Saving Old Seagulls

Hi All,
Just inherited this Little Forty. It looks great but needs much internal help. Hoping somebody out there has a general arrangement drawing or manual. I have a later model Little Forty but this one has a few design variations that I need to get my head around.
Thanks for taking the time to read my question.
Ian

Very limited paperwork has been found on this motor, the motor is well known about and the production variations that continued.
Later carburettor fitted, or just later covers, I don't think it's 1951 either.
You just need to ask the question.

Thanks Keith. I haven't had this engine on the operating table yet so I am gathering what I can before the strip down. Seeing that you have one yourself, one thing you might be able to shed light on is the attachment of the drive shaft to the water pump housing. I haven't seen the attachment on any Seagull where there is no collar bolt to tighten onto the tube. What holds it together?

The date of production came from John's engine identifier as 1951 - 52. I haven't gone down the lists to pinpoint it more precisely yet.

Thanks for your reply.

Ian

Drive shaft tube is treaded can be very tricky to remove .try holding drive tube in a vice when gearbox has been removed .put a piece of wood between the Exhust flange and drive tube flange heat up and turn ..hope this helps

The date of production came from John's engine identifier as 1951 - 52. I haven't gone down the lists to pinpoint it more precisely yet.

I didn't realise they made so many, about 8,000 a year.

Thanks Keith, that's a very handy bit of advice and inside information. Things could have gone very badly not knowing about the threaded tube!! Hopefully, heat and a bit of bees wax will do the trick. Fingers crossed.

Hi ibakos,
Lucky you for inheriting such a great Seagull.

FVP7383 would have produced round about October 1951. In that year the factory produced 3698 model FVs and FVPs.

It looks very original, although as Keith has mentioned, the cover or carb looks odd.

They usually come to pieces without a great deal of difficulty, but can l ask why you want to strip it down? Sometimes they are best left as they are. The re-assembly is usually very much more difficult and time consuming that the stripping - isn't that always the case? Do you intend to use it on a boat, or just as a static display?

You mentioned that you had another Little Forty. Is that on the list? What is its serial number?

If you have the time to take a few more photos of FVP7383 and post them here, that would be great.

Jeremy

HiJeremy,

Thanks for your comments and pinning down the date of production. There is one main reason for the strip down, I am a restorer and preserver of old things mechanical but I really love old Seagulls. Bought my first 102 thirty years ago. I don't do static displays, my current flock of four are all working engines that get regular time on the water. For that reason I go back to fundamentals. Fully rebuilt carbs New coils, points and condensers from George Shead. I have been fortunate that all four have shown minimal wear pointing to low running hours. New rings and honing the bores gets me to mechanically first class order. If this link works you can see what I do. https://photos.app.goo.gl/WlptOslf5Nmb6fad2
Here is a 102 I worked on last year. https://goo.gl/photos/3PJVf4wJw16TXMwa9 I love this engine, purrs along and is such an eye catcher.

Getting back to the Little Forty, it won't turn. Haven't taken it apart yet but there is a hint the gear box and not the power head is seized. The strip will reveal all..

Cheers,

Ian

And for interest, here is a much later Forty Plus https://goo.gl/photos/g1LthX9rPSVNZSSJ7

This one had done almost no hours and today is like new.

Ian

Impressive pictures, thanks, your not scared!

I'm an Aussie. What's fear? Hahaha

I do agree with Jeremy, break anything on the FVP and you may have problems, as parts are getting very hard to find.
The LS is also a nice motor, I myself wouldn't class it as a Little forty, rather a Super Forty, even though the engine identifier says it is, internally it has a later type crank or a longer stroke, IE LS, unlike the FV/P, which have a shorter stroke than all the other seagulls.
As telling people misleading information is frowned upon, but it's not if you are running the site.
Just restore the motors as far as you wish and use them and enjoy them.

Thanks Keith. That's a remarkable lot knowledge you have there! Thanks for your help.

Some general pictures as the stripping down gets underway. No surprises so far. Gear box has turned out to be in good condition so the no turning issue is in the powerhead unfortunately. Flywheel came off without fuss but the ignition base plate needs careful persuasion. The carby plastic parts are rigid, like Bakelite. Does this look like a case of a much later Villiers Carb or was there and early type like this one?

The carb is a much later addition. The carb which was fitted when BS produced the engine would be an all metal one, with a 7/16" venturi. The choke would have been on the other side. It would have a steel float chamber bowl (without the later drainage hole near the top) and would have had a throttle stop. Photos of these details are in the Notes to the data list that I will e mail to you. But here is one photo of the carb:-
Jeremy