Remarkable engine condition of classic barn finds
Discussion
Anyone know how some classic and vintage cars that have been laid up in garages or barns after some 20 plus years (with no one in that time period prior to being "found" attended to the car and started the engine to keep it running) are able to start the engine up with no problems without the engine already having been seized?. Not only that but they're able to roll the car out with ease with the brakes not seized up as well.
Edited by Jukebag on Monday 27th August 10:46
Of course these TV resto programmes never really show you the real story behind a cars discovery and whether or not it really was left for so long without anyone checking on the running of the car and occasionally starting it in order to prevent it from seizing. The E -Type is Reborn roadster had no issues starting, though I'm not sure how long the car was stored away for.
But I've seen plenty of amateur home videos on YouTube of people finding classics stuffed in barns or sheds (mainly from the states), and theyre able to rev and start the engine with no problems, pull the handbrake and roll the car out with ease. I've a kit car that was my dads that's only been stood for about 3 years and already the engine and brakes have seized. Im gutted looking back as I should've left the handbrake off and just started the engine to keep it running from time to time.
Maybe it depends on how well they've been stored and preserved.
But I've seen plenty of amateur home videos on YouTube of people finding classics stuffed in barns or sheds (mainly from the states), and theyre able to rev and start the engine with no problems, pull the handbrake and roll the car out with ease. I've a kit car that was my dads that's only been stood for about 3 years and already the engine and brakes have seized. Im gutted looking back as I should've left the handbrake off and just started the engine to keep it running from time to time.
Maybe it depends on how well they've been stored and preserved.
So if the engine is complete, as you say no spark plugs removed etc, stored under a roof (in my case sort of lol) then the engine shouldn't be seized?. I had another kit car that I've just sold which had been stood for more of less the same time period, had never had any extra fuel in it since last being put off road, rarely started up, yet I was sure (as was the local mechanic who we've known for years) that it would be seized. It turned out all that was needed was a new starter motor (thankfully). The difference with that engine and the one in the car I have now is that it has had very few issues in the past, whereas the car I have left has had heaps of engine issues, with my dad (who owned and drove the car) having to keep taking the car to the local garage (and further afield) to have the gearbox, engine and manifold sorted, which most of the time the garage didn't have the foggiest what they were doing and couldn't figure out what was causing the problems. BTW the engine is a Ford 3 litre Essex V6, not exactly a 10 grand XK engine I suppose.
Edited by Jukebag on Tuesday 28th August 13:42
I've started up a Triumph Herald that had been stood in a carport for a couple of decades, with just the addition of a battery, car ran, brakes were not seized but the discs were fairly corroded. Clutch was freed with a bit of brutal treatment and car was driveable (in theory). The whole car was remarkably up together and only had about twenty thousand miles on it.
However, I was planning on rebuilding the engine anyway, so wasn't concerned if it knocked itself to pieces due to top end rust etc. As it was, after minimal work for an m.o.t. we took it for a week long tour of the Welsh mountains before the oil light came on...
An old Ariel 500 of mine also started and ran fine after a fifteen year lay up in a dry garage. Engine had been rebuilt before lay up tho', in this case I changed the oil before and after running it.
However, I was planning on rebuilding the engine anyway, so wasn't concerned if it knocked itself to pieces due to top end rust etc. As it was, after minimal work for an m.o.t. we took it for a week long tour of the Welsh mountains before the oil light came on...
An old Ariel 500 of mine also started and ran fine after a fifteen year lay up in a dry garage. Engine had been rebuilt before lay up tho', in this case I changed the oil before and after running it.
As a Herald 1200 owner I would like to see some pics of your Triumph and its history esp since you said it wasn't started for decades
spoodler said:
I've started up a Triumph Herald that had been stood in a carport for a couple of decades, with just the addition of a battery, car ran, brakes were not seized but the discs were fairly corroded. Clutch was freed with a bit of brutal treatment and car was driveable (in theory). The whole car was remarkably up together and only had about twenty thousand miles on it.
However, I was planning on rebuilding the engine anyway, so wasn't concerned if it knocked itself to pieces due to top end rust etc. As it was, after minimal work for an m.o.t. we took it for a week long tour of the Welsh mountains before the oil light came on...
An old Ariel 500 of mine also started and ran fine after a fifteen year lay up in a dry garage. Engine had been rebuilt before lay up tho', in this case I changed the oil before and after running it.
However, I was planning on rebuilding the engine anyway, so wasn't concerned if it knocked itself to pieces due to top end rust etc. As it was, after minimal work for an m.o.t. we took it for a week long tour of the Welsh mountains before the oil light came on...
An old Ariel 500 of mine also started and ran fine after a fifteen year lay up in a dry garage. Engine had been rebuilt before lay up tho', in this case I changed the oil before and after running it.
Carboy - the Herald went a couple of years back. I bought it for my other half as her first "classic". We were looking for something that needed no serious work and found this 13/60 saloon, it had been parked up in a car port after the owner had died. The owner's widow had regularly started it for the first few years but had then left it. The car turned out to be almost entirely free of any structural rot, with a lovely interior. I m.o.t.ed it and presented it to t'other half and she practically cried as she couldn't drive it - the gear change bushes were shot and she couldn't change gear, I'd just got used to it. Anyway, I had a set of bushes in the garage so they were sorted in short order and job done, and off to Wales. After the Welsh tour it was treated to another full service (diff', trunnions, gear box, new cylinder seals in clutch, brakes etc., new brake hoses, dampers, fatter wheels and tyres, halogen lights, and lashings of oil slapped over the underside) and I rebuilt the motor to a healthy Spitfire spec'. It was then used by my other half for the next five years or so as her daily and for regular trips from N. Wilts to Ilfracombe to see her mother. Didn't miss a beat... but I never did get around to cutting back the paint.
wow nice car and mines the same color and in the same state as the paint is flat my one too was parked for many years as the owner was too old and then he sold it to someone who in turn sold it to a younger guy and i bought it off him!
do you know the color code or name of your car ? as mines the same and i need to do a bit of patching
do you know the color code or name of your car ? as mines the same and i need to do a bit of patching
spoodler said:
Carboy - the Herald went a couple of years back. I bought it for my other half as her first "classic". We were looking for something that needed no serious work and found this 13/60 saloon, it had been parked up in a car port after the owner had died. The owner's widow had regularly started it for the first few years but had then left it. The car turned out to be almost entirely free of any structural rot, with a lovely interior. I m.o.t.ed it and presented it to t'other half and she practically cried as she couldn't drive it - the gear change bushes were shot and she couldn't change gear, I'd just got used to it. Anyway, I had a set of bushes in the garage so they were sorted in short order and job done, and off to Wales. After the Welsh tour it was treated to another full service (diff', trunnions, gear box, new cylinder seals in clutch, brakes etc., new brake hoses, dampers, fatter wheels and tyres, halogen lights, and lashings of oil slapped over the underside) and I rebuilt the motor to a healthy Spitfire spec'. It was then used by my other half for the next five years or so as her daily and for regular trips from N. Wilts to Ilfracombe to see her mother. Didn't miss a beat... but I never did get around to cutting back the paint.
Just bought an 70s truimph that has been stored in a dry garage for 20 years and never started.....cleaned the Su's out, put new plugs in it, cleaned the points and rotar arm, distributor cap, new battery, fresh fuel and shes up and running.....however the clutch hydraulic parts all need replacing and obviously the brakes will need attention
I love to find and buy barn finds or abandoned projects that have been left for a number of years.
As mentioned, if the engine is complete, still with manifolds and "sealed" from the elements, just about every one I've had has ran with fresh fuel.
Even with old fuel, cars that have sat for 5 years plus will often run, but fresh fuel and a bit of tinkering can usually get cars that have sat for 10 years plus going again.
These had both sat for approximately 10 years.
Fresh fuel and batteries and they both drove out, but one did start leaking petrol everywhere!
This sat for about 8 years.
Again, ran sweet as anything.
This had sat for what I believe was about 15 years.
The starter motor was seized, but the engine turned freely.
We didn't even put fresh fuel in, just connected a battery and tow rope.
It was running and driving around the yards five minutes after putting the battery on
As mentioned, if the engine is complete, still with manifolds and "sealed" from the elements, just about every one I've had has ran with fresh fuel.
Even with old fuel, cars that have sat for 5 years plus will often run, but fresh fuel and a bit of tinkering can usually get cars that have sat for 10 years plus going again.
These had both sat for approximately 10 years.
Fresh fuel and batteries and they both drove out, but one did start leaking petrol everywhere!
This sat for about 8 years.
Again, ran sweet as anything.
This had sat for what I believe was about 15 years.
The starter motor was seized, but the engine turned freely.
We didn't even put fresh fuel in, just connected a battery and tow rope.
It was running and driving around the yards five minutes after putting the battery on
My OH's brother put his Kawasaki GT550 in his garage 20 years ago and didn't touch it until we dragged it out this spring.
New battery, fresh oil and filter, hand turned engine to check not seized, new plugs and then it fired up on the dregs of the fuel still sat in the carbs.
It was a bit lumpy but feeding some fresh fuel from a funnel helped it clear out the old fuel, and get it running well enough to ride. a few miles of use and it's sweet as a nut.
New battery, fresh oil and filter, hand turned engine to check not seized, new plugs and then it fired up on the dregs of the fuel still sat in the carbs.
It was a bit lumpy but feeding some fresh fuel from a funnel helped it clear out the old fuel, and get it running well enough to ride. a few miles of use and it's sweet as a nut.
Nice to hear good stories of cars that have been stood for such a long time.
I'm not very knowledgeable on mechanics or engines, but I've been told the Essex engine in the car I have is seized. Someone demonstrated to me that it will not budge an inch by moving it by hand, and that according to him it is a sure indication of the engine being seized, which means it's no good anymore.
I'm not very knowledgeable on mechanics or engines, but I've been told the Essex engine in the car I have is seized. Someone demonstrated to me that it will not budge an inch by moving it by hand, and that according to him it is a sure indication of the engine being seized, which means it's no good anymore.
Jukebag said:
Nice to hear good stories of cars that have been stood for such a long time.
I'm not very knowledgeable on mechanics or engines, but I've been told the Essex engine in the car I have is seized. Someone demonstrated to me that it will not budge an inch by moving it by hand, and that according to him it is a sure indication of the engine being seized, which means it's no good anymore.
Still potentially savable.I'm not very knowledgeable on mechanics or engines, but I've been told the Essex engine in the car I have is seized. Someone demonstrated to me that it will not budge an inch by moving it by hand, and that according to him it is a sure indication of the engine being seized, which means it's no good anymore.
Take the plugs out and pour diesel down each port, leave a few days.
Try turning the crank with a big spanner or socket.
Try every few days and it might free off.
If it does, it will have a chance of running again.
I've got an old Daimler Conquest block sat in the lock up.
It's probably sat for 20+ years without the head before I got it and it's no use to me, but it is currently in soak to see if it will free off.
I've no need for doing it, apart from curiosity
Piersman2 said:
My OH's brother put his Kawasaki GT550 in his garage 20 years ago and didn't touch it until we dragged it out this spring.
New battery, fresh oil and filter, hand turned engine to check not seized, new plugs and then it fired up on the dregs of the fuel still sat in the carbs.
It was a bit lumpy but feeding some fresh fuel from a funnel helped it clear out the old fuel, and get it running well enough to ride. a few miles of use and it's sweet as a nut.
I knew someone who had a Kawasaki GT750 sitting in the garage for about 5 years by which time it was about 7 or 8 years old. With a new battery it fired up and he got it through an MOT. The problem is he didn't get round to changing the oil and after a few hundred miles something punched a hole in the cylinder and the oil escaped.New battery, fresh oil and filter, hand turned engine to check not seized, new plugs and then it fired up on the dregs of the fuel still sat in the carbs.
It was a bit lumpy but feeding some fresh fuel from a funnel helped it clear out the old fuel, and get it running well enough to ride. a few miles of use and it's sweet as a nut.
What probably didn't help was that he'd fired it up occasionally but not let it running for long so I suspect it never warmed up. So a bike that had a great reputation for high mileage longevity was ruined after about 25,000 miles.
Engines are usually fine but battery fail, petrol decays new ethanol fuel more then the old stuff.
Brakes seize as the discs rust.
The rubber decays, the brakes lines, the suspension bushes and fuel lines all suffer.
But the oiled steel of an engine that just need some new fuel and a spark.
Brakes seize as the discs rust.
The rubber decays, the brakes lines, the suspension bushes and fuel lines all suffer.
But the oiled steel of an engine that just need some new fuel and a spark.
An engine without faults stored in a dry garage and last run until it was warmed up should not seize up because most surfaces internally will have a layer of oil protecting them.
Storing one long term with a fault such as head gasket leak where coolant can reach the cylinders is an entirely different matter.
Storing in a damp location wont help either, engine internals are not "sealed" from the environment. Moist air will get in via the carb, exhaust and breather system.
Storing one long term with a fault such as head gasket leak where coolant can reach the cylinders is an entirely different matter.
Storing in a damp location wont help either, engine internals are not "sealed" from the environment. Moist air will get in via the carb, exhaust and breather system.
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