This reminds me of when my old man picked up a MK1 Escort with intentions of fixing it up but sat in the paddock for about 20 odd years. I found it sitting there as a kid and took interest in it so he gave it to me as a project of my own. The tank didn't hold fuel so I ran a hose to a jerry which sat in the passengers side, threw some petrol down the carby and off she went. Might have been running like a dog but I still spent days doing burnouts in it and still hasn't died on me yet. Lucky I guess.