Cast Iron Motor stand (value ? )

[Indian Group Leader]

It looks as if your stand has been painted numerous times. My vote would be to strip and paint, but that is up to the current owner. As far a value, it depends upon who is involved. A friend of my in the boating and outboard business since he was a little boy gave me one of those stands last year. Every so often, there is one on eBay of 3 or 4 hundred dollars. So, what are they worth? The usual answer is, "they are only worth what someone is willing to pay for them". It is not an exact science and there are no books in which to look up an answer. I usually suggest to eBay sellers to put a price that they think is acceptable and then add the "make an offer" button. Then, you may learn what the market will bare without giving it away.

[bookfuzz]

Thanks
I’ve seen those too.
This one seems to be a generic without the evn. elto name on it.
I may just keep it but I don’t tend to keep things for long. I like to make them pretty and sell them most of the time.
BUT.. I did just get a 1965 Light Twin in 9.5 out of 10 condition that I may just display it on.
Only seen one other nicer vintage original motor in all my lifetime. A "sunset" super silent 6 in museum quality at an auction.

[Mumbles]

These stands should be coming down in price as I believe someone (no names) is making copies of them. 😕

[PM T2]

They are being (or have been) reproduced by more than one person.

Wayne Schoepke was selling repops cast in iron at the Tomahawk meet last summer, he was getting $150 US for them, and they are real good copies. I bought one and I’m real happy with it.

I also bought one from BJ Pawlaczyk several years ago, he had them cast in aluminum, so much lighter in weight, but plenty strong enough to hold a rowboat motor. BJ has also repopped the cast iron Bendix motor stands of the late 1930’s.

So yes, the old cast iron motor stands are bring reproduced, some use iron to make them, others use lighter alloys. And as they make more of them, it makes sense that the repro prices would/should stabilize and plateau, or even drop some, at least to a certain extent. Having said that, the originals will still draw better money than the repops for the simple reason they are the factory issue. And although the copies are pretty damn good for the most part, there are some obvious differences from the factory originals that the experienced eye will notice right away.

The hole I’ll poke in the price coming down theory is that collectors will still pay premium prices for the factory original, they are not making any more of those, and supply is limited. The factory cast iron Mercury stands have a way of defying logic when it comes to sales prices, especially if they have the caster rail included. There must be some gold in that thar cast iron based on some of the prices I’ve seen on some of those suckers. But I digress……

To put it another way "original is original, and repro is repro, and ne’er the twain shall meet".

Hope this helps.

Best,
PM T2

He's livin' in his own private Idaho..... I hope to go out quietly in my sleep, like my grand-dad did..... and not screaming, like the passengers in his car...

[brook-n]

My observations In regards to the color is the earlier ones were black and the later ones were blue. At least based on the 8 that I have.

Respectfully

[bookfuzz]

Thanks very much.
In looking at the stand it looks like the original may have been Evinrude blue on the top area and maybe some red lower down. The gray defiantly looks like it’s covering some other brighter colors.
I would doubt the brighter colors I see peeking through were re-paints simply because they look like higher quality color.
I may just strip it a layer at a time to get the full picture just for shits and giggles.
BTW
Just sold my 1965 light twin. cleanest one I’ve ever seen. Bright and clean original. One scratch.
Got it for $80 sold for $300
never seen a better one.

Thanks
Phil

[bookfuzz]

BTW
I am the second owner of the stand.
Belonged to this guy’s Great grandfather. Came with a nice 1959 Fast twin 18 hp
Im sure its not a copy

[garry-in-michigan]

I believe they went to blue in 1946. Some for the Bureau of Ships during WW2 were white (green primer when you get down to it) . . . 😀

[49hiawatha]

A copy (repop) is worth NO MORE than an original,structure sound and messed up paint/decals. A repop is NEVER original. Just like what are our "frankenstein" running motors worth.

[bookfuzz]

Thanks Garry. That sounds right for the time line and what I’m seeing.
Defiantly green primer.

[Author]

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