I have just acquired a 1971 142E with the main intention of parting it out for the M41 gearbox to go into my 63 Amazon. I posted a message a few weeks ago and had a bundle of replys telling me that it is too rare and valuable to pull to bits and that I should put it back on the road.

Now that I have taken delivery and had a few hours to check it over, I'm still thinking of parting it out. Before I do though, I want to try and get it running. There was a piece of paper inside the car with notes that the previous owner had made during its stay in his collection (he had hundreds of cars in storage!). It apparently last ran in 1990. It turned over but didn't start each year thereafter until 1996. For all I know it hasn't been turned over since.

Turning the front pulley I could easily get a turn out of it. I have put in a freshly charged battery and checked water and oil. There was no smell of fuel from the fuel tank so I put in a gallon of petrol. With the spark plugs out, I motored it over for a while to get oil circulated. I also verified that the sparks were firing. With the plugs back in I tried to start it. Cranking it long and hard several times, there was not even the slightest hint of firing. Can anyone tell me what I should check next? I was thinking of putting in another gallon of juice in case the tank, pump, lines, filters etc have taken up the first gallon without getting the fuel circulating properly. What is the easy way to check that there is fuel circulating? I will also check compression, but I doubt that will be the problem because the car hasn't been driven since it was last run (unless valves are rusted and have stuck open). How do I test the fuel pump? If it is nothing obvious in the mechanical line, I'd probably give up because I'm not going to buy any sensors or electrical bits to try and find the problem. I'll check all fuses just in case it is that simple.

They main reason I want to get it started is to check the OD. It would also be nice to know that the engine, ECU etc are worth keeping.

The car itself is not too bad. The only obvious rust is in the two wheel wells in the boot. I am guessing it was sold new in Vancouver (it has a Clarke Simpking Vancouver badge just under the Overdrive badge on the bootlid). There is a K C leather bound sport steering wheel and Volvo rev counter that will be worth keeping. Front seats are all vinyl except the panels that your back rests on - is this correct? Headrests are missing which is a shame - I want to fits seats to my Amazon. Gearbox has long stick which will make it easier to transplant.

Image link below is to the first of four photos.