Saving Old Seagulls

Hi Jeremy, your condenser is a capacitor there are three ways to test it.
First a capacitor stores voltage and then discharges it.
1. You can charge it up by connecting it to a 12v battery, the lead is the + positive and the case is the - negative. then if you short the lead to the case you should ...

Hi Jeremy, Here is a link to Villiers Parts.
http://www.villiersparts.co.uk/ignition.html
George has had new coils made for most of the Villier Seagulls. He is very much an enthusiast and very helpful if you talk to him.
My Century Plus is now very reliable with one of his new coils.
Hope you have ...

Looks like a very worthwhile project that is coming along well, I'll be watching with interest.
Dave.

Thanks for the feedback, haven't had time to look at it since getting it started. Can you tell me more about the pipes? The pipe from the block to the exhaust is clear plastic pipe and that is clear of rust. I can see another pipe at the lower end of the leg, how do I get that off?
Will investigate ...

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The flock now numbers five!
This latest one is Numbered TC 453 W2
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I was down the yard putting up masts and launching boats and noticed the Seagull clamped on a trolley.
Later on a friend came over for a chat ...

Well done, it’s nice when it all comes together, especially when a stranger takes an interest.
Great story, Dave.

You can adjust the height of the needle on the Villiers carb. Undo the ring on the top of the carb and lift the piston and needle out. There is a small screw on the top of the piston usually set level with the top. Screw it down to weaken the mix don’t overdo it. Timing is set and can not be altered ...

Hi Charles,
As you surmise I have a full boat building workshop and everything you would expect to find after 60 odd years of work. My attitude if it’s broke fix it, the last thing we need is more gash to throw away. I would think the cranks where made in Villiers Street then taken somewhere for the ...

Proper bit of history there with a date!
Thanks for sharing will be interesting to discover how it fits into the move to Bristol.

Just some information in case you decide to cut a new thread.
The core diameter of 7/16" BSF is 0.3663" and the outer diameter of 3/8" BSF is 0.3750 only 0.0087 dif which is well in tolerance. It would be very easy to get some Hex Bar the same size as the original Nut and drill and tap that for 3/8 ...

Looks like you have a few problems, the crank shaft thread is 7/16 x 18 BSF if you can find the correct Die try restoring the thread. And then use a new flywheel nut.
Timing is set and there is no provision for altering it. A screw on the underside of the magneto plate locates in a dimple on the ...

Hi Mhops, we are lucky where I live in that we have a good Auto Paint Shop that specialises in mixing colours for local garages. As well as supplying paint for spraying they can put any paint they mix into Rattle Cans. They stock petrol resistant paint and laquer clear coat. I’d suggest finding a ...

Is this the type of Tap you have Skip?
Tap.jpg
If so it should have one of this type of plunger with a cork seal, there is a small screw retaining the plunger in the tap.
plunger.jpg
The corks sometimes dry up and allow petrol to leak, if you remove the plunger and put it in boiling water they ...

Thanks for the report, good reading.

Hi Rich,
I’ve had good luck back flushing with a garden hose. If you take the nozzle from a calking gun and cut it so the diameter is a tight fit in the water outlet it’s easy to hold it in place.

Both my Centuries have five bladed Hydro Fans, the Century has a 9" diameter with a 3.5-1 ratio box ...