RE: Engine Expert's - Need Opinion
 

Though I avoid used engines and other "partially consumed" items, I buy and sell a fair amount of NIB collectible hobby stuff on Feebay. It seems that people go through a learning curve on how to bid. Often when an item runs away in price its the result of a bid war between two inexperienced bidders with low feedback ratings who just discovered the item exists and have no idea what its value is. People with higher feedback come to realize that there is a lot more of a rare item out there and that if the price goes too high another will come along. As Feebay has grown and become more popular its growth has slowed. I don't see as much run-away bidding as I used to because there are fewer newbies. There are bargains to be found but it requires more work now sifting through areas where something you want could be mistakenly listed, searching common misspellings of manufacturers names and so forth. I don't make a living off Feebay but my hobbies are free and I enjoy the excitement. I feel because it is currently the most accessible marketplace in the world, the average Feebay price IS the market price. Everything else is an inefficient guess.

RE: Engine Expert's - Need Opinion
 

Those are some good points, CC. I remember when I first joined back in 2000 or so I was buying and selling '70s stereo equipment, stuff like Carver, Macintosh and Phase Linear, etc. I got some unbelievable deals, good enough to pay for my Cary and Decware tube gear (nothing I have is SS). I like to think there is a finite number of collectors out there and soon they will have examples of everything they want. Then, prices will begin to go down again. But, *bay is responsible for turning a lot of people into "collectors." Recently, it seems like everyone has to have a GHQ, Graupner Wankle and a Fitzpatrick to round out their collections. You can definitely track trends in engine auctions.

David

RE: Engine Expert's - Need Opinion
 

Something is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Bidding war's? Yes, it happens. There is a slow down on the end selling price of some items. I have seen the bidding frenzy, and stare in amazement of what some things go for. There are some items I win that were not as described. You are going to get some dog's once in a while, goes with the territory.

Money cannot be the issue. The availability of what you are looking for far outweigh's the cost factor. The two NOS mint SuperTigre G60 ABC Bluehead's I just purchased; if I was not an early riser, and I get up around 0400 EST, I know that they would have gone to someone else if I was sleeping. On that purchase, I was the other guy this time.
I had the same experience with other item's.

I did a lot of buying and selling of C-3 Corvette parts for a few years. I just happened to find a single lot of parts, and in the box I was looking at, was a 1978-79 NOS power antenna, in the original GM Delco box. Put it on E-Bay. Bidding frenzy? Yes, it went to $788.00 plus shipping. I paid $100.00 for that and other parts. All of us go thru this from time to time.
Sometime we win, sometime we lose.

Crank

RE: Engine Expert's - Need Opinion
 

I HAVE 2 SUPER TIGRE BLUE HEAD ENGINES. I IS NEW IN BOX THE OTHER WAS RUN ONE TIME AND RAN OFF THE RUNWAY AND CHIPED OFF THE EXHAUST. I REPLACED THE WHOLE CASE AND IT HAS NOT BEEN RUN SINCE. AROUND HERE THEY SELL FOR $100.00 to nastalga pattern flyers. when one shows up now and then. sST. LOUIS WAS A BIG SUPER TIGRE BLUE HEAD AREA BACK THEN AND ARE STILL SOUGHT AFTER. I AM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MU SUPERTIGRE 90 S. IT BUZZES LIKE AN ELECTRIC INGRAVER DOES. NEW BEARINGS DID NOT HELP. SUPER BALANCED PROPS AO ALL SIZES WERE NO HELP. I WILL NOW COMPLEATELY TEAR DOWN THIS ENGINE. AND IF I CANNOT FIX IT IT WILL BE A COLLECTOR ITEM ON SOME BODYS SHELF. I HAVE 65 YEARS MODEL ENGINE EXPERIANCE BUT NEVER INCOUNTERED ONE LIKE THIS. KEEP EM FLYING GUYS ITS A GREAT HOBBY
TRAINERMASTER 80 IN ST. LOUIS, MO