1971 Mini Pickup in Green. Drove through a flood across a country lane very late one night. Couldn't understand why it was so sluggish - until I got home and noticed the plunge pool in the back.
The starter motor or coil or something had bust so, to start it, I had to put a brick on the accelerator pedal and short the solenoid terminals with a screwdriver. Cue a shower of sparks and a highly revving engine. Good anti-theft system though.