Value of a 218 Plymouth Engine

[ChrisMinelli]

I've been looking for a running or non-running flathead 218 similar to the one in my Plymouth to just take apart and examine for educational purposes.  I haven't had any luck, with one exception.  The guy wanted $1800 for a non-running example, even though it did turn by hand.  That seemed a little steep, as it was more than half what I paid for my entire car.  Is that a normal price?  What could I expect to pay for an extra engine?  The way people on the forum talk these engines are just sitting by the side of the road free for the taking.  I have had a tough time finding anything in Central Illinois. 

[keithb7]

Lol. Sorry $1800 USD is making me chuckle here. If you keep looking and aren't in a hurry, I'd wager you can find the old flathead Mopar engine you want for between $100 and $500 US Funds. Just today I found a running 251 ci Industrial engine in a combine. Asking $675 Canadian. (About $520 US Funds) In my neck of the woods maybe the situation is different?

 

I've had numerous opportunities to buy old flat head 6 mopar engines for under $500 USD over the past 5 years. People don't realize it costs $4K USD to do a half decent overhaul. That's doing all the tear down and reassembly work at home yourself!

 

They put about 1/10th of the Mopars into the Canadian population, compared to the USA. Yet I can't complain about finding old Mopar engines. No, they aren't  on every corner but they are out there.

Edited March 19, 2021 by keithb7

[keithb7]

Just took another fresh look and found this one. Maybe I could ship you this for way less than $1800? Local to me. Asking $200 CAD. $155 US funds comes with a tranny!

 

 

Edited March 19, 2021 by keithb7

[Andydodge]

Chris......as Keith says from $100 upwards with maybe $500 being for one that should be fairly good.........do you have any old wrecking yards, farm machinery or similar places nearby?........these engines not only came in cars but trucks, airport tugs, forklifts, farm machinery and as stationary engines for power generators.................where do you live?.............andyd     

[Go Fleiter]

remember that CDN engines may be longer than US!

[Sniper]

I mentioned in another thread that I bought a core 230 to build that cost me a bit over $500 delivered to my house in west Texas from French Lake Auto in Minnesota.

 

A 218 might be worth $1800 with the donor car included and assuming the donor was good for your purposes as well.

 

A quick look at French Lake's site shows one for $225.

 

http://www.frenchlakeautoparts.com/search.htm

Edited March 19, 2021 by Sniper
link

[JBNeal]

9 hours ago, ChrisMinelli said:

... guy wanted $1800 for a non-running example, even though it did turn by hand...

that might be a good deal if there was $1500 stuffed in the oil pan...I have scanned the craigslist for a time and scored a couple of freebie 218s not running but in good shape, drove over a few big bridges and paid a couple hundo for non-running 218s and 230s + transmissions, a couple had trucks still holding onto them...had to stop looking a few years ago because my storage areas were getting cramped along with my schedule.  But I recall hauling the most when ppl were doing spring cleaning and when ppl were preparing for winter, so maybe a reasonably attainable flathead is right around the corner 

[Bob Riding]

Turner's in Fresno CA has at 3 or 4 motors. They are usually $200-300.

[knuckleharley]

12 hours ago, ChrisMinelli said:

I've been looking for a running or non-running flathead 218 similar to the one in my Plymouth to just take apart and examine for educational purposes.  I haven't had any luck, with one exception.  The guy wanted $1800 for a non-running example, even though it did turn by hand.  That seemed a little steep, as it was more than half what I paid for my entire car.  Is that a normal price?  What could I expect to pay for an extra engine?  The way people on the forum talk these engines are just sitting by the side of the road free for the taking.  I have had a tough time finding anything in Central Illinois. 

Why does it have to be a 208? Why not a 230,which is much easier to find and probably cheaper. Mechanics iz mechanics as far as taking one apart to investigate how all that stuff works. Get the basics,and the exotic and strange will become easier to comprehend.

 

Think of it as "reverse engineering" to comprehend the mysteries of flathead engines.

[PT81PlymouthPickup]

These engines come available for reasonable prices if you keep an eye out for them. I've seen some decent ones on eBay. Often, some street rodder unloading an unwanted flatty from a Mopar that's slated for a v8 transplant. I came across a brand new 230 still in crate just a couple years ago that was advertised on Craigslist. He wanted $1800 and I got it for $1500. I didn't really need it, but figured at that price it was a bargain. I'm not even positive it will fit in my 1939 PT81 pickup? Soon as the weather warms up, I'm going to take a closer look and try to figure out if it will fit into my truck without issues?

[keithb7]

@ChrisMinelliif you are still looking...I found a guy in NY state looking to give away free, a pulled engine and tranny. 
 

Zip 10927 haverstraw. NY. ‘48 Plymouth if I recall. Not sure if that’s within a reasonable area to you. If interested send me a message. 

Keith

Edited April 19, 2021 by keithb7

[knuckleharley]

This is the kind of stuff I love to see,someone helping someone else score the rare parts he needs for his car for free.

 

Pretty much every other old car/truck board on the web,the posters would find something for free,and then offer it to the needy board memeber for a personal profit.

 

For all practical purposes,this sort of thing is only seen here.

 

Good on you keithb7!

 

 

[wagoneer]

On 3/19/2021 at 9:00 AM, Sniper said:

I mentioned in another thread that I bought a core 230 to build that cost me a bit over $500 delivered to my house in west Texas from French Lake Auto in Minnesota.

 

A 218 might be worth $1800 with the donor car included and assuming the donor was good for your purposes as well.

 

A quick look at French Lake's site shows one for $225.

 

http://www.frenchlakeautoparts.com/search.htm

 

I like these guys. I just got a complete M5 transmission for $150. Super reasonably priced. You end up spending more on shipping... just by the nature of it. 

[wagoneer]

On 3/19/2021 at 1:53 PM, PT81PlymouthPickup said:

These engines come available for reasonable prices if you keep an eye out for them. I've seen some decent ones on eBay. Often, some street rodder unloading an unwanted flatty from a Mopar that's slated for a v8 transplant. I came across a brand new 230 still in crate just a couple years ago that was advertised on Craigslist. He wanted $1800 and I got it for $1500. I didn't really need it, but figured at that price it was a bargain. I'm not even positive it will fit in my 1939 PT81 pickup? Soon as the weather warms up, I'm going to take a closer look and try to figure out if it will fit into my truck without issues?

 

WOW! WOW! Could this be the last "new" "new" flathead 6? It's so shiny, and pretty. What a find! What a deal! I'm in love. If it doesn't fit your PT81, I have a B2B that will happily keep it warm at night. ?

 

 

[greg g]

Looks like one of the Israeli army rebuilts that came available as surplus a few years ago.  VPW was reselling them for a while.  Don't know how many came available as Mopar powered weapon carriers, ambulances and other equipment got obsoleted, so did their support supplies. So quite a few were on the market.

 

I have a 46 p15 numbered unit sitting under my bench.  It's a running when pulled unit with compression in the mid to high 90s, blow by unit with 78k miles if there is a need in the north east pm me.

[wagoneer]

1 hour ago, greg g said:

Looks like one of the Israeli army rebuilts that came available as surplus a few years ago.  VPW was reselling them for a while.  Don't know how many came available as Mopar powered weapon carriers, ambulances and other equipment got obsoleted, so did their support supplies. So quite a few were on the market.

 

I have a 46 p15 numbered unit sitting under my bench.  It's a running when pulled unit with compression in the mid to high 90s, blow by unit with 78k miles if there is a need in the north east pm me.

Looks brand new rather than a rebuild though. Some fascinating evolutions on it - Probably from the late mid 50s trucks.

 

Seems to have factory PCV valve, maybe factory EGR (see the pipe from exhaust back into intake where the normal manifold heat valve is located. The filter is still oil bath, but located on opposite side and connected through an interesting adapter on top of the Carter carb. That silver pipe coming out of the back of the head is maybe for a heater core?

 

@PT81PlymouthPickup Maybe you can shed some more light on this IMHO fascinating engine's origins, any serial numbers, etc?

[PT81PlymouthPickup]

14 hours ago, wagoneer said:

Looks brand new rather than a rebuild though. Some fascinating evolutions on it - Probably from the late mid 50s trucks.

 

Seems to have factory PCV valve, maybe factory EGR (see the pipe from exhaust back into intake where the normal manifold heat valve is located. The filter is still oil bath, but located on opposite side and connected through an interesting adapter on top of the Carter carb. That silver pipe coming out of the back of the head is maybe for a heater core?

 

@PT81PlymouthPickup Maybe you can shed some more light on this IMHO fascinating engine's origins, any serial numbers, etc?

Brand new military surplus built by Chrysler Corp. in the mid 1960s. Still in the crate when I bought it. I have documentation. PCV yes, but no EGR. I will be posting more about it in the future. I need to determine if it will fit in my truck without major difficulty?

[wagoneer]

5 hours ago, PT81PlymouthPickup said:

Brand new military surplus built by Chrysler Corp. in the mid 1960s. Still in the crate when I bought it. I have documentation. PCV yes, but no EGR. I will be posting more about it in the future. I need to determine if it will fit in my truck without major difficulty?

 

I have never wanted to visit an army surplus until now. A little googling and now I have to stop on my next road trip on the roadside -- http://wwiijeepparts.com/WWIIArmySurplusStores.html

 

 There must be another flathead 6 engine in a crate somewhere.... Too bad the Army never wanted to put a flathead 8 in their trucks! I wonder if your engine is still 6-volt even late into the 60s? Probably...  This is the benefit of being defecto drive train supplier for the military -- millions of parts that fit our trucks...

[knuckleharley]

Seems just like a couple of years ago there was someone selling brand-new Flathead Ford V-8's still in the crates out of France.

 

There was also another country whose name I can't think of at the moment,but think "mountains" and not one of the biggies.

 

The US Military left a LOT of suprlus stuff is storehouses all over Europe after the war ended.

[Young Ed]

2 hours ago, wagoneer said:

 

I have never wanted to visit an army surplus until now. A little googling and now I have to stop on my next road trip on the roadside -- http://wwiijeepparts.com/WWIIArmySurplusStores.html

 

 There must be another flathead 6 engine in a crate somewhere.... Too bad the Army never wanted to put a flathead 8 in their trucks! I wonder if your engine is still 6-volt even late into the 60s? Probably...  This is the benefit of being defecto drive train supplier for the military -- millions of parts that fit our trucks...

The couple military flatheads I've seen were actually 24v. Dad had one probably 25 years ago and gave all the electrics away to some one with another army truck

[Rodney_Hamon]

I rescued a p-10 and a p-20 block from a person who lost interest. They are sitting outside on a pallet with old wheel barrows over the top. I figured they were good parts sources for a flywheel or manifold/head/bolts etc. If you ever wanted to drive the “mother road” dn to NM, you could have one for free!  BTW, I also wanted to just take one apart for the experience. I always bought “short blocks” and then finished the engine myself before installing. I never rebuilt one and really would like to experience that. 

[Andydodge]

Here in Oz, the Sydney based Chrysler Restorers Club purchased the last brand new "long" 250 cube engines from Chrysler Australia in the late 70's early 80's for resale to club members adding enough to give a small profit to the club and help establish a financial base for the club, think they were sold for maybe $500 Oz and ended up in a variety of Oz mopars..from memory the purchase was for around 15 or 20 engines that were still in stock in Adelaide, home of Chrysler Australia before the Mitsubishi takeover........andyd