<scratches head>
Wouldn't it have made life a LOT easier, saving yourselves having to lift the engine quite so high, if you'd taken the bumper off...?

(Not to mention massively reducing the likelihood of getting your feet tangled in it, going arse over tit, landing on the toolbox with an engine resting gently on your chest...)

2m2cv,
hmmm thats actually quite a smart idea ... I think I have usually taken the bumper off when doing this before. No idea why it didn't occur to either of us this time. Anyway though the engine on its own wasn't too heavy for 2 people, and once its back in the bumper is a handy place to sit while fitting the rest of the bits back. And to sit on while drinking cups of tea etc ...!

As a tip on replacing engines, I always find that the bumper is a great place to stand when getting the engine and gearbox mated as you push the chassis down and out of the way with your weight!

Well as you may have read on the technical forum, the problem encountered with the Tapping Noise is no more! http://www.international2cvfriends.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=940

So shiny new heads back on, torqued and valve clearances set.



Engine back together with new shiny exhaust clamps, which really made the exhaust part much easier rather than trying to fit old ones back on which I normally do. Must get some new cardboard tubes before the spring too...



A tidy workplace is important.



A quick road test and yes, we're back on the road ready to drive the Mrs to the maternity ward at any moment



GoodTimes

Brilliant! I bet it's like putting on an old comfy pair of shoes once more

found it!! it's a photograph of a photograph that was originally taken with a cheap disposable camera, so please excuse the quality!



And here's WDK for Ken :



Neil.

Neil,

Thanks for the picture thats fantastic . Definitely during the 'maximum scruffy' phase of its life. I can't remember anything about the meeting (crikey thats 12 years ago ) but I'm sure the beer and famous grouse were in effect.

Anyway bought some new stuff for the car which I will post up soon, and MOT time early next month - Don't Panic !

Thanks a lot for posting it up, great to see another little bit of history.

Chris

Excellent story and pics.

12 years after taking the picture i've just realised your car is in the background of this shot!

Yeah I did notice it in the background when you posted the picture before Neil, however it clearly didn't inspire you anything like Jeff's lowered van. (understandably )

Since you keep saying that you all like pictures, I recently found this one from around the same very scruffy time:



Rat look before rat look was invented!! I remember those rusty sills gosh they were bad. I think when the car was put back on the road I had them taken completely out and new floors, sills and a new lower bulkhead constructed - it was sagging either side of the chassis. Being a daily driver up the motorway as a 30 year old car to a full time job was pretty unkind! Each MOT around that time was just do whatever to get a pass. Patch patch patch.

And for no particular reason, a distinctly average photoshopchop for that historic rat look:



And a bit of news on the car ... put in for a test at Louis Barbours last month, had new driveshaft gaiters fitted and spent a very nice morning over there, and hey - passed first time.