I am currently sorting through my entire inventory of engine and gearbox stock with a view to reducing the amount I am holding...That includes a number of pairs of WDM20 crankcases (and others)...
Most of this stuff is still in 'as purchased' condition and requires varying amounts of work to bring it up to scratch.
That of course takes time and in some cases money for helicoils etc.
So, the question I have to answer is which ones warrant this and which ones don't...
Casings come into three categories..very good ones which just need stripping, cleaning, deburring, checking over, blasting and having some of the fixed fittings replaced to be ready for disposal.. not so good ones that require additional work to repair damage but ultimately will be properly repaired, blasted and ready to use...and sad cases which might have to be scrapped ultimately.
So, my question is this...If you were buying cases as described in categories one and two above, for your own use, how much would you think is a reasonable price?...This determines how much it is worth doing to them and whether I should just sell them as they are and let someone else prepare them for use..Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
Ian, as you know, I'm not in the market for M20 parts but from a rivet-counter's point of view, I'd rather have a set which needed work from the correct year or better still, contract, than maybe some from four years earlier or later in perfect condition.
Bearing in mind your reputation and that I am always happy to support providers of reliable services, I would prefer to choose a pair, with an honest appraisal of what needed doing and then commission you to do that. I'd warrant that few people would happily pay say £300 for crankcases, even if they'd had four or five hours and some materials put into them to make them usable but a set of cases for £100 needing work is a different proposition.
You run the risk with this that some will choose to do the work themselves...so sting them with high postage costs !
I find most people prefer to have parts that are ready to fit..and really I'd rather provide them like that as I rarely sell anything that is not a serviceable part. Also, with a few sets of cases there are some date choices and some people don't mind a mismatch...In fact in the case of WD bikes a mismatch is more common than not I would say...
With this posting the question I am asking is what an individual would honestly and realistically think is a reasonable price to pay for a good set of M20 crankcases that are ready to use with cam spindles, intermediate gear spindle, cam followers and guides and the various studs etc. fitted..I am not putting a figure on them myself at all at the moment...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
I'll have a look tomorrow Henk...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
I would like them to be XB31 9075 or closest I can get
email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl
Did you buy the engine from e bay Henk?....Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
Old M20 cases were everywhere once but are now getting hard to find a good spare pair,just like gearboxes that were only £25 a piece now command a good price for a good box.Also crankcases dont wear out thru normal use its only ham fisted mechanics!! that wreck them.I would say a decent price to pay would be around £100 mark if in good used nick with all the spindles/followers and good threads.I have a selection of M20 engines that have been unused for years and covered in road dirt/oil I did strip one out last year as I needed a few parts and found internally it was in excellent condition and just really needed strip and clean then careful reassembling.These (dirty) engines are the best finds as they have been untouched for years and are likely to have survived better than basket cases or autojumble parts that have been played with.Henk I did have several old xb yb31 engines/parts but sold them to a mate 20 odd years ago for £70 
he still has them stashed untouched since I sold them to him,I have recently been trying to buy them back as I could now use them.. if successful I,ll mail you... Dave
You BSA owners are lucky with the prices of gearboxes......as the Norton ones are abnormally priced at the moment because all of these suddenly seems suitable for Brough Superiors....
Regards,
Sven
email (option): snvosselman@gmail.com
Hi Sven..Later Swinging arm BSA parts suffer a bit like that...it's all Gold Star or Rocket Gold Star...I said to a guy with a set of engine plates at a jumble once that he should put the price up as the maroon Gold Star parts are pretty rare...
...Henk, I have one pair of XB31 crankcases..XB31 17**.....Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
Surprisingly few responses...However, I put a very good set of BB31 crankcases on e bay (they are often used to make Goldie 'lookalikes' with a big fin top end, for road and race use) and they made £235, with a nice set of cam followers etc. fitted...Next, when they are ready, I'll put a good set of the WD cases on and I'll find out what they will fetch..A lot less for sure..Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
It may be Ian, that quite a few of the guys on the site, I am one of them, have no real idea of what these things are worth/ or cost (that can be different) as they have yet to be in the position of having to go hunting for one out of need. I dont study 'the form' of parts prices as a matter of routine in the way some owners do so I'm not in a position to say from an informed position I think I would pay 'xyz'. I could be offering too little, and have you think 'what the hell is he on..' or I could be suggesting too much and then those in the know think 'what a clown/sucker..he's pushing the price up' Best of luck with your quest.
email (option): cruiserchooser@hotmail.co.uk
Hi Ian
As we are on the subject of crank cases I've got a question rather than an answer.
I have a spare set of B31 cases and the exhaust tappet guide is a “sliding fit” i.e. the thread in the case is knackered 
. Any ideas how to repair this? I don’t think I’ve seen a Helicoil that big in Halfords.
Cheers
Pete
I have concluded that e bay (sadly perhaps) is the best place to sell things..If you sell at a jumble there is the chance you will mark the item too cheaply at the outset if you are unsure of values...and whatever price you put on it most buyers will expect you to 'knock it down' a bit...If you put it on ebay it will realise the best price for that day...If you are selling something people actually want prices achieved generally are reasonable and on the right day, with the right bidders it has that potential to get a high price..This year I will be attending Stafford Classic Bike Show but I haven't got a stall..Doing the sums it is actually cheaper (and easier) to pay the ebay sale costs and at Stafford, whether it's good, bad or indifferent the cost still has to be paid. I like jumbling but in the medium to long term I can't see any future in it for the smaller dealers like me, as the costs for the major shows escalate every year..both the stall cost and the diesel to get there and back..Currently it costs about £400 to do Stafford....Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
Yes Ian it's sad but true, and £400 cost to regain is a lot of parts to give away before you start earning anything
Also for the buyer ebay is easier than autojumbles, It cost me £50 fuel to go to Stafford, £10 entrance, and I bought some foot pegs for £40 = £100 for the foot pegs..! and I had to search high and low for them, but it was nice to see a few faces and have a social day.
You are less likely to get a bargain on ebay unless you spot an item that is listed wrong or badly, but when you work it out, paying a bit more for the item saves on fuel etc. It is a shame if ebay kills these events though 
email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk
It is Mortons that is killing Stafford from my point of view...My stall cost has doubled in just a few years (I'm sure the Government said we had low inflation? )....I'll be at Netley Marsh in September though...Mortons are struggling a bit with that one and the stalls are still reasonable...and to be honest I'll pay a certain amount just to enjoy the atmosphere and meet up with a few of the 'faces'.... ....Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com