Rare (?) Early Series Forty

[cookie1]

Hi Jeremy

I sent you a message re LM 294

Cheers

[Gannet]

Thanks John,

It appears that it really is an LM! The serial number that he stated is not correct, but the seller is going to let me know the correct number. I suspect the first three numbers are 294, with a couple more after that.
Thanks a lot for letting me know.

Jeremy

[Gannet]

John,
The serial number is stated by the owner to be LM29462. Visually it looks, as far as one can tell from the photos complete and goodish.

This LM is for sale on Gumtree in Kingsteignton , Devon in a package of two other outboards. The other two are an LLS and a Yamaha.
According to the owner it doesn't 'spin over', but whether that means it is seized (gearbox or piston) is a mystery to me.
I would have been very interested in it, but I have LM29941 and I don't think I want another one. Howver this relatively rare model should be saved.

So, Seagullers, stop dreaming of finding a rare Marston and buy for comparatively little cost a 'rare', and very useable Early Series Forty.

Charles P has been trying to persuade people that the LM was a production model. Now that we know 2 actually exist, there can be no doubt whatsoever that is the case. There are almost certainly more out there.

Thanks again John, for highlighting this for sale.

Jeremy

[Oyster 49]

So if LS was "Long stroke" what is LM?

[cookie1]

Thanks for the update Jeremy , I'm tempted

[Gannet]

Seagull nomenclature.
When I started asking what the model numbers stood for, most of the comments were based on what the outboards were being called from a marketing/useage point of view. So there was no real explanation for the models such as the LS, SJM and SJP that I was interested in. Charles P explained the F (Forty), FV (Forty with Villiers carb) and FVP (Forty, Villiers and the 'plus gearbox).
I do not come from a marketing background, but from a design/development one. So, it was entirely logical to me that a modified design would be known by its technical change. So when a longer stroke engine was being designed/deveioped for the FV/FVP, the design would have been known as the LS. This initially appears to have been produced with the 'plus' gearbox. Later there was a shuffle around with the piece parts to put the smaller 10:21 gearbox, which seemed to be regarded logically as the 'minus' gearbox, with the longer stroke engine. Giving it an identity of LM, seems quite sensible.

Then when the next significant design change was underway with the sealed water cooling jacket, it seems to me very logical to call the two different gearbox versions, the SJM and SJP ie Sealed Jacket Minus and Sealed Jacket Plus. Certainly this change was very important as it resolved the crankcase corrosion problems with the Early Series.

All pure speculation, of course. But good fun nonetheless. There might even be some truth in it! But it is unlikely that we will ever know.

Jeremy

[Gannet]

LM29462, which was on Gumtree has now been sold, presumably along with the Yamaha and the LLS.
I hope the LM doesn't disappear. Is anybody on here the new owner?

Jeremy

[Gannet]

LM29642 has surfaced on e bay. The price has gone up, but it is available.

Jeremy