Saving Old Seagulls

Just got an AD 3/3/1947 in bits ......

One of the piston ring anti rotation pins is missing ...has anybody found a substitute ?? it looks like brass ?

Has anydody tried fitting modern piston rings ???

The gudgen pin ( piston pin ) is in the piston and does no want to come out ( its off the con rod ) ..how is the pin retained or does it just float ...I carnt see someone heating the piston to put it back in whislt dismantling ?

thanks in advance for you advice

The other Charles is good with pistons and such but has PC problems, so I have had a chat with him.

Neither of us is sure when they changed from a floating gudgeon pin. I have a 1946 D that has one, and all the earlier ones did so I guess yours is one too.

The little brass pin was hammered or pressed in at the Hepolite factory, the end that is inserted was a sort of fluted shape, like a very very course screw thread.

If your block has bridged ports then you would get away without it, if not the ring ends may interfere with the gap and cause a bit of a catastrophe internally.

A better bet is to find another complete piston and gudgeon pin - any of the 102 or Century series would be fine.