Disaster!

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After our farewell party on March the 12th, I bought (for work) a fibre optic bore scope. Handy for looking in hard to get to places in engine bays etc. Curiosoty lead my to take a spark plug out of the Rapier and have a look inside. Well as the photo shows I had a major problem.

With 2 weeks to go before the car goes into the container, I was staring a major engine rebuild in the grille. My Rapier has Riley 1500cc post war conrods so the pistons are a one off. The chances of getting new pistons made in such a short time was next to impossable.

After many phone calls and whils't confering with my mate Bru. it was suggested that I should consider using his engine and gearbox as his Rapier is undergoing a rebuild.

Stunned by his generosoty, we proceeded to do an engine and box swap. Not as simply as it sounds as these cars are hand built and all the components are slightly different. His engine being stock standard and mine being slightly modified.

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