Saving Old Seagulls

wondering if anyone can id this engine and tell me if it has a sealed gearbox. (SAE 90 oil) And a 25:1 carb. Please.
My guess it its a ESC. pull start with long cowl make me think electronic ignition. There is what looks like a coil of wire hanging from the block, no idea what that is.
Im thinking the motor is a silver century, because i cant see the carb. But i don't know about the gearbox, the propellor is that what they call a weedless prop or isn't it?

Why im asking you all for help is this motor is an 800 klm round trip from my place, to colect. so i want to be shore before i say yay or nay.
It was started in december, and ran ok (what the owner said) but hasn't been used in 25 years. So i guess will need a tear down.
Any thoughts ideas, suggestions, are most welcome. He's asking $500. thats a lot i think. But i had been thinking of building a motor like this and it may be a better way to go.

If I was driving that far for it, I would like to see more photos, preferably with a decent camera, gear case, starboard side, front and bck top etc. I agree the price is too steep, what would it be if he covered your fuel for driving out there?
What number is stamped on the lower crankcase at the crankcase/ drive tube junction? Put it into the engine identifier on this and you will know the year and if it has Electronic or regular ignition.

It would have a CDI ignition and the wire you can see behind it is probably from a lighting coil that's fitted to some motors.
Looks like a ESCL, Silver Century/75, 1980's motor

Looks like an ESPCL

http://www.saving-old-seagulls.co.uk/i_ ... series.htm

496 miles for a century, wow I thought I was keen.

H-A

ESPCL

It's a silver century plus with electronic ignition. watch out for the fuel tank innards as they can rust BADLY!

jon

A WSPC521HH4 A forerunner to the one posted above, found in a shed on Bruny Island just this week.

Not too good with the camera but there are a few differences that can be seen. Strangely this motor has been in the same family since new and was originally purchased for trolling for trout on the inland lakes. Not a success by all accounts as it has laid idle gathering dirt for most of its life, looks like it too.

Its now in the process of a strip down although as the engine has only been used in fresh water the head will stay on.

Apart from the obvious difference in recoil start and prop the motor is the same as "THCL500J8,s" Big difference in price though. Two cases of stubbies... Now for the photos,

AJ, (to my better half excuse the mess)

AJ take the throttle cable out of that hole on the top of the tiller arm casting, it's the best way to kink the cable.

The first Seagull race I competed in (Carey's Bay, Dunedin, NZ) was won using a WSPC with a hydrofan prop.

Thank you everyone for all the very helpful information, I have been considering building a "daily seagull". something to use a few times a month.
Lately over summer i have had the boat out most weekends.But not always with a gull. As sometimes the river cruises last all day.
So id been thinking something like this.
But this motor looks to have all the features i might need. 25:1 fuel sealed gearbox, and maybe even power for running lights. But in the square block. Not the traditional, though the experts say there more powerful. And you can remove the head for cleaning.
So when the owner is back early march, i will see if i can work on the price.
Thanks again everyone, and if you have anything to add, Please feel free.

Note Charles's post above re the throttle cable; the one you are considering also has the guide hole on the tiller.. I agree with him, best to get the throttle cable free if you are going to end up (a) obtaining it and (b) using it regularly.

Edit... Just looked at the photo again; its a cable tie holding the throttle cable down not a guide hole as on the earlier model

Off to the opticians for new glasses,
AJ

Looks like a 102 to me!
Carefull with the 25:1 fuel with this one.
check with the serial number if it was made after 68. if it is great, if not you'll need a replacement set of bushes for the crank to be able to run COMFORTABLY at 25:1.
(experimentation usually finds a happy compromise, best i can get is around 16/18:1 without causing too many issues)
If its got the later 416 amal carb, it will run quite happily at 10:1 though.

Funny that, this is EXACTLY what i'm building (or trying to) at the moment except it'll have a later steel silver century tank and a unique paint job.

jon

Jon and others;

Sorry to be confusing, the picture of the 102, is what i was thinking of doing, Before the ESPCL came on the seen. as it was all the things i wanted in an every weekend engine.

But the asking price for the ESPCL is to high for my Scottish blood. So what your thinking is most likely what i will end up with as well.
My only worry is finding a 25:1 102 power head. Because for everyday/week use i need to get rid of the film on the water effect, and the oil from the gearbox, problem.Also the motor will be used by people who will not check gearbox oil.

So if the Century is a no go, i will be looking for a sealed gearbox and prop.

There must be thousands of later century motors over there.
Look for one that's been made after 1978 as it will have been factory converted to 25:1 , a late model 102 however.....(you could easily put a later set of crankcases with the later crank bushes and internals onto a 102 block as an alternative, i've done that before and ended up using the original 102 piston. Works quite well)
Gearboxes might be a bit of a challenge for you but i'm sure one will turn up sooner or later. (a bit like buses,you wait for ages then 2 or 3 turn up at once!)
Are you looking for a conventional sized gearbox/prop or a "barge pusher" with the larger prop? You might find that the silver century block is the better way to go.
102's can be a bit limited in the performance stakes (unless you want to spend A LOT of money on it to make it REALLY GO )

My "every day" seagull is a WSPC standard shaft from 1978. It's getting a bit tired now but it's still reliable enough.It's got the larger gearbox (ugly thing really) with a later "weedfree" prop that isn't that weed free actually!
jon