I prefer an old engine to look like an old engine.... I use my 40 minus a lot and having recently purchased a long shaft 102 for my old snapdragon yacht, as long as they are serviced regular and are in good running order, that's fine by me. I do not mind giving mine a coat of hammerite to hide and clean up the rusty bits.(some of you will hate me for saying that) Mine are work horses. Maybe when I decide to replace the exhaust tubes because they are too rusty and not functioning correctly, probably then I might decide to give them both a complete facelift.... Probably by that time I will need one myself.
The trouble with buying so called never used items that have been stored away for yonks is that, Do we really know that these engines are going to be better than an engine that has been used for a great many years?... It may well be the Monday morning lemon...
I also love older merc cars some that I have owned in the past have done close to a quarter of a million miles... They still had plenty of life left in them.. The great thing with Seagull engines is that they have proven track record, even the abused ones we could still most likely get them going again with a little effort....
Seagull's are of real quality build that will go on and on, an engine we can rely on. Simple and strong, does the job. The problem with modern outboards is that they are designed to be chucked away in this disposable world we live in.... Shame on the so called green aware countries that give their stock a low shelf life.
Seagull's use of a strong mix of 2 stroke oil is what has kept these engines going. Modern outboards may be a lot quiter and greener, However, the high petrol mix and cheap castings and flimsy parts used on some of these modern outboards are made to be broken as this generates the companies a lot of money in selling the spares to US the consumer. Consumer being the operative word.... Mug would be more how they see us...
I have always loved the smell and the noise of old seagull engines, since my father took me out on his tender powered by a short shaft silver century... Some 35 years ago!!!
GO BACK TO BASICS..... KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID, Kiss for short!!
If simplicity is the key to old age as in the Seagull... Then from now on I will keep everything as simple as I possibly can.
Enjoy!!!
