The engine was removed and bolted to my engine stand, the knackered gearbox was thrown in the boot, the lights were removed and sold, the power steering rack was given to a friend whose own had developed a fault, then the car was towed away to be scrapped. I'll soon be pushed for space with 2 engines, a stripped Metro and the Firefox chassis, body and components!
The unsuspecting Rover 414SLi donor. It's in good condition and even has 8 months MOT left. Unlike the Metro, which was a rusty death-trap, this car was almost too good to break. It was cheap because the gearbox has failed.
The 1.4 litre 16V MPi engine is a very good runner. The oil and coolant are fresh and clean and the cylinder compression test results were excellent.
The engine and gearbox came out very easily. The whole assembly seems very light compared to the Ford Pinto/Type 9 combination used in my Quantum.
The engine bolted to my stand. I'll be replacing the cam belt, spark plugs and oil filter as a matter of course, but hopefully nothing more will need doing to it. The faulty gearbox was taken away with the 414 shell. Look at the state of the gearbox oil in the blue tray - VERY thick and as black as coal!
The rear of the engine. This one has an alloy inlet manifold. A plastic version is fitted to later cars, which may give a worthwhile weight saving. I'll have to investigate! Meanwhile, it's back to refurbishing the Metro components.