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Hello All,I’m new here. Well sort of. I registered some time ago but I don’t think I introduced myself. My name is Matt I own a year 2000, absolute heap of a 1.8 VVC 160 MGF, know to me and my friends as the “Shed of Dread”. Used mainly for the occasional commute and the odd track day, it spends most of its time sat on the driveway gathering moss and lichen and taking up space. Despite the very scrappy appearance I keep it well maintained and is reliable. Although it has spent most of the last year layed up on the drive after it threw a connecting rod on the way back from a track day at Donnington park. I bought the Shed 10 years ago with a failed head gasket, for £300. It was bought for a friend’s 40th birthday, Top Gear style road trip challenge to buy a car and get it running for less than £500 then take out to the Nürburgring Ring for a few laps. The plan was to sell it as soon as I got back but by the time I got back we had bonded and have been inseparable ever since. I do all the work on the car myself for the main reason of money, the car was never intended to be a money pit however it is a time pit. Previous vehicles has included numerous motorbikes, 2x 205 1.9 GTi, 2x Volvo 340 a SAAB 95 Estate which I saw past 250k miles and my current other car is a 2002 Renault Clio 182 with a few little mods so that makes the full 182bhp.

Away from the car I have a family; wife and three teenage kids. I’m an engineer with a 32 year career in the aerospace industry, currently a Spacecraft Systems Engineer and before you ask, no, it’s not rocket science.

Nice to meet you all.

Hi Matt, welcome aboard!

Matt, welcome to the forum. loved your intro!

Good intro. Are you planning on rebuilding the current engine with another block and crank or are you going to swap out the whole engine ?