Saving Old Seagulls

I think you get the idea!

Just received from UK. Pretty original condition plus an 8 com spark that was together. Almost no stuck screws The problem with this girl is that she has a dead coil.
I am thinking to replace it with the M1361 because the original part will cost as much as the engine.

About the exhaust outlet. Is this normal? I think the outlet is bigger than the usual. Am I right?

Oh, and the head gasket must be made of steel! Did BS use steel head gasket at some point?

Their seems to be a lot of seagull breeding on that balcony Stelios

Yes it is a kind of Seagull nest..!

Yes the steel gasket is correct for the earlier ones like yours.

Nice to have the weedless prop. Is the changeover to the 1361 coil a matter of adding spacers?

That's not a weedless prop it's a four bladed clover leaf, & I think it's from an early SJP, that motor /gearbox combination might struggle to turn it.

That's CharlesP's area of expertese

The M1361 coil is sorter but the diameter of the core is the same. It fits to the ears but it only go inside them for about 5mm (to each ear). I will see when I receive it. At most it will need to extend the core.

Yes Charlesp, please let us know about the prop. Is it the right one?

Hi Stelios!

I actually misread the serial, and missed off the last digit, but that prop certainly matches an early Forty M. I have a similar one on SJM 23, and I have seen others.

My early SJM has the same prop.

Yes there are a few about. But I'm wondering about the serial and the early features. Perhaps the crankcase has been swapped at some point?

The tiller arm and bracxket, the block with its steel gaskets, the tank, all point to an early motor. The magneto base plate is a later one with the larger flange around the circumference, and the gearbox filler plug is a later nylon version.

Have a look at the front-facing edge of the gearbox, at the water inlet holes. On a very early Forty Minus these are round, like the FV. On later ones they are rectangular.

I do so like that prop, cute and funtional.

Thanks for the informations. The water inlet holes are two round holes! 1/4 to 5/16 of an inch diameter.

Yes, it's a group of flats in town.

Next pictures will be with the new coil fitted and the engine, I hope, working!

Looks like I'm wrong again, I thought on the early 64cc motors the SJM had the 3 bladed clover leaf & the SJP had the 4.

OK the next will be one of the QB series, rather easier than a Marston..!


And some pics of the head removed. Screws once again came out without heat and in great condition

But the upper ring is stuck on the piston and there is a line on the bore in the direction that the piston moves. It doesn't look bad as I can't feel it with my finger but I would prefer not to be there. Something has came in and scratch the bore.