Found an odd one today..

[BillyKnight]

1954 little forty long shaft with tiller extension attachment. It looks quite similar to a 40 plus but its really weird. The drive shaft clamps on to the cases, the tiller is brass with a steel strap bit brazed on at the top where it attaches to the crank case. The gear box is polished not painted. The cases, cylinder, head and many parts are completely different to the normal 40s, the more you look at it the more you notice.

I collected it today and it hadn't run for 20 years but after some very basic fiddling about it fired up, ran smoothly, pumped and all that.
Is this a rare engine? Its pretty weird but seems very original, that tiller extension is a pretty practical accessory too.
What do you reckon everyone??

Looking forward to your comments,

Billy.

[Jan]

Very nice little forty.

Looks complete and original.

I've LS27489L in my collection.

The tiller extension is also an original accessory and has 'British Seagull' stamped on the Bakelite ball end.

Jan

[charlesp]

It's an LS - a Super Forty Plus.

And yours looks perfectly original.

They didn't make them like that for very long - have a look here:

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

A bizarre sandwich type construction of the power head is a noticeable feature if you strip it down (not recommended unless you have to) with studs going right through the block inside the water bath from crankcase to cylinder head, with steel gaskets top and bottom. Absolutely no problem with some survivors, others have suffered.

I'm quite fond of these little chaps, the lower cubic capacity doesn't seem to render them underpowered.

[BillyKnight]

Thanks Jan and Charles,
that is good info, what is it about these seagull motors?
They are so charming!

[charlesp]

It's because they are British, and they are old, and they are still working, and they look unusual, and they sometimes need a little TLC, and because they are uncomplicated, solid, not politically correct in some eco-warrior quarters, and they just keep on going.

They're leaky and many of them smoke a lot. They are untidy, not smart, look messy and dirty.

They're a bit like me really, so what's not to love?

[david doyle]

Chucks got it, cranky, smelly and underpowered, we love machines that we are akin to.