Great video, Ian. I’m sorry the problem was much bigger than you had hoped. I enjoyed seeing the engine tear down. To me, the most fun part of working on these cars is the engine disassembly.

I’m wondering if you’ve made a document of the engine pull procedure. Such a document would be a very helpful resource for all of us, including yourself!

I must say Ian......you are one patience person ....I wish you the best of luck !

Deck the block and the head to make sure they are flat.  There are dark marks between each cylinder on the deck.  Replace the circlips on the ends of the gudgeon pins with PTFE thrust caps, as they have been used on turned Minis for decades.

Ouch!!!! So sorry to see this. It's just about the worst case scenario that you could have found from a simple low compression figure - in fact I'm amazed that you had as much compression as you did. At least you  had a look before any more damage was done. Circlips like these always used to give me the heebie-geebies because I could never be 100% certain they had seated in their grooves. If you look at the new ones when you fit them, have a very careful look at them first. One side normally has a dead sharp face where it has been punched out from the parent metal, but the other usually has a (very) small radius on its face. That radius can be enough, if you are very unlucky, to allow the circlip to ease its way out of the groove because it is being constantly thumped by the gudgeon (wrist?) pin. Also, make sure that the gudgeon pin has no more (or less) than a few thou endfloat as installed at room temperature. Personally, I prefer round wire circlips for security, but sadly they're not interchangeable with your type. Good luck with the liner -  I hope there's enough material there to hold it properly. If there is, it should be as good as new. Personally, I prefer to leave a step at the bottom of the parent bore so there is no possibility of the liner going for a walk downwards and the head naturally stops it coming up. That's the only way I have ever found to 100% guarantee liner security. Added to say that my comments about liner fitting only really apply to a liner being fitted as a repair to an iron block. Liners used in aluminium blocks are a completely different animal because they are generally much thicker and locate into a recess of some sort in the bottom of the block.

Oh wow Ian..You seemed to very cool about all your finds...Sending the engine block to the machine shop to see if you can save it is a good idea.  I remember rebuilding my 978 engine, crank shaft, all new piston, rings, rods etc and replaced everything.. Engine stand is the way to go... I was able to do all my during the winter in a nice toasty garage..  Had everything labeled in ziplock bags which made it easier to put together.  Once my project was finished the Air Force handed my orders to move to Nebraska...So I packed up my 4 door Isuzu I-mark with my wife and two dogs in the lead. I drove behind with my 59' Bugeye with my 3 yr old daughter in the passenger seat.  We drove from Merced, California to El Paso, Texas to stay with my parents before heading to Omaha, Nebraska..  It was a smooth ride and no issues on the long drive at the speeds nearly 55 mph.  Fall weather was really nice for the long drive.  Good luck & keep the video's coming.

My bugeye  948 #4 was sleeved.. #4 had a burnt- through exhaust valve. You mentioned in a previous video that #4 seems to run hot  on these engines, and I agree.  If your machine shop wants an exorbitant price, I strongly suggest you get a 1275. They are so much better and a blast to drive. You won't regret it. BTW way, funny story: When I replaced the exhaust valve, I had a machine shop go over it, magna-flux it, etc. It was my job to put it back together. I'm not experienced but I got a lot of advice. The 948 pistons had a bottom  oil wiping ring. I Installed #1 piston. Turned crank. All OK. Installed #2 &#3 pistons. Everything is fine. Installed #4. Crankshaft turned a little bit and then froze tight! Whaaaat??. I was flummoxed.. For hours. Then I noticed that #4 was sleeved, but it was way too short. The machine shop said to remove the oil ring, it wasn't necessary.. That engine got a lot of miles, but I got a deal on a 1275. See what you can find out there if the machine shop prices discourage you. 1275's are quite easy to find.  The only thing about a 1275 that I learned the hard way is...you need to upgrade the axles. It was 2 days before Christmas and the FedEx driver loved my Bigeye so much  he hopped out of his truck to see it before the light changed! I HAD to show-iff when the light changed, right? It went about 3 feet and then clunked. Nice guy. He helped me push it around the corner...

Fingers crossed 🤞 you can salvage the block, my engine is being rebuilt at the moment, have missed the shows here in the UK.
Look forward to seeing the next video

Ouch….. very much enjoy your videos
My sprite has been in the hospital getting a new throw out bearing and clutch kit with a new choke cable and hooking up the clutch slave cylinder extension
Get this, the shop said my slave cylinder push rod is way to long. It has been there since 1998. Will talk more with shop when I pick it up next Monday. I do not have the shop you have and really haven’t worked on mine since it was put back together in 1999

Gudgeon pins should be square across the ends, unlike yours which has a radius from wear. When installing the circlips, be sure that the sharp edge is facing outwards so it bites firmly into the recess of the groove when being contacted by the gudgeon pin end. Around the other way can result in the failure that you currently have, as the curved edge of the circlip can ride up in the groove and exit the pin bore. Have your conrods tested for straightness.

Tough luck there Ian. Wow that piston is ina mess! 😮 Too bad it has to be summer doing the rebuild but I’m sure you will have it back together soon. Good idea wrt the crank stand.

Wow, so sorry this happened. What a pain, most of us would be throwing tools across the shop!
Can I ask about your side mirrors? What model and where can buy a couple, Thanks!

Maybe i seen wrong, but looked like that number 4 rod had heat marks in it. Would hate to see it go back together with a compromised rod after all that time and work.

Given you can't locate the missing circlip would suggest it was never there. If the rebuild was done by someone other than yourself you may have a claim but we both know it's a long shot. It should be possible to sleeve that cylinder but as you suggest, there isn't a great deal of meat between it and cylinder no 3. I am guessing that by now you will have found out if it can be done. If the worst comes to the worst you can probably source another block fairly cheaply but that obviously would entail a lot of work and money.

Definitely a bummer.  I wonder if this was one of those "Got interrupted with a phone call, now where was I on these pistons?" and it turned out the remaining C clip was missed.  Am I correct in thinking your other cylinders are currently 30 thousandths overbored?  If yours can be sleeved it might be good news for my original block.  All four cylinders would need to be sleeved on it to save it, but it's 100% stock bore.

Could have been worse!