Get your tissues ready folks,
I had my 1978 Clubman S (Leyland) just about sorted in the rust department and apart from an ongoing argument with the twin SUs, I was a happy man.

One day the only car left behind was the Clubbie (which my wife had never driven) in the short space of time taken to go to the shops and back, the heater went and all coolant was dumped. My wife not a guage watcher (now there is the understatement of the year) missed the fact that the needle on the temp guage was practically bending! The phone call I got went like this "why wont the motor turn off and there is steam coming through the floor!"

Time to ask the question "Do you want veges or salad with that cooked engine"'

So back to the wanted add "Wanted a new best friend who knows something about motors!" Its not as bad as it sounds, we have 3 engines (including the cooked one to get one good one) and I would really love to get this car back on the road before the rego expires in January 2007.

I am not rich but I am sure that something could be worked out and hey who couldnt do with another friend with a sense of humour? You want proof? Well my wife is still alive!

Hope to hear from somebody, the car is in the Hoxton Park area, thanks for reading this,

Jim.

Hullo there,

Wives need to be tought to watch gauges. Gauge watching is not a natural habit of the female species unlike us blokes who naturally monitor gauges, dials and any portal like device that communicates vital information. Hence why many men wear watches and are obsessed with TV

I would love to help you out. Depends on the amount of "frying" the old engine has done. It may not be as bad as you think it is, so long as 1) you didn't straight away pour water into it (Bad cause you can warp the head in a big way) and 2) it wasn't hot enough to ruin the compression rings on the pistons or the any of the exhaust valves in particular.

This week I am quite busy trying to get my engine together, but I may be free next sunday. Can come out with a toolbox and see what work you need at least. There are heaps of people around your area though that can help you out as well. I will PM you my mobile number.

Cheers!
Chong

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

How bad is it?

Does it still run? Burning oil? Blown head gasket?

It may have a few thousand km left in it yet.

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"Life is not like a box of chocolates... it's more like a jar of jalapenos. Whatever you do today, may burn your arse tomorrow."

Hi folks,
The postmortem revieled that the engine block paint had changed to brown, all Welsh plugs were crying and it didnt sound very good when it ran. It was cooled filled and driven home about 3K. It was pronounce DOA. I planned to use all external parts leaving the block, head and gear box behind. It was jumping out of second anyway....lol.

Thanks for the interest,

Jim.

hmmmm i had a experiance like this except i bought the car from the people who did this to it .....
head may be salvageble
block maybe aswell depending on how hot it got ..
more than likely you will pull the pistons and find that the rings in many many many little pieces ....
gear box will need a reco ....
um is it a 998 1100 or 1275 ...
makka
my number is 0412 938 072 if you have any pressing q's you need anserd straight away and i live in bossley park just up the road from you
makka

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Anonymous moderation means the agro that is built up towards the mods isn't aimed at an individual (fewer "Makk" attacks). Less stress for mods means less moderator "retirements".

Hi Makka,
I have already picked up another 998, it came of a Moke and hasnt run for about 3 years but the gearbox looks great. The block has some surface rust in the water jacket and it may need to be honed. I really just need someone who knows what they are looking at, so I dont throw money at a bad engine.

I have a suspision that the last engine build was largely cosmetic....

Thanks,

Jim.