Barn find montego

[H48HPE]

I've found a montego (I've known it was there for years but never bothered to have a look) in a mates dad's garage.

It's a Montego HL estate model, 1.6 with that light red/orange metallic paint, fawn velour interior and brown dash.one owner from new its done 64k miles, the seats have had covers on from new - its also one of those 7 seater versions.

the body work looks very clean, with hardly anything to worry about on the front, back and o/s - assuming the n/s is the same.

its a C reg and was put away in about 1991 when the owner got a job with a company car.

It's highly likely I'm going to buy this, I'm just thinking that when I get it started and running ok aftetr changing the leads, plugs filters and all the usual stuff what's going to start going wrong with it - in terms of problems caused by it being stored for so long?

What in peoples experience goes wrong after storage - I'm thinking it'd be best to change the item for new before it goes wrong, and therefore I can build up some costings and any parts etc.

Advice welcome?!

Andy

[Guest]

Watch out for hoses cracking, and the water pump will probably leak. There might well be a few dry electrical connections as well. I'd probably change the rubber fuel lines as well if they look at all perished.

Oh, and I wouldn't be suprised if the exhaust gave up after a couple of months.

Any chance you can get any pics?

Danny

[Austin-Rover]

Yup, that's pretty much your worry list right there.

Water pump is almost a dead certainty, closely followed by the radiator I should imagine. They won't take kindly to being put back into use and should fail quite quickly.

After that I'd be looking at perished rubber hoses and connections.

You may also have problems with the ECU under the bonnet. However, I've resurrected a long stood S Series before now and apart from initially getting it to start (lots of Bradex Easy Start used) it gave very few (if any) problems. It wasn't stood for twenty years, though, like this one.

[Guest]

When i brought my maestro (sat in a garage for ten years) first the radiator sprang a leak then the core plug started leaking..then the rear brake barrells froze solid after not being used for some time and the brake fuild had to be replaced oh and had complete new exhaust after 2 months as it had rotted away..but since then good as gold

[Guest]

If its been left with really dirty oil in there is the off chance that the bottom end will start knocking, as acids contaminating the oil will eat the bearings.

[daveyboy]

i would do a rear brake overhaul cylinders, and short handbrake cables, waterpump cambelt, full service and new exhaust i do on the ones i have got that have been stood and they have been good, never had radiator problems but most of mine were well maintained before my ownership.

[H48HPE]

I can probably get some pictures in a couple of weeks or so, trouble is its in a garage (good thing for the car - bad for photography).

it may not look so good in the open, there was some rust on it, but nothing too bad really - touch wood.

there is also an A reg Austin Metro in Yellow lurking with my name on it; same place as the montego, 2 owners, first owner was the local Vicars wife.. this is a summer project though as Its stuck in a garage with a sliding door that wont slide any more and the car itself if absolutely surounded by crap. the o/s sill seemed solid on it but I could only see one side, there is a big hole in the front valance. the engine looked like it'd have more chance firing than i would have chance becoming the next prime minister. Still I'm looking forward to getting my hands on it. This car was put to bed about 1989...

Thanks for the help anyway, I'll be looking to service the engine, change the water pump, and give the brakes a going over then I suppose just check the hoses maybe replace radiator and i definitely think its a good idea renewing rubber fuel lines.... good call on the cam belt - I'd not even thought about that.

Are S series engines safe on cam belt failure?

[daveyboy]

yes they are a safe engine

[Guest]

Just my 2p's worth... disconnect the king lead and crank the engine over on the starter until the oil light goes out before trying to start it up for the first time. This is to make sure the oil is all around the engine ready to lubricate it when she fires into life, rather than all in the sump!

[Russ]

I resurected my metro in 2007 that had been stood since 1991. The previous owner got it running , the cluch had siezed and it appears they put a bar on the operating arm to free it which bent it!. I at first replaced the rear cycl and fluid but no sooner than it was back on the road I had bother ,so replaced the front calipers and master cyl. The exhaust was also replaced.

[Guest]

A quick tip for you. Before you start it pour a little oil down each cylinder through the spark plug hole. Will be some smoke obviously when it starts but will protect the bores if theres any crud in there.

maestro vans

[Jeff Turbo]

You may also find that the tyres are usless with the walls cracked on the inside. Get them checked over before driving normally on them.

[The Express Valeter]

Do also take a picture or two of the Metro in it's current position, allways interesting to see how a car is found!

[H48HPE]

good idea, I've got some engine oil in an old redex bottle, if I just fire a squirt in each cylinder it should be ok then...

the Montego is cleaner than the Metro but both are filthy.

I was wondering about the tyres, Suspect it would be best to replace them all cos they're all flat, hopefully they'll pump up, but I cant see them being safe for driving on. rescuing a car isn't cheap is it!!

[The Express Valeter]

Tyres will not be roadworthy just dangerous like mine were & that was after 10 years!