While "Dumpster Diving" I found a V8 block, now surely that can be used for something!!!!

So home with me it came (to be hidden from the wife)

For info it's a Rover 3.5 V8 alloy block and I am going to turn it into a table

So this is metal, it's furniture, and it is probably going to be given away as a xmas present.

Step 1: Clean It Up a Bit

Obviously I wasn't going to get away with anything using it in its oil and grime encrusted condition, but luckily we had the sand blasters in at work stripping paint from our water tanks, so a couple of beers later all the grime had magically disappeared!!

Step 2: Pistons

Searching around in the shed junk pile I found 4 pistons (they are not the right ones for the engine but that doesn't matter.

I took off the rings and blasted them in the blast cabinet (also at work)

Step 3: Modding the Pistons

I intend attaching the pistons to the cylinder head screw holes and for them to sit flat I needed to file part of the skirt away (shown on the piston on the right)

Step 4: Attaching the Pistons

Because of the con-rod bolt design and cylinder head bolt spacing, I could only screw in one bolt from each con-rod/piston in an already drilled hole, in the second hole I had to drill and tap a hole for an M8 allen bolt.

The bolts were coated in araldite before screwing in (them suckas ain't comin' out!!)

Step 5: Filling Up the Rest of the Holes

I thought it looked more pleasing with the rest of the cylinder head screw holes filled so I used a bunch of allen grub screws also araldited in place

Step 6: Sealing

Once all assembled I used spray clear epoxy to prevent corrosion

Step 7: Mounting the Glass

I found some small self adhesive silicon "dots" which I stuck on the piston tops.

Initially I am going to try 2 but we will see if it needs more

Step 8: The Glass

I found an old glass table on TradeMe and for the princely sum of $2 it was mine and gave me this lovely piece of smoked glass which turned out to be more or less the perfect size.

The photos are a little dark and don't do it justice, but it actually looks pretty good

So all told this project cost me $3 in bolts, $2 in glass, the block was free, the silicon dots were $10!!!! but I have only used 8 out of a pack of 64, the grub screws were free as they were test failed ones destined for the scrap bin.

Now I just have to persuade the wife to let me keep it!!

(just kidding - she's an angel and I am probably going to give it to a friend who is a total petrolhead!)