"If the Cape Town Huey was like the UK Huey........ well, I would have then encouraged all to go for a flip on it, but unfortunately it aint!"
Knowing a bit about the UK Huey....and the place that did the overhaul....if the SA Huey was of this standard....there would not be a thread such as this.
I fail to understand why one would accept such risks as are suggested in posts made to this thread.
Flying bad iron will kill you.....and if you cannot provide a bonafide pedigree for all the parts and work done to the helicopter....it would appear to me....that flying in the thing without the pedigree would be paramount to suicide. At some point....if....operative word....if the parts are timed out...or inproperly overhauled or repaired.....in time they shall (imperative tense) fail and harm you.
The UK bird is sound...pretty...and done right....the question to ask yourselves....is the SA aircraft done to an airworthy standard? If the answer is yes....then no problem. If the answer is NO---then it is a no brainer.....don't touch it with a barge pole!