tjohnson Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 I recently came across,( what seems to be complete), continental 7R engine. The grill shell says Sayer and Scovill. There is a date code stamped on the front of the block 12 9 24 . It has a Stromberg updraft carburetor and gen and distributor.This is a little out of my wheelhouse and not exactly sure if I should pick it up or not. The engine is stuck. Any feedback would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 If reasonably price to your situation, I would grab it without a doubt. Looks very complete and very fancy with plating and aluminum parts. Even in the worst case, it would make for a nice painted up display engine that people would bring to an old farm engine show. Is the radiator and shell the one it had, or something swapped? BUY it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjohnson Posted July 13, 2016 Author Share Posted July 13, 2016 Yes it is what came with it. It looks like somebody took the front half of the frame , the engine and transmission and used it on an irrigation well. This was pretty common practice 50-60 years ago in the in this area. Any idea how much would be too much to pay it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 1 hour ago, tjohnson said: Any idea how much would be too much to pay it. That is a tough question. As you probably have seen in your own area, a guy spends way too much for a running Model A Ford that looks shabby....but he likes it so much he is thrilled with the price. I have no idea how much is too much, and I don't know if "too much" is for you to want to keep it, or does "too much" change if you want to resell it. Hope you know how that affects an estimate. I don't want any more projects...but to give you a starting point? If you lived near here, I would pay you 500-600. Maybe I'm the only one who would, and maybe it could sell to another nut like me, for a lot more. We certainly will never see another powerplant exactly as cool as that one and still has radiator, frame cradle and even some cool hood hooks. If you are near Ct, and want to flip it, I was not joking on buying it ...but I don't need it LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud Tierney Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 (edited) Can't comment on value Condition could be anything from simply taken out of service as replaced by more modern engine or half the rods wrapped around the crankshaft Sayers & Scoville AKA S&S built funeral vehicles--Oops: cars and trucks, too (learn something new every day!)... The 7R was a quite popular engine, listed in probably 30 makes (cars and trucks) in a list from only two or three old engine parts catalogs, used circa 1919-25, altho .apparently often superceded by the 8R (often listed, under the make, as "78-8R".). Familiar, well known names are Auburn, Case, Elcar, Jordan, Lexington, Moon, Scripps-Booth, Velie...but without production numbers cannot tell how many actually installed; also complicated by fact that old parts catalogs do not always agree on engine/s installed. If you consider pulling plug to try to rotate by hand be gentle; you don't want to twist off distributor drive or things like that..... OOPS---typo---that should've said listed as "7R-8R".. Sheesh--Senior moments---should've suggested also posting on Cont'l Engine forum here and other old car/trk forums, maybe get some replies from interested parties, get an idea if worth picking up or just passing info on.... Edited July 13, 2016 by Bud Tierney Add info (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 20 minutes ago, Bud Tierney said: If you consider pulling plug to try to rotate by hand be gentle; you don't want to twist off distributor drive or things like that..... I second that. The last Continental I had was a small 1925 4 cyl in a Star car. It was not stuck, but the car came up for sale because it stopped running while on a city street. The potmetal distributor drive crumbled apart. What a great motor that was. other things are easily broken on stuck engines; I had a 1918 Studebaker that an elderly friend who knows old junk very well, tried to free up. He broke several cam followers which he had his machinist son, make new ones. But he never installed them. I bought it, and the motor tuned fine, I put the followers in, etc, got it to run but no oil pressure. I never run them for more than a moment, so no harm. I ended up pulling the oil pump off the backside of the block to find that he snapped two teeth off one gear. I made a new gear from a modern spur gear and it was fine. (he pump had one gear that had rusted stuck) I love working on old stuff, but certainly it is a gamble as to how many things could be stuck. I'd pull the head first, because it is too nice to ruin by forcing anything. If the bores looked reasonable, and some hope of getting the pistons freed up, I might try turning it. But I'd be testing all the valves with a prybar first. Then you really need to drop the oil pan. If it sat since 1950 like my former 1920 Reo did, the oil turned into some sort of gel, thick as peanut butter. Keep updating on it, if you have time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud Tierney Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 I can never seem to remember these things while typing... On shaft drive water pump/gen etc engines that're "stuck', don't overlook the obvious... We bought (50 yrs ago) a 29 Graham that'd sat so long the tires'd rotted and wheels sank into ground (San B'dno, Cal)--stuck tight--poured in kero till ran out exhaust, let sit couple days--stuck--couple weeks--stuck. Then noticed very small bit of movement--turned out,-it was the rusted shaft driven water pump that was stuck; engine was fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 You can always offer the going rate of Scrap and tell them it would get a good home. Some folks just want to see stuff get saved. I worked on a Velie or two back in the day that used that engine. So Cars and trucks that used that engine are out there. Dandy Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cahartley Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 If anyone is interested there are the specs >>> http://classiccardatabase.com/specs.php?series=2474&year=1920&model=1341 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjohnson Posted July 14, 2016 Author Share Posted July 14, 2016 Sorry F@J I am in NE. Thank you all for your input, I will see if I can get it bought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Roj Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 I have a use for it if you don't want it, I'm not that far from you and would gladly pick it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjohnson Posted July 14, 2016 Author Share Posted July 14, 2016 Let me check on it and make sure they will sell it. It actually belongs to the brother of the guy that showed it to me. If you want to call me and discuss price my number is (308)-440-2947 Thanks Travis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capngrog Posted July 16, 2016 Share Posted July 16, 2016 On 7/13/2016 at 1:36 PM, tjohnson said: Yes it is what came with it. It looks like somebody took the front half of the frame , the engine and transmission and used it on an irrigation well. This was pretty common practice 50-60 years ago in the in this area. Any idea how much would be too much to pay it. It would be nice if we knew where everyone was located. I wonder why folks don't post their locations, but I guess that's a subject for another thread. That engine is certainly cool looking, and hopefully, it will be saved from the scrap heap. Cheers, Grog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lynn Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 Hello from New Zealand. This is long shot request , however , does anyone know what has happened to this engine and/or does anyone have one of these engines as spare parts , as I am needing some parts for a Continental 7R engine rebuild I am completing for the restoration on my 1920 Davis Phaeton Tourer . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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