My bare metal restoration project was not really what I had planned when I purchased the car in the US and imported it to the UK in late 2006.
The car is a 1973 T/E 2.4 MFI with matching numbers (VIN 9113100675), which I got confirmed by HQ in Zuffenhausen. When the car arrived in the UK the local London shops of Steve Winter and Chris Turner kindly helped me to get the car UK roadworthy.
My initial plan for the car was to have a “solid driver” that one can take out for a spin on weekends or on the occasional track day. But that was going to change soon.
My first track day in Silverstone in late July 2007 was great fun hearing that engine roar in the back and feeling the steering wheel rattle while only doing 60mph when accelerating onto the main straight.
There were many nice cars out on that day in Silverstone and my T with a fainted and scuffed black paint and a smoky engine when coming off the throttle at high revs felt a little bit like a black sheep in the herd of immaculate cars. A top engine rebuild was definitely on the horizon soon if I continued planning to drive the car in anger on the track.
The usual "rebuild" versus "replace" engine dilemma started and a decision was taken in mid 2008 to order a stronger but more or less period correct replacement engine in the US, while keeping the 2.4L MFI engine original to the car in storage. More about the replacement engine later.
