Saving Old Seagulls

So does that mean it's got the wrong box and prop, or is the photo in the OP not the same motor?

In that pic it looks like a standard box with normal 2-blade SD prop.....

Aren't the 'Plus' versions called 'barge-pushers', with a big fat 'box and a huge 13" 4-blade prop?

Or am I misinterpreting what you're saying?

There's more than one view on this. The other Charles - the less good-looking one - and I tend to different thoughts.

I don't believe there ever was an actual SD 'Barge Pusher'. That, as you correctly observe, is the name given to those models whose gearbox is the size of a turnip with a big four leaf clover propellor. These are the HSD, AHC, THC, WHC models that came after the war. Only the HSD appears in original company lists as being a short water-jacket motor.

Given that the SD motors in military service may have been treated harshly, had bits swapped around, and generally had a hard life and basic field maintenance, the originality and authenticity of survivors must be viewed with suspicion. Most of the SD's I have seen have had the box the same shape and size as in the OP, but all with a clutch. The factory lists have the SD as a clutch drive, with the SDP as a direct drive. (I view this with a little suspicion, too.)

But in the two known military handbooks no mention is made of different gearboxes. Surely given the different characteristics there would be some suggestion in those manuals of suitable different uses that each may have? They do go into some detail, but no 'barge pusher' type references at all.

And - to my mind this is the clincher - no mention in the Army parts lists either. These lists cover every single component, and two types of magneto, so surely they would cover a different gearbox as well.

So as far as I'm concerned, no 'Barge Pusher' SD.

I tend to agree Charles (SP) The army have a parts list/manual for everything, so you could not imagine an outboard in army service without this. What would they do if they broke a prop and needed to call up a replacement from stores? I've never seen an SD plus model, has anyone else?

This engine has the standard SD box and prop, but there is no ministry stamp on the skeg. Xtaffy in NZ reports the same on his engine.

Do we know if seagull sold engines to joe public during the war? Or did they only start doing this when the ministry contract was completed? If thats the case then these late SD engine numbers could be engines assembled for the ministry, never delivered and then sold off from Poole. Sort of end of contract surplus?

All interesting stuff.

Charles would you be prepared to scan those parts lists and manuals you have? I'd be interested in seeing them.

I see there are some more 102 adverts on the 102 page on the SOS site, courtesy of Terry on the Isle of skye. They seem to feature an early post war engine, with all the features we get exited about! Interesting to see the use of the SD type throttle lever and a different fuel pipe.

The factory was almost mothballed early in the war, and started up again purely because of the Ministry order. I'm sure a few would have sold to fishermen, but I doubt that private purchasers would have bothered.

On completion of the contract I doubt there were bits left over, they would have been retained as spares. It was 1946 when the last of the Ministry motors was delivered, and 1946 whn the 'D' and 'C' models arrived - complete with flt magnetos, bronze brackets, brass tanks..

Closer inspection of the 102 leaflet shows flat mag , bent transom clamps , armoured fuel hose , long throttle lever and an AC engine number
Also shows 102 plus with 13" four bladed prop

Which leaflet, Skyetoyman?

Edited to say - Yes now I see which leaflet you mean. That's a 1947 leaflet - one of the illustrations has a screw-on fuel cap.

http://www.saving-old-seagulls.co.uk/i_ ... image2.jpg

H-A

Hi all.
Where or when did the skeletal bronze bracket come into the equation ?? Mine has this bracket, was it supplied with the mysterious side mount?

This type of bracket was supplied with the C and D immediately after the war, and it appears in adverts for those motors. It was designed during the war and I am pretty convinced that it was fitted to some SD's supplied at the time. The great majority were supplied with the stubby stick-out-the-side thing

Not actually a very good bracket but my favorite.

Please OYSER, Tell me what boiler cleaner is..... I also have rusty cylinders to clean. Art

Boiler cleaner is calcium carbonate lime scale remover it's a mildish acid, read all the posts on cylinder cleaning it's been discussed many times.

I've tried several different brands of boiler descaler, but none have worked particularly well.

On a reasonable cylinder (like this one) a rigourous flushing, shaking and reversing the flow will get various flakes of rust out, which will otherwise block or partially block the flow. I put boiler descaler into the jacket for a while to see if that brings out anything else.

Set to on the crankcases and tank supports tonight. The brass tank supports came up really easily. However the crankcases are proving very stubburn

The casings seem to be a somewhat rougher and duller finish than the last SD I stripped.

What's everybody's way of cleaning these casings up? Personally I use wire wool and metal polish, but it takes an age It does leave the component with a nice slightly dull polish.

Has anybody come across a magic dip If only eh? Guess I'll be in front of the telly doing these for the next few nights!

Hi all.
Have a look at this stuff, i dont know if its avalible in the UK. Ive used it with a green scouring pad and as long as you take note of the precautions, as you are dealing with mild acid solutions, it works a treat.
When rinsed clean and dry ,the ali is easy to polish up or leave in a matt type finish.
http://www.septone.com.au/detail.asp?it ... page_num=2