AUSTIN SEVEN SPECIAL

The last time I built an engine from scratch was for my 1967 Porsche 912 back in 2008.

- RUN BY Martin Port

I did so with the brilliant marque guru Andy Prill taking the lead, so just how much I absorbed could well be questioned, but I do recall staring in surprise at his list of running-in instructions - the basis of which revolved around getting what felt like rather close to the redline before shifting gears.

As he explained, the key is to not let the engine labour in lower gears, nor to treat it with kid gloves - something that would only lead to glazed bores and the need for another rebuild before too long. As a result of dutifully following his instructions, I ended up with the most amazing, free-revving and torque-filled flat-four I had ever experienced.

Naturally, therefore, Andy's words were still ringing in my ears some 18 years later, and despite the little Reliant four-cylinder being a world away from German air-cooled precision, I decided to adopt a similar approach to running-in the Vegemite Special's new 850cc motor.