Should I buy it?

[briankeith]

That sucks Steve - someone grabbed it right from under you ughhhhh

[VintageTechnologies]

What about safety in such a machine if all the original wiring is in place ? Even in a working model, doesn't some of that need inspecting / replacing ?

Of course, anything electrical should be inspected for obvious problems. The wiring in the motor itself should be fine. The cord, if original, would be cloth covered and the rubber insulation inside would almost certainly be brittle and ought to be replaced. I used to repair old radios and routinely replaced those cords for safety reasons. You can also install fused plugs to the new cord; although fused plugs are not original equipment, they offer additional safety.

[Wolfe]

^ Yeah, I would also consider an old cloth covered electrical cord to be automatically replaced. I had been wondering more about the internal wiring of the motor and possible fire risk. But if there's nothing apparently compromised about it, then it should be good to go, as you stated.

[briankeith]

When I rewire my old fans I use = http://vintagewireandsupply.com/