[Mgs] Horror stories (was Piston Broke)

[Marvin Match]

I have always contended that there can be a lot wrong with these 
little cars before they'll leave you stranded. I just can't help 
myself, I've got to share these two personal stories:

On my '74 1/2 B I was coming home from picking up my daughter from 
gymnastics practice. I was just exiting the freeway and broke a leaf 
spring, clear through all leafs while on the off-ramp. The car 
slumped way down on it's left side, I'm not sure what kept it from 
draging on the asphalt, maybe the lever shock and it's linkage. 
Anyway I managed to drive it home, but I shudder to think what would 
have happened if it had failed 5 minutes earlier at 75MPH while 
passing or changing lanes.

After a new set of rear springs and a few months later, I was just 
driving across town, stoplight-to-stoplight, not even going fast... 
and suddenly noticed a sort of "thump" and  then continuing engine 
noise and no oil pressure consistant with a bottom-end failure (this 
was engine #3 so I know what a major bottom-end failure sounds and 
feels like.) Nothing to do but nurse it home, about 5 miles. Crawling 
under the car, I could actually tip the flywheel fore and aft with my 
hand an alarming degree. Upon teardown I found the crankshaft broken 
right in two diagonally at the 4th rod journal! The only thing 
keeping it in alignment well enough to drive home was the #4 rod and 
what was left of its bearing! 

Amazing!

Marvin