LS in USA

[water bug]

I have a tiller for an LS that has a couple square holes and small round ones at 90 degrees from the square. What were those holes for? Had they to do with the throttle lever bracket? Were thrust blocks for LS Aluminum or Bronze, or still the cotton spool black plastic? It is winter here.

WB

[tambikeboy]

Never seen those holes in a tiller before .....
L.s thrust block mine are black plastic same shape as in your picture..

[Keith.P]

Thrust blocks are plastic not aluminium and pretty common, not see square in a tiller before, a modification I suspect.

Old style are like this.

IMG_1310.JPG

[headdownarseup]

I've seen no end of various holes in 102 tillers before now. It seems the "spanner monkeys" get everywhere!
I had thought that some of these holes might have been drilled for a tiller extension of some description, or for a different type of throttle lever.
Either way i don't like to see any extra holes. (i like my seagulls to look as they have have done work in the past without any unnecessary modifications, slightly distressed and weathered looking,but tidy with it)

I'm sure if you ask Jeremy he will have his ideas on the matter.

BTW my early LS (18849) has cotton reel thrust blocks, and both my later LS's (35744,36688) have the plastic (reversible) type. All 3 are on Jeremy's list. Whether this is correct or not i have absolutely no idea.Sorry...

shh.. I think Jeremy might have some aluminium thrust blocks as well, both cotton reel and reversible type.
Ask him

Strange things these seagulls at times. They don't always follow convention, especially when several previous owners have got involved with them!

Jon

[Nudge]

Is it a square hole on both sides or square on one and round on the other?
If it is suqare on one round on the other, I would say it has had a coach bolt in it for a tiller extension.

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[water bug]

The are two same square holes opposite each other, and two 1/8 ( aprox 4.25 mm) holes at 90 deg. from the square ones and in line with the square ones. The grip is permanently fixed on and it is one of the ones with the name on "Dover" or ?? Cant remember. Interesting what Bodgers do. WB

[headdownarseup]

Art

God only knows what might have happened to your tiller through the mists of time. Tiller extension maybe? I must have seen around 20 different 102 tillers over the past 5 or so years with strange "extra" holes in them. It seems it happens on the smaller motors too. Spanner monkeys as i call 'em

The "DOVER" grip you mention is absolutely correct for an LS. DO NOT try to remove it or you could end up screwing it up.
I'd try and concentrate on filling the holes with something, then paint the tiller black. (remember the FV isn't painted, but the larger LS is painted)
Apart from that it's all looking good.

Jon

[Charles uk]

How about the side mounted tiller Jon, weren't they painted? well most of the ones that passed through my hands were.

[Nudge]

Wonder if you could TIG the hole up without getting the grip too hot.
Put the grip in a bucket of water while the job is being done?

[tambikeboy]

Tig welder and a bucket of water good idea china SEAGULL FOR SALE...

[headdownarseup]

Don't quote me on this, but just about all of the TILTING (side mounted) tillers on both early (ish) 40's and some of the slightly later 102's post 1955 with a brass tiller seem to be painted black.

If my FV,SJM, all 3 LS's and various other 102's are anything to go by, they're all painted black as well. There was plenty of old paint stuck to them before i restored them, so i saw no reason to think otherwise.
It seems that this pattern of tiller (side mounted) made its way onto several models of seagulls made from 51 approx. ( later FV's, LS's, possibly FVP's as well ,SJM,SJP,LLS,CP and so on)) up to the early 60's when the aluminium tiller seems to become more common on both sets of motors.
Aside from changes to the grip, these tillers are in production for a fair few years. Only the length seems to change between model types.

Boyd might be able to help a bit more with the 40 series motors post 55 onwards for clarification on tiller type and finish.
Jeremy can fill in the gaps from 49-55 with all the "little 40" engines.
I do what i can with the round block 102's from years 1942 (nothing pre-war as this is Charles's area of expertise) to 1980 something or other. The trouble with 102's is that over a 40 odd year spread of production, dozens of spec changes happen, tillers included! (not to mention all manner of bodges)

Hope this helps

Jon

[Charles uk]

I was only talking about the FV series Jon, I've only seen 2 or 3 of the weird side tiller version ones which all had traces of black paint!

[Keith.P]

This I the kind of things I have seen, when it comes to tillers.
If I see them, I keep a picture of them and have more than a handful of motors with paint still on tillers.
Off Ebay this one I suspect.

[tambikeboy]

Nice

[Nudge]

And it has a 2 part plug cap!