallet in play.
Greg

[Stinson]

Hello Greg,
Seems that a lot of people will be upset if I take the engine out of my car, and put the new one in it. I had thought of just exchanging all the parts into my original block to keep the peace. I am also considered keeping my original engine on a rack in the garage for the future purchaser of the car. This would be the better way of having a great engine in my car for the drive to California from Maryland. If I restore my engine it couldl cost the same money, but I would then have only one engine and no spare parts. These engines are getting very rare, and if the engine is in fact still offered to me this week for $11,000 I will purchase it.
Thank you for your comments,
Ty Stinson
CLC22330

[David King (kz78hy)]

Ty

Getting both would be best if storage space and funds allow.  Can't have to many spare parts.  Why do all cars nuts think that way, I know at least I'm affected.

David

[Don Rundgren #25135]

Ty,

It's your car and you have stated many times you want it to be a driver. If you can afford to get the second engine go for it and do what you want. But....If you decide not to buy it, give me that guy's number!!

[Stinson]

Hello Don,
Thank you. I should make the deal today. Will let you know if it falls through.
Ty

[Jim Stamper]

Hello Ty;

     I was just wondering what happened to the original car the new engine was destined for.     Jim

[Stinson]

Ty,

It's your car and you have stated many times you want it to be a driver. If you can afford to get the second engine go for it and do what you want. But....If you decide not to buy it, give me that guy's number!!

Good luck guys it is now on e-bay starting for $20,000. He kicked out my final offer this morning of $12,300.
Ty Stinson

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

Ty,
Can you post a link?
Bob

[Otto Skorzeny]

Thar she blows!


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1932-1937-CADILLAC-V12-REBUILT-ENGINE-DOCUMENTED_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem439e0da9a9QQitemZ290414504361QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories


Do you the story of this engine? Why isn't it in the car it goes with? Is it a mechanic's lien sort of thing where the owner flaked out on the rebuild cost?

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

THanks for the link Forrest.
I'm unimpressed with what I see. I expected a 110 % show detail that ran the bill up high. NO WAY could you put 15K in that motor.
Bob

[Otto Skorzeny]

I thought the same thing. Unless those are the before pictures I think Ty dodged a bullet. It's a sign from above, Ty - leave your existing, fine-running engine in its place and enjoy it.

[TJ Hopland]

How long ago was that rebuild and where has it been stored since?  For a 15K rebuild I would expect some more time spent on cosmetics.

[Otto Skorzeny]

Yah, when was that rebuild, 1938?

[Stinson]

You guys are now coming out of the woodwork. Where were you when I needed you, ha, ha. The story I got was that a wealthy man had three Cadillacs in various stages of restoration. A chasse was completed and an engine had been completed and a body was in great shape. The engine had been restored for $29,000 (a very high over kill but that the man wanted it perfect). Then I was told that it was $19,000, $16,000, and apparently around $15,000 today on E-bay. Whatever, when I looked at it in NY, Long Island last Sunday it was offered to me for $15,000 and I turned it down. Then I was offered it for $11,000 if a purchase of a LaSalle went through. Then last night we agreed to $12,300 cash if I purchased a starter and a transmission to go with the engine. However that depended on a partner agreeing to selling the package for $12,300. As you can see, it is now on e-bay starting for $20,000. I am pissed for a lack of a good word because they did not even tell me that they had just put it on E-bay, would not accept my money, and I feel I have been jerked around. However, for those of you interested in the engine, I can tell you that those V-12 carbs on E-bay came off that engine, and you can see the condition. Those photos on E-bay do not do the engine justice. Those photos came out of the folder in various stages of restoration. The ones that appear finished I believe are the engine prior to restoration. I think this is true because when I saw the engine last week it is mounted on a stand with wheels and there is no flaw to the paint as I remember it. I should just keep this to myself and maybe the engine will come back to me ha, ha. (Brought this forward from CLC General Discussion)
Good luck,
Ty Stinson

[Fred Zwicker #23106]

I don't have any interest in this engine, but based on my experience, when things get this complicated or when someone starts jerking me around, I know what to do (leave).  Thank you for bringing all of this to our attention, so that anyone interested can hopefully figure out how to make his or her decision.   

A couple of years ago, I was very much interested in making a purchase of an antique car and was close to making a final decision. having corresponded with the seller and receiving many pictures by email. I was making travel arrangements for mid-week when the car suddenly appeared on eBay with a "Buy it Now" price that was slightly above the seller's asking price to me.  I wish the seller had mentioned that he was going to do so - possibly he thought I was a tire kicker, but I was not.  However, once I saw the car on eBay, I lost interest, as certainly did not want to make travel arrangements with the possibility that the car would be sold on eBay in the middle of my trip. 

Fred