Last weekend, I did a pretty grassroots version of vintage racing (at Watkins Glen). Since I had blown the normal 1500 engine in my Spridget, I dragged an ancient 948 out of a garden shed (where it had been sitting for 20+ years), cleaned the spiders out of the inside of block (with a pressure washer) and put in a mix of whatever oil I had laying around (I'd estimate I was running something like 11W-39). And had a ~great time~ running all weekend.
But anyway, my pal John ran his 1600 MGA and it experienced one of the most catastrophic engine failures I've ever seen. When his engine seized (due to one of the front rods failing) the crank bent in the middle, blowing out both front sides of the block in the process. After they towed it in, I noticed the dipstick was hanging at a funny angle. When we pulled up on it, a piece of the block weighing about 5 lbs came with it.
I actually caught the engine failure ~on camera~ (he had just passed me when it failed). If you slide to about 1:20 and watch, you'll see it.....followed by a view from HIS in-car camera of the failure.
John just sent me a note in which he says: "The centre main is still attached to the crank but no longer to the engine. Part of the torque reaction of the sudden stoppage was absorbed by the bell housing which reacted by cracking all the way around!" John's a good-natured Brit and he simply laughed it off. He'll have it put right by next race season. The blue car in the first photo is John's MGA. The second and third photo are shots of the engine.
