That's one of the few "bad things" about the US dollar getting stronger against other world currencies. As ours goes up, the desire for the world consumers to purchase US Scrap Metals decline because it's more expensive to them than scrap in another nation.. Then recyclers like me don't get as much across the scales. Plus add to it that no nation is massive infrastructure build spree, so demand for tonnage is way off.
The major scrap metal recycler here is Skaget River Steel. they won't take an aircraft until it has been disassembled and the metal sorted. most aircraft don't render enough to pay to do that.
What is a engine worth with a rusted crank and cam, cylinders rusted, mags, starter, alt and carb worn out and might have a case that might be ok or not.
Cases can be lapped and line bored, cylinders can rebored refitted with light speed pitons, mags can be thrown away and replaced with electronic ignition, Starters can be removed and thrown away, and alternators can be replaced with light weight after market. that's what home builders do, so the LongEZ builders are always looking for 0-320-& 0-360-
Based upon my experience with an insurance total loss of similar ilk. I would hazard to guess about $20k as I was outbid, and lost it to a big salvage yard. But bear in mind that big salvage yards have the financial wherewithall to sit on it, and sell it one rivet at a time.
And that is the problem with- "Just part it out!" Storage and time. Lots of time. Also patience as each sale of each part is basically just like a Craig's list sale.
