Fair enough, but a low hours continental F-163 block is worth $800 alone. The copper and radiator is worth around $300 and the misc other stuff crankshaft, connecting rods, head, flywheel, starter, carburetor, and welder end components would bring an easy $1000 on an on line auction.
(I did some on line checking rather recently.)
I worked as a service tech for a welding supply company and part of my business for the past three years has been welder repair and salvage, so I have gotten to know the practical resale value of dead machines very well. My offer still stands $800. Its less than half what the going rate is for the parts.
I have seen these and similar old machines in poor running and hardly working condition bring $1000 - $1500 at farm auctions before. The Lincoln Pipeliners can hit double that for old beat up machines with 30K+ running hours on them!
What I do is the same business as an auto salvage yard. A dead vehicle is useless junk to most people but when you need parts for a car they get fair price for stuff.
I just dont have a real want yet to start stripping this one at the moment. It can sit here another season. I have a 10Kw 3 phase gen set with the exact same engine so I am not in any hurry to part this one out to any great extent yet.
If the parts are not that valuable why did someone run off with yours?
Very few people know the value of old industrial engine parts let alone old welder parts!