July/August 2003
Glenn Karch
Discussion comes up regularly about gas engine prices and how
they've changed over the years. With that in mind, I pulled
together records of my 30 years of purchases of Hercules-built
engines, including prices paid and comments about individual
engines.
In February 2003 I started tracking asking prices, sale prices
and comments relative to Hercules and related engines from
GEM and Internet sources. That list, when done, will
reflect the current market.
Date
Brand & HP
Price
Comments
February 1973
ARCO 2 GH
$10
Cart, well worn, magneto damaged
August 1973
Hercules 1-1/2 E
$50
Complete, loose, good condition
November 1973
Economy 1 -3/4 S
$25
Complete, loose, excellent
December 1973
Thermoil 6 U
Trade
Complete, well worn
January 1974
Economy 2-1/2 E
$50
Complete, loose, governor broke
April 1974
Economy 1-1/2 JK
$6
Complete, crack in hopper
August 1974
Hercules 3 E
$15
Complete, loose, small flywheels
October 1974
Hercules 1-1/2 E
$5
Complete, rusted, stuck, parts
October 1974
Hercules 1-1/2 E
$5
Complete, rusted, stuck, parts
January 1975
Hercules 3 EK
$50
Changed from TG to H&M
March 1976
ARCO 2 GH
$20
Complete, nice, stuck
April 1976
Hercules 5 E
$30
Complete, rusted, stuck
May 1976
Economy 1-3/4 S
Trade
Nice, original
June 1976
Economy 2-1/2 E
Trade
Nice, original
October 1977
Hercules 1-3/4 S
$110
Nice, was grandpa's engine
November 1977
Hercules 1-1/2 E
$70
Nice, complete, original
November 1977
Hercules 1-1/2 E
$100
Complete, loose
October 1978
Economy 3 H
$75
Complete, stuck
April 1979
Economy 2-1/2 E
$20
Stuck, no magneto
November 1980
Jaeger 3-1/2 S
$50