Morris Minor Owners Club

I’ve just taken delivery of a spare sidevalve engine, rebuilt 4 years ago but never installed - have builders receipts.
I’ve pulled the head and it’s looking okay, evidence of rebore on the cylinders, new valves and pistons plus head, sump, timing cover gaskets are new and coated in assembly lube.

However I cant turn it by hand on the pulley, there is no clutch to grab onto (I can’t access the flywheel because it’s encased in the block/sump flanges) but I can turn the engine by moderate to forceful leverage of the flywheel teeth through the starter aperture with a screwdriver. I’ve done a few full rotations this way, valve train working as it should. I was told it was tight prior to buying.

My question to you is how tight would you expect a rebuilt engine to be?

Re-built engines can be quite hard to rotate even with the head off. So nothing unusual there.
Can you turn the engine with the starter dog?
Put some oil down the bores and then turn it over. You may find that it turns easier.
Personally I would not be too worried.