i've always been fascinated with all those "barn" finds and finally i've come across one .

what i've found is the mechanics of a very low mileage (36k km's ~ 22k miles) mi16,
and not just any mi16 but mi16x4! the car has been crashed in 1996 and parts stored
for whopping 10 years! i've only accidentally found out about it - someone claimed it
had been a T16, so i've just had to find the owner and check it out - dissapointment
(although i've expected it not to be a T16 really ) but not too big afterall!

the engine complete with gearbox and transferbox has been stored in a corner of a
garage, under loads of rags, t/b tube filled with newspaper and apparently it's had
some oil down the spark plug holes and has been regularly rotated (well, once in a
few months). i've checked the oil and it looks like new. engine contains full loom,
ECU, AFM etc. just the dizzy cap is broken (but aren't they all )

unfortunately, complete rear axle (still in one piece with the rear diff, driveshafts,
brakes etc) has been standing out in the yard (covered with nylon) so it looks just
like a pile of rust at the moment. the rest of the salvaged bits (front suspension with
driveshafts etc) has been stored in dry in a loft, but have surface rust ofcourse.

only prop shaft is missing as it has been bent (the crash was side into a tree, yikes).


so the main questions are:

- is the engine worth the hassle (i mean very low mileage versus not being used)
and should i expect various seals and gaskets to have deteriorated, things to have
become seized or rusted etc? basically, would i be able to get away with just basic
servicing (oil, spark plugs, timing belt etc) or would i be better off with a rebuild .

- is the rear axle salveageble? i guess all the bolts on it must have rusted solid by now,
but would the beam shafts/bearings seize in this sitation, bearing in mind (lol) that they
were in very good condition, just very stationary? and how about the rear diff?

basically, is this generally a good find due to it's low milegage (thinking primarily of
the engine and front drivetrain bits) and worth a bit OR a heap of worthless junk?
it's an older guy who owns it (nearly 60) and he's stuck in the past, valuing it as if
we were still in 1996, not 2006 .


thanks

is this in the UK somewhere? sounds an interesting find

coudln't tell you enough really because i'm not as clued up as you guys on the 405's but i'd definitely be taking it and sorting it out within price sensibility

nope, it's local (to me) .

How much is that then?
Did you get the mi16x4 out there then?

Fantastic Nick! As i said on Drivers it has to be worth it, but only if its not silly amounts, and the owner agrees to sell it at what it's really worth.

engine should be ok. if its rotates then its not siezed.

give it a service and run it in as its been sat for a while.

proberbly good idea to put new timing belt on it etc.