After a long lay off, getting it home

[Skyedriver]

Buying a car shortly, it's been stood for possibly three years or maybe more, it starts, made it to the MoT station and passed but it's hicking and stuttering.
It's a much modded engine, we're suspecting blocked injectors, old fuel, possibly dirt in the fuel and maybe a blocked filter. Of course it could be electrical (Emerald electronics).
Assuming it is one of the fuel related problems, what are my chances of filling the tank with some new fuel and getting it home 250 miles away. Obviously, a filter isn't going to unblock but the injectors? What damage could it do running lean on one or more cylinders I wonder?
Or I could just get it recovered but that would be an extra cost to me just getting it back., money that could be spent on the car.

Do I feel lucky?

[Skyedriver]

It's a car from 1973, MoT not a legal requirement and emissions by visible smoke only.
Owner deceased, friend of owner selling on behalf of widow.
Huge list of mods carried out but we think it last ran, except for in and out the garage and trip to MoT a month ago, about three year ago.
Mods include conversion to injection from carbs.

[Skyedriver]

PositronicRay said:

Oh and most 'fuel' problems I've come across turn out to be ignition.

So very true.

[Skyedriver]

stevieturbo said:

gazza285 said:

I agree, but I wouldn’t be driving 250 miles before I knew it was running right.

true, but anyone would be a bit mad to try and drive such a new purchase that distance.....

And I've been there and done it, and had many dramas along the way LOL. Except mine was laid up for a lot longer than 3 years ( this was 20 years ago ). And I was very mad to try.

Ha ha, I'm old enough to know better but I've always been one to "give it a try".

BTW, it's not a "crusty old engine" it's a bit special and I hope in good internal health. Just sat around waiting for too long.

Anyway transporter arranged, thanks for the "don't be so f---ing stupid" type comments, you're right.
I'll pass the hat around for contributions later.

[Skyedriver]

gazza285 said:

Sensible OP. You going to let us know what it is at any point?

Readers car or a thread in Classics eventually when I get it home

[Skyedriver]

SturdyHSV said:

250 miles sounds like a decent return trip.

If the journey takes you past Northampton, I'm happy to help you push it for a bit. Maybe we could get a PH relay going

Wish I'd seen your post earlier
It was driven onto a recovery truck brought home to Scotland but would it start again!
Then everything died no starter, nothing.
So we rolled it off the truck, well until the tow bar hit the ground and wouldn't go any further. Eventually having dug the gravel away on the drive it was off.
Tried to push it; have you tried moving a car on gravel....
So back to back, I towed it to within a car and a half length of the garage, got the tow car out the way and 4 of us pushed it in!

Got to love old cars.......