How many of us have still got a Seagull ?

[Neil]

I read that post as being that "someone on the SOS forum said that there was a 70% chance of that particular engine never running again ....".
But - such negativity is not exactly typical of that forum, so dunno where that percentage figure originated from ?

I've even chipped out 'sand' (the remains of well-dried emulsified oil) from gearboxes and got 'em to run again. INDESTRUCTIBLE is the word which comes to mind. Except for cracked cylinders - seen a couple of those - and a few bad steel tanks - otherwise, I'd say that 95% of Seagulls can be salvaged.

It was me who put in that 70% figure of ruining the motor on trying to strip it down - and I remember reading something like that on SOS - it was actually removing the drive tube from the housing that was the problem: http://www.saving-old-seagulls.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=662&p=3314&hilit=70%#p3314.

If you had a rusty drive tube and wanted to restore a motor to shiny newness, this could be inconvenient.

 

[electrosys]

It was me who put in that 70% figure of ruining the motor on trying to strip it down - and I remember reading something like that on SOS - it was actually removing the drive tube from the housing that was the problem: http://www.saving-old-seagulls.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=662&p=3314&hilit=70%#p3314.

Oh right .... I've done a couple of these, and they can indeed be a buqqer: the technique I settled on (having tried modest brute force, heat and WD40), was to angle grind off the bolt head, then drill out the clamp bolt from both directions using a pillar drill - even if this means losing the casting's theads. Then employ a tiger torch to expand the ally. At this point the joint will separate. Then, when re-assembling, simply replace the clamp bolt with a bolt and nut.

If you had a rusty drive tube and wanted to restore a motor to shiny newness, this could be inconvenient.

Sure. Personally, I don't bother with trying to recover a tube if it's too far gone - wire brush, phosphate primer and some black paint is my recipe. If I fettled a Seagull up to exhibition standard, I'd be far too scared to use it !

Cheers.



Whoops - I've just read that thread and apparently this water pump housing is different from all others. Never came across the 'screwed-in' sort. So what was the result ? Did you manage to separate the two parts ?

 

[Ubergeekian]

Presumably all these Seagull owners are still driving around in Ford Poplars or Morris 8s.

In my case, a 1976 Citroën DS. Remind me, when was the Twister designed?

 

[yellowspinnaker]

The water pump housing on the 'Little Model Forty' and its larger cousin the 'Super Forty Plus' was indeed different. The drive shaft tube was screwed into it with a fine thread (22TPI - I've just popped out to the workshop to count). This arrangement didn't last more than a few years before the more familiar clench bolt arrangement reappeared with the LS model, which addressed some of the problems.

I have now rebuilt several of these little Seagulls, and they are difficult customers to say the least. That particular threaded joint after 60 years is a particular challenge, even with lots of heat it's very difficult to part the two without damage. The spares for these were discontinued many decades ago, with a quite generous part exchange being offered to customers who were having problems.

Great fun, I got one going yesterday for the first time in ages. A dinky little engine which goes well and pumps prodigious amounts of cooling water. Castor oil (tiny amount) in the two-stroke mix helps to keep flying insects at bay..

 

[Giblets]

Mine wouldn't run properly in a wheelie bin!

If you were to sharpen the blades you could use it as a "mulcher"!

 

[BAtoo]

I keep my 1967 Seagull in the garage. Its just started 2nd pull with old fuel after 2years. Remarkable.
Put it near a boat though and it will probably refuse to start. Hey Ho.
But I wont get rid of it, and have promised myself to take it out for a good run on the tender in July.

Anyone else still harbouring a Seagull?

Oh dear, you've got me thinking now.....

Yes I have a Seagull in the shed, not sure which one - not the smallest tho - and as I am now on a swinging mooring at Pin Mill & I have a tatty old rigid tender it's strating to sound as tho I should be using it......

 

[FullCircle]

Oh dear, you've got me thinking now.....

Yes I have a Seagull in the shed, not sure which one - not the smallest tho - and as I am now on a swinging mooring at Pin Mill & I have a tatty old rigid tender it's strating to sound as tho I should be using it......

If you have a mooring at Pin Mill I would say the use of a Seagull is de rigeur.

 

[Searush]

If you have a mooring at Pin Mill I would say the use of a Seagull is de rigeur.

Yes, and he will need a pipe, brylcreem & a hand-knitted gansey - oh & don't forget the ex-RN kit bag for all the gear.

 

[ccscott49]

I keep my 1967 Seagull in the garage. Its just started 2nd pull with old fuel after 2years. Remarkable.
Put it near a boat though and it will probably refuse to start. Hey Ho.
But I wont get rid of it, and have promised myself to take it out for a good run on the tender in July.

Anyone else still harbouring a Seagull?

Yep! I still have one, a modern outboard looks, well...........just wrong on a McNulty wooden clinker dinghy!

 

[BAtoo]

Yes, and he will need a pipe, brylcreem & a hand-knitted gansey - oh & don't forget the ex-RN kit bag for all the gear.

Yes, that would be more in keeping - the Mustos, Dubarries, Quantum Sail bag and shades are not quite right I think

I'm sure i have an old gansey somewhere, have used Brylcream in my time (as a very young lad!!), never done the pipe bit tho......

 

[reginaldon]

Presumably all these Seagull owners are still driving around in Ford Poplars or Morris 8s.

No, but I do have a '72 Fiat 500 - didn't use it yesterday, driving 300+ miles on the outside lane.

 

[paulm299]

No Seagull but I do have a British Anzani Pilot ( 2.5 hp I think ) .

 

[reginaldon]

Yes, and he will need a pipe, brylcreem & a hand-knitted gansey - oh & don't forget the ex-RN kit bag for all the gear.

I've still got my RN kitbag - issued Jan '49 - Only used as a ground sheet, when I'm antifouling between the bilge keels.

(Surely the wrong service for Brylcreem)

 

[salinia]

Seagull! Coast would be a sad place without em.

We called our Seagull Fred he stayed with us 3 or 4 seasons untill "Skipper" our working cocker made him feel unwelcome.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dth7rgY8BU&feature=player_detailpage

 

[northwind]

It had to happen..


What every seagull needs as old age takes over..

 

[FullCircle]

We called our Seagull Fred he stayed with us 3 or 4 seasons untill "Skipper" our working cocker made him feel unwelcome.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dth7rgY8BU&feature=player_detailpage

Excellent. The howling Skipper was funny too.

 

[Lakesailor]

No, but I do have a '72 Fiat 500 - didn't use it yesterday, driving 300+ miles on the outside lane.

Fantastic car (except the kingpins).
Mrs Lakesailor had 3 of them, a 1966, a 1972 and a 1973.

She also had a 126, but that wasn't anything like so much fun.

 

[MapisM]

Mrs Lakesailor had 3 of them, a 1966, a 1972 and a 1973.

Don't let her try the current Abarth SS then, or you'll have to buy it pronto.
Which on second thought could be a good reason to let her try one...!

 

[DownWest]

She also had a 126, but that wasn't anything like so much fun.[/QUOTE]

Ah, but they can be if you graft a Citroen 1220 aircooled four into the back. 'Cors, you then need to fit discs to the front, but doable.

 

[reginaldon]

Fantastic car (except the kingpins).
Mrs Lakesailor had 3 of them, a 1966, a 1972 and a 1973.

She also had a 126, but that wasn't anything like so much fun.

Didn't she cannibalize the 126 engine for one of the 500s?.


My 500 was my Dad's - I was a Dyane fan, had 4.