Your in a good place, you can sit back and wait. There's probably not a lot of guys willing to take a machine like that and put the time and money in to it. So let them sit on it for a while and they'll likely see their gem isn't quite as desirable as they may have thought. The only question then is do you have the desire, and do you value quality machines?

If the machine is of the quality the other guys say, and I have no reason to doubt them, then it should make for a very nice machine once restored. I bought my shaper in a similar situation. It was in a unheated shop so protected from the elements, but had some surface rust on the table from a spill somewhere along the way, as well as marks from having been used as an anvil. Also had it's share of paint splatters and a short list of things that needed attention after years of neglect. I spent some money and time, new bearings, belts, a bunch of odds and ends and a LOT of cleaning.....but now have one of the best shapers ever made for less money than I could have bought it for used in running condition. I just have to get around to a solution for slower speeds once I have a few extra bucks again. As far as age goes it's not necessarily a bad thing. My shaper was made in 69' and I'll put it against any new shaper under $10k made today

So unless your in a rush for a saw, let them sit on it for a while. Your obviously not committed to it anyway so you have nothing to lose. Either they come down to the price you think is fair and get a nice piece of equipment to rebuild, or they don't and your no worse off!

good luck,
JeffD