Im going to have a look at a 2wd spah cossie on sunday and was wondering what I should look out for. Bloke claims hes done a engine rebuild to it him self how can I check that out????

And how can I tell a 200 block from a 205, might be stupid questions but im not much of a mechanic. I have a cossie already but that was from sum1 I trust.

 

look for rot on rear chassis rails( where the suspension bolts up) , rot on front chassis rails where they meet the bulkhead, rot on inner wings up by bulkhead, rot on rear arches, rot in boot floor, look for any evidence of severe damage that has been poorly repaired, look at the chassis numbers in the floor make sure they are raised in the car and not stamped down!!!
look at the tyres to make sure the wear is even across them as this is a surefire sign of chassis misalignment

the 200 is in big numbers, cast on the side of the block(just like the 205)

pugo

 

see Fast ford this month. Got what to look for i think. Just make sure you do a HPI check, and if you like the car and feel semi confident its the car for you, then get an AA check just for confidence. Think that gives you some sort of cover that if the car is a nail, then the AA will sort you out.(Don't quote me on that, may need to check with them on that one)

Look for rust around rear arches, rear chassis rails, front cross member, front suspension top mounts, especially if its had a strut brace, good old battery tray area and anywhere that will hold the dirt.

As for the engine, he should have receipts to prove he's bought the parts. Ask to see the car starting from cold and stand by the exhaust to see if any smoke comes out.