Aussie Curlew

[Hugz]

What are your thoughts on this? Are heads available? Has twist grip. I'm assuming from the shear spring these don't have reverse. I've never seen one in Australia and as this is not far away I might take a punt at it.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/140695458186 ... 1423.l2649

[Collector Inspector]

Very interesting, I would like to know more about these.

Two bids already.

No, I am not bidding on this.

Gluck Huggy!

B

[Hugz]

Ok I got it at 137 quid or $202au.

I'm happy with that. Hopefully it resurrectable. Probably pick up in the next few days.

[Collector Inspector]

Well Done!

Now for an Australian perspective of one of these from the get go.

B

[Horsley-Anarak]

Huggy welcome to low number seagulls

Number 27 Jan 1991, why would that end up in Sydney.

3.3 Mariner or Tohatsu would have been the first choice in 1991.

Looks like a good project, I hope the cylinder is OK, head looks a bit suspect.

You can perhaps get a new head cast if it is beyond repair.

Charles has broken some of these for bits I believe, perhaps he has a spare head.

This is what they look like inside.

The crack on your head looks quite high up, away from the water passage, not sure what has caused that.

Bruce perhaps can advise if it can be welded.

I look forward to seeing the "head off" pics.

Inner exhaust is another story.

H-A

[Charles uk]

John can supply a new head & gasket, for almost 1/2 the price of a Century equivalent.

That does look like a cracked head around the spark plug boss but could be just a casting flaw.

[Hugz]

Okidoke. Got her home. Head is cracked but not too severe but will try and acquire replacement. Thumbscrew is seized and broken and has a threaded coupling. Might look for replacement too and handle is broken.

Good news is that she has spark and I can blow through the water jacket. I like the plastic coated driveshaft though what is hidden underneath is a worry. Salt corrosion on recoil. What's this tube screwed into the tell tell?

I believe that it has been sitting on the back of a boat on the water as there is evidence of marine life having made the gearbox their home. A seagull with allen key fasteners, who would have believed that! Seems to be the genuine article.

The head nuts aren't seized so should come apart without too much trouble.

[Charles uk]

That looks honest.
Remove head, & see if you can clean the rust from the water gallery in it, don't worry about the crack as long as the heads in one piece, a bit of insulating tape will stop that leaking, till you get a new one.

The tell tale is correct for a Curlew.

Those thumb screws are no longer available new, but standard ones fit.

25 : 1 fuel mix, ep 90 gear oil as sealed 2.5 : 1 box, plug gap 25 thou.

It's worth spending the money on the bits.

I bet you fall in love with it, as they're as loveable as an SD.

[Horsley-Anarak]

Come on Huggy, take the head off.

I have my fingers crossed for you.

H-A

[Charles uk]

Give it a run before stripping, if it feels ok.

Drain the gear oil to see what that looks like.

At least you'll know if the rest works OK.

[Hugz]

A quick question with a probable obvious answer. How does she breath? The air intake is ducted into the flywheel housing with no obvious inlet air vent. Would be good in a following sea. Are the decals still available ie Seagull 4?

[Hugz]

Number 27 Jan 1991, why would that end up in Sydney.

It may have come over on the back of a boat. Appears to have spent a lot of its life outside.

[Horsley-Anarak]

Appears to have spent a lot of its life outside.

Why do you think I have my fingers crossed, I would get that head off and see if the cylinder is OK, before anything else.

H-A

[Hugz]

Think I'll give it a run first. All feels good inside. Is the pulley guide for the starter rope suppose to spin? Not that it matters as the starboard side slides across the housing. Pulley screwed on with ferrous fastener which has rusted. Bit slack.

The gearbox oil is mint!

[Horsley-Anarak]

Is the pulley guide for the starter rope suppose to spin? Not that it matters as the starboard side slides across the housing.

Yes it should spin, If it is very rusty then I leave well alone.

Should look like this.

H-A