WW2 SD Seagull

[Double Dutch]

Hello Seagull friends,
I am restoring a SD type Seagull with the number SD.3822.L.3
I like to hear from other members what parts are non original.
For sure the carburettor isn’t, this one is a Mikuni, I think the original must be an Amal.
Can anyone post some detailed pictures of an original one, or better offer me one for sale?
The twist grip is also non original.
How does the original looks like?
I have my doubts about the knob at the starter pull cord.
She has a silver barrel no spot of black paint has been found.
Please feel free to post your comments.

[Horsley-Anarak]

Hi looking good, the original carb looks like this.

Cylinder should be galvanised colour.

Throttle control should be a lever.

3822 was built 960 after my SD. I am not sure how many they built in a week, but it is quite close.

Have you spoken to Jan on the forum, he may be able to help with bits.

H-A

[Hugz]

You are missing a brass wing nut on tiller base, brass water injector pipe. Nice transom bracket and tank. Is the gear donga brass? You have the later tank straps, and wrong prop. Correct square exhaust pump housing, correct magneto. All the main ingredients are there! Well done... the most sought after seagull imho.

[Hugz]

Touche HA.....

Above is SD125.P3. 1942

[Horsley-Anarak]

Touche HA.....

Above is SD125.P3. 1942

Looks like you have the wrong carb as well Huggy

H-A

[40TPI]

I think the pull "handle" owes much to Thomas Crapper?

Peter

[Hugz]

Nah... keep the trumpet for special occasions....

[Charles uk]

What's wrong with that carb HA?

[Hugz]

Wonder if P stands for Pacific?? CharlesP any latest data/theories from SD registry?

[Double Dutch]

Thanks for the responce gentleman,
Is there any number on the carb?

[Collector Inspector]

It would be Grande if maybe a register of SD Owners, Ignition numbers, minor stampings of castings be actually added to SOS site Yeh?

Can this be arranged?

For All?

B

[charlesp]

Nice original SD there.

I'm sure the bits you need won't be too hard to find. The tank straps would have been long galvanised Jubilee clips, I'm not sure what the ones on your photo are. Lots of them got replaced. The carb is the twin barrel Amal, there are conflicting reports about bronze versions of this, or bronze parts. I have three SDs in the workshop, and all three have what I call normal Amal carbs - no bronze.

The blocks were galvanised, or rather zinc dipped, some of the have a very thick coating. The driveshaft casings were galvanised, very few have survived with all the zinc in place.

I have no idea at all about the P3 in the serial, there were some strange serials about during the war. Production started in 1942 - probably quite late in the year as the first batch was produced as part of a plan to regain Burma from the Japanese. Between then and about the middle of 1946 the factory produced ten thousand motors, so you can work out the average weekly production from that figure. It was almost certainly slow to start with as the factory was mothballed at the start and all sorts of operations had to be started up from scratch in small workshops and garages around Dorset and Hampshire.

The last Army motor was delivered in 1946. The lady who packed it wrote a short good luck note to the eventual user explaining it was the last of the military motors; she rolled it up and stuffed it down the hollow tiller handle. It stayed there until 1988 when it fell out as the motor was being examined by its new owner in Scotland - it came as part of the inventory of a boat he had just bought.

Sadly I have failed to trace a single wartime photograph of an SD, as a consequence I have no idea at all of the original starter cord handle. A simple drilled dowel would suffice, but Bitish Military procurement has always been bizarre at best so anything is possible.

I have never seen a satisfactory explanation for the copper magneto cover.

Perhaps you would be kind enough to let us have the JM number - that's effectively the separate serial of the magneto, and it should be stamped on the flywheel and on the baseplate as well.

[charlesp]

I haven't collected any records of the minor stampings. We have chatted about the actual register, and quite a few owners don't want their details, or those of their flock, published. So I respect that.

What I have done in the past is post a few totals, a count of how many of each type, etc. I'll do a few updates which are overdue and try to put something up over the next few days.

[Collector Inspector]

Interesting quick reply Mate?

I am at odds with that..............leave it up to you but.

Huggy?

H.A.?

John?

Etc?

I have 45meg control at the moment at work on site...............Bit Busy..................Sunday (GOD I Love Sunday!)

B

[Charles uk]

I agree with the other Charles, Bruce, one of the conditions we have to give all the Marston/SD owners, is that we will not divulge any of the information that they provide us with, without their consent.

If you want though, we could put a complete list of all your more valuable possesions, their locations & which flower pot you hide the key under, onto the web so that all your local Ned Kellys could make their nocturnal forays more productive & cost effective!