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Pair of ALFCO 38s - Need Advice

Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 9:39 am
by wb2glp
I have an opportunity to pick up a set of ALFCO 38s with USD manifold and bushings. They appear to be in pretty good condition. Oldest hydro I see on these tanks is ‘43.

What should I expect to pay for these and not get burnt?

Re: Pair of ALFCO 38s - Need Advice

Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 11:58 am
by simonbeans
How bad do you want them? That always is my criteria for pricing.

Re: Pair of ALFCO 38s - Need Advice

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 11:31 am
by SurfLung
I don't know what "ALFCO" is but it's a risk buying anything as old as 1943... In all that time, there's a good chance that somebody pumped some water into them. I've been extremely lucky and then I've also been unlucky. I bought a really ugly looking set of USN "Shatterproof" 38s that had the bushings, manifold, bands and harness... Paid $50 and the guy threw in a ScubaPro 109 regulator. Date on the tanks was 1942 I think. When I got them home and looked inside, they looked like brand new. They passed hydro easily and they were even galvanized under the paint. The "UNLUCKY" buy was a set of two single 38s... Also bushing tanks from the 40s which somebody had fixed up with re-plated post valves. These two were rusty inside. I tumbled them and they looked okay. But when I took them in for hydro and visual, one of them was failed for being too pitted with rust. I paid $100 including shipping for these two tanks and ended up with one usable 38... A nice little tank I use often for lake diving BTW. If you figure shipping of tanks must be $25-$50... These are two examples of tanks like you are considering that sold for $50-75 for a set.

I've been lucky far more times than unlucky. I bought my yellow Twin 38 USD set for $100 cash and it included a Dacor Dial a Breath regulator. Insides were like new. I bought my Sportsways Twin 42s for $125 off eBay... A little rusty inside but the Hydro guy cleaned them up and they passed by a wide margin.
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