Auction Update

[rarefish383]

Hey guys, I haven't been by much lately. With most auctions being "on line only" it's taken all the fun out of auctioning. I did go to a live auction a couple weeks ago and picked up an Echo 285 EVL and a Homelite 340, for $3 each. Both start on prime. Some one pinched my USB cable so I can't post pics till I get another one.

BUT, yesterday I went over my friends house, and Frank, his 91 year old land lord, sold me this mystery saw for $100. Well, I know what it is, but I want to see if you guys know what it is. I was able to load a video on youtube and I can post it here. Frank said he bought the saw in the 70's for a project, and it was so heavy he never used it much, and bought new saws that were easier to use all day. One of his "new" saws is an 029. Anyway, this saw has sat for the best part of 50 years. Got home and put a squirt of fuel in the carb and it fired. Filled the tank and it fired and ran. I'm a happy camper. Actually, I'm an EXSTATIC CAMPER. This may be my chainsaw find of my life.
youtu.be/GA15bEyw7t8

[blythkd]

That is a unique one. I had to research it to figure it out. I won't blow it yet though. Wait and see if anyone knows what it is without looking.

Looks like a pretty cool saw.

[ronaldt]

I believe that's a Sachs dolmar with a rotary (wankel) engine. I'm not sure of the model number, KS something? We had a 1971 Arctic Cat snowmobile with a 303 wankel engine when we were kids. It sure has a unique sound.

[bobby167]

Looks like you hit the jackpot. If I remember correctly, in the 70's or 80's they made this type engine for automobiles. Sounds great & in good shape for a saw over 50 years old. Great score!

[w30bob]

KMS-4 I'd guess. Wow, what a unique piece of machinery!!! I work with rotary engines at work, and with Sachs........that is one awesome saw. Now I have to go find me one!!! Thanks for posting that!!!!

Here's the manual for it!

www.ebay.com/itm/185512476875?hash=item2b3167c0cb:g:FV8AAOSw4cdi3Zr5


;O)
bob

PS.....if you're ever tempted to take it apart.....DON'T.  The periphery and apex seals in the rotor are all spring loaded and wear into position...........and there's a LOT of them........so if they go flying you'll have a real mess on your hands.....and if you do find them all figuring out which goes where will be real mess.  I wonder if any parts are still available for those saws.  They put the rotary in a bunch of stuff, so you never know. It's great to see one still running!!  

[rarefish383]

Aug 6, 2022 8:46:23 GMT -5 bobby167 said:

Looks like you hit the jackpot. If I remember correctly, in the 70's or 80's they made this type engine for automobiles. Sounds great & in good shape for a saw over 50 years old. Great score!

Mazda RX7.

Actually, Chevy started to put out a Cosworth Vega with a Rotary. Then pulled the plans. They still made a performance version of the Vega. I had to look it up. The British firm of Cosworth built the double overhead cam engine for the Special performance Vega. They made 5000 engines and 3508 cars. It cost twice what a regular Vega cost and only $900 less than a Corvette.

I was wrong, the Cosworth was never supposed to be a Rotary.

[blythkd]

I found the model on Acres but I had no idea it was a rotary engine. Now that is really cool.

And the only Vega I ever saw that was worth it's salt had a 400 and clutched Powerglide in it. 10 second car. When I started in the saw shop in high school, the boss' boys had the car, and it was a wagon.

[w30bob]

Ah.......I work with Cosworth......and I had a Vega! So there! I bought the Vega for $50 bucks, used it for 4 years, and sold it to a friend for $50. It used more oil than gas! Aluminum block with a steel head....what genius!!! Had the clutch cable snap going into the Midtown Tunnel in Manhattan late one night and had to keep shutting the motor off in bumper to bumper traffic. But I did finally make it back to NJ without a clutch. Other than the motor she was bulletproof!.

It's funny, when you go to Cosworth's museum at their headquarters in England you can see every engine they ever made......EXCEPT the Cosworth Vega engine! I asked why and they just laughed. GM did license the Wankel from Wankel GMBH back in the day, but it had reliability and emissions problems that weren't worth fixing. Lot of folks licensed the technology including John Deere. Wankels were a fad back in the day, and were put in everything from motorcycles to aircraft. But it was short lived. Only Mazda made a game of it, and they finally threw in the towel a few years back due to emissions standards it couldn't meet. But a very cool engine design for sure. They make a lot of power for their weight, as each is really a three cylinder in disguise. I guess in the saw you got Joe it's pretty much the same as with the twin cylinder Echo......the 610 I believe. Very cool, but heavy to carry around. So everyone grabs the lightweight first. Great snag!!

;O)
bob

[rarefish383]

I know a guy with an Echo twin. He said when he finds it, it’s mine. He said one of his customers was cleaning out his shop and found it. Said give me 20 bucks for gas and I’ll bring it over in a bit. That was 20 years ago, now it’s buried. I like Echo’s and I’d love to have a Twin.

[w30bob]

Hi Joe,

I've looked at a number of those 610's on eBay......and they go for good money. I was surprised to learn they're only 61cc's. I was expecting it to be a monster...oh well. But highly collectible. I've got a few Echo's that I use, not collect, and they're good reliable saws. Now a twin rotor Wankel would be the shit!!

;O)
bob

[rarefish383]

I had my Dads Disston DA211 twin. But it was 180 CC’s. I always thought on one cylinder, it was still a pretty big saw.