With the bottom end of the engine in the frame, I could move on to rebuilding the top end. The barrel got a clean up and a nice shiny coat of black high temperature paint.
I fitted the base gasket and then stuffed the crankcase opening with paper to ensure nothing dropped down where it shouldn't, before heating the piston (with rings already installed) in boiling water to expand it a bit, and then inserting the gudgeon pin and circlips to attach it to the con rod.
I didn't have a piston ring compressor but, looking round the workshop for inspiration, found a scrap of PVC rainwater pipe that was a bit smaller than the piston diameter. I cut a short length and then a slot down one side so I could open it up around the piston. Then I pulled it tight with a zip tie to compress the rings. After I had lowered the barrel down over the rings, I snipped the zip tie and removed the tube. This worked a treat and has gone into my "sundry tools" drawer for future use!
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