Should it stay or should it go?

R

Range-rover

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Well I purchased a M3 which I wanted for awhile and it was a good price but has issues. Bad shutter which could be fixed
but the main problem is the rangefinder, the little window the prism has fungus damage the reflected mirror inside is
gone eating away so there no double image at all, so it or the whole rangefinder needs to be replaced. Is it worth
fixing or should I sell it as "part's and repair" and look for one further down the road?
 
It is normally not worth it to "repair to sell", but it is really only a tech that can tell you how much it will cost to fix - and thus answer your question.
I am always cautious about throwing larger sums of money at restoration jobs unless the camera is in excellent condition - otherwise you will just end up with an expensive ugly camera.
 
If you have no sentimental attachment to this particular camera, then sell it. Be aware, however, that prices on all Leica film cameras are creeping up, so the cost of repair may not be too far out of line vs buying another one.
 
I did ask about repair's and I know for overhaul it's like $320.00 plus parts if it needs a new rangefinder it's better
to get something better that a least works and looks better.
 
You might find a few eBay true auction bidders who know a few things about M3 repairing might bid this up figh from a .99 Cent start. At least, you’d not have to go through all the time and troubles, and $ uncertainty regarding “parts”.... M3’s always have buyers in any condition.
 
Several years ago I was chatting with the employee who handles all of the previously owned item at one of the local camera stores when a customer came in with a M3. It was a first run double stroke, no frame line selector and fitted with a Taylor Hobson 50 mm f2 lens. It had the original box, instruction and even the sales receipt. It looked like it had just been purchased the day before but It also had the leather case it had been in for sixty years. Looking through the viewfinder was nothing but a mass of fungal threads, the lens was the same. It was a beautiful camera but essentially worthless. Any fix would have involved finding a complete rangefinder assembly plus any other service from many years of sitting in a box. The customer thanked us for the information and said he would use it as a display piece in honor of his father. Sometimes it's better just to walk away.
 
Camera Repair and Restoration in Luton, England did it at one time but Peter Grisaffti retired several years ago. I don't know of anyone currently resilvering the beam spltter.
 
Another repair service doing this type of stuff is Kanto in Japan. I made very good experience with them, really professional.
Have a look on their website.
 
Well this is interesting today, I pulled out the small prism and cleaned off the rear of it and of course all the remaining silver
came off, and looking at it gave me an idea why don't I attach a small mirror on the of the prism and that's what I did. I took
a mirror from a broken Nikon F3 and Dremeled a small square and attached it to the rear and I got a working rangefinder again,
now on the the shutter. The rangefinder is good I even blacken the back of the mirror fro improved transmission and it's seems
to be working good.
 
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