Hi all,
Just testing to see if my password is up and running on this board.
Also I've just got a Marston which I have been afer for a long time. I am going to see if I can get it running.
If you folks know of any parts sources let me know. The only things visibly missing are the moment is the spark plug lead and also the screw clamps on engine bracket do not seem to be original.
Sincerely,
JJ
Bermuda
New Marston Owner
Moderators: John@sos, charlesp, Charles uk, RickUK, Petergalileo
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Charles UK
JJ you have an expert living just around the corner from you, try giving M Anfossi a ring he owns a Marston as well, a very origonal OA in running condition he should be able to point you in the right direction.
My advice to you would be rebuild it from the ground up, before you try starting it, virtually anything you break will have to be remanufactured from scratch an expensive & difficult procedure, so handle with kidd gloves & don't take it anywhere near the water surrounding you!
The salinity & humidity that you suffer would rapidly hasten it's demise.
There are members of the Marston owners group who are looking at having clone transom screws remanufactured as we are all suffering wear & tear in that area, but they are proving very difficult to clone.
Congratulations you have found yourself a pretty piece of outboarding history.
My advice to you would be rebuild it from the ground up, before you try starting it, virtually anything you break will have to be remanufactured from scratch an expensive & difficult procedure, so handle with kidd gloves & don't take it anywhere near the water surrounding you!
The salinity & humidity that you suffer would rapidly hasten it's demise.
There are members of the Marston owners group who are looking at having clone transom screws remanufactured as we are all suffering wear & tear in that area, but they are proving very difficult to clone.
Congratulations you have found yourself a pretty piece of outboarding history.
Marston parts
Hey Thanks Charles,
The most important thing that I obviously need is a spark plug lead and cap. It wil definitely not start without it!
I've so far sprayed her down with a good penetrating oil. I'll let that soak in for a couple of days so that things don't break before coming apart. It would be nice to get another logo for the tank too.
I plan to restore her to the finest condition.
Today I'll give Michael a call and mabe take it over to his place.
I'm sure he'll be able to advise me on what's missing/wrong with it immediately. I will then likely be in touch again with youself and Rick for some parts.(which are scarce I gather)
Any ideas for the spark plug assebly? Do any of the models share the same part?
Incidentally how many of these engines are known to exist in the world?
Take Care.
Sincerely,
JJ
The most important thing that I obviously need is a spark plug lead and cap. It wil definitely not start without it!
I've so far sprayed her down with a good penetrating oil. I'll let that soak in for a couple of days so that things don't break before coming apart. It would be nice to get another logo for the tank too.
I plan to restore her to the finest condition.
Today I'll give Michael a call and mabe take it over to his place.
I'm sure he'll be able to advise me on what's missing/wrong with it immediately. I will then likely be in touch again with youself and Rick for some parts.(which are scarce I gather)
Any ideas for the spark plug assebly? Do any of the models share the same part?
Incidentally how many of these engines are known to exist in the world?
Take Care.
Sincerely,
JJ
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Charles UK
We need to know which model you have, so as with everything Seagull, What's the engine number?
First thing you will need to do is try a Villiers Plug lead.
Charlie Brown will find you one of those, but you only need a plug lead if your going to start it.
To work on the ignition your going to need to remove the flywheel for that you will need someone to make you a flywheel removal tool that will fit the threads inside the top of the flywheel 1 1/8" sorry can't remember the pitch, you could remove it with a hammer but as the base plate & flywheels come in matched pairs (check JM numbers), & these flywheels bend real easy, it's not a good idea.
The complete fuel system will need cleaning very carefully, & so will the cooling system.
The water jacket on Marstons can be as thin as 1/8" after 70 years so this must be checked to make sure it's not full of rust as it might pop when it gets heat & water to it.
Then the lower unit will have to be looked at, without specialized tools your not going to get inside of this without doing some damage.
THE END CAP HAS A LEFT HAND THREAD
The water pump housing should be washed out with two stroke mix & the water delivery pipe to the cylinder, as they are often blocked with grease that escaped from the prop shaft front bearing, thats if the gear box has any grease in it instead of a mix of slowly decomposing crown wheel & pinion gears.
If you wash the gear box out, through the grease nipple holes with diesel or the like, & when it's clean, you will be able to hear the gear condition when you turn it over by hand.
These gear boxs were designed to run on castrol K70 a very thick almost black oil that dissapeared after the war, after which Seagull used stern tube oil, an oil almost as thick as grease but will flow a little.
Marstons when new were polished to a sort of shiny satin finish.
As for the fuel tank transfers without knowing your engine number we couldn't hazard a guess as to what was on you tank unless you have some visual clues.
Currently we know the location of around 50 Marstons but 4 or 5 more turn up every year.
First thing you will need to do is try a Villiers Plug lead.
Charlie Brown will find you one of those, but you only need a plug lead if your going to start it.
To work on the ignition your going to need to remove the flywheel for that you will need someone to make you a flywheel removal tool that will fit the threads inside the top of the flywheel 1 1/8" sorry can't remember the pitch, you could remove it with a hammer but as the base plate & flywheels come in matched pairs (check JM numbers), & these flywheels bend real easy, it's not a good idea.
The complete fuel system will need cleaning very carefully, & so will the cooling system.
The water jacket on Marstons can be as thin as 1/8" after 70 years so this must be checked to make sure it's not full of rust as it might pop when it gets heat & water to it.
Then the lower unit will have to be looked at, without specialized tools your not going to get inside of this without doing some damage.
THE END CAP HAS A LEFT HAND THREAD
The water pump housing should be washed out with two stroke mix & the water delivery pipe to the cylinder, as they are often blocked with grease that escaped from the prop shaft front bearing, thats if the gear box has any grease in it instead of a mix of slowly decomposing crown wheel & pinion gears.
If you wash the gear box out, through the grease nipple holes with diesel or the like, & when it's clean, you will be able to hear the gear condition when you turn it over by hand.
These gear boxs were designed to run on castrol K70 a very thick almost black oil that dissapeared after the war, after which Seagull used stern tube oil, an oil almost as thick as grease but will flow a little.
Marstons when new were polished to a sort of shiny satin finish.
As for the fuel tank transfers without knowing your engine number we couldn't hazard a guess as to what was on you tank unless you have some visual clues.
Currently we know the location of around 50 Marstons but 4 or 5 more turn up every year.
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Charles UK
The propeller retaing nut is aluminium & often the threads corrode away & as the split pin goes into a slot rather than a hole, it is possible to lose the prop if you don't replace this nut with a good one.
This has happened to a Marston owner, he was very lucky the local sub aqua club managed to find it.
This has happened to a Marston owner, he was very lucky the local sub aqua club managed to find it.
Marston
I had a little poke with the engine today. Everything turns relatively freely. Did not try to start it. Couldn't get a spark but al electrics intact. I used a lead of of one of my parts motors and this could have been the problem. Tank is dirty!!!! Inside the cylinder looks clean and piston does what it should. The prop nut is missing and it looks like the the slot on the inside of the prop where the pin seats is damaged and may have to redone.
The block looks pretty solid though not much rust visible at least. I'll let it soak in the oil another week and maybe ge together with Michael next weekend and start the dissection!
Take care all,
JJ
The block looks pretty solid though not much rust visible at least. I'll let it soak in the oil another week and maybe ge together with Michael next weekend and start the dissection!
Take care all,
JJ
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Charles UK
The OA is the great grandfather of the featherweight in Seagull terms.
78 ccs, fixed gear, lightest, the least expensive & without a doubt the prettiest of all the Marston outboards.
OA 633 Should make it somewhere around 1934, but this is only an educated guess.
The other Charles will be able to tell you what it cost when purchased, I'll have a look at it next June, if I manage to rebuild my 170 in time for the RISR, it only got as far as Blackbeards this year, before the crank let go.
78 ccs, fixed gear, lightest, the least expensive & without a doubt the prettiest of all the Marston outboards.
OA 633 Should make it somewhere around 1934, but this is only an educated guess.
The other Charles will be able to tell you what it cost when purchased, I'll have a look at it next June, if I manage to rebuild my 170 in time for the RISR, it only got as far as Blackbeards this year, before the crank let go.
marston
Hey that's nice to know you guys. And yes it does have a little lever to adjust the timing.
Also, we are having yet anothe RISR scheduled for this Saturday. I'll be racing a "Flea" with a Sport (if that means anything to you).
I have thought about racing a 170 if I can find one. Are they really faster than the Sports? Someone made a beefed up end cap for one. Do you know if they were succussful.
I'm sure you ended up having fun at Blackbeards -not the worst place to be stranded!
JJ
Also, we are having yet anothe RISR scheduled for this Saturday. I'll be racing a "Flea" with a Sport (if that means anything to you).
I have thought about racing a 170 if I can find one. Are they really faster than the Sports? Someone made a beefed up end cap for one. Do you know if they were succussful.
I'm sure you ended up having fun at Blackbeards -not the worst place to be stranded!
JJ
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Charles UK
Don't know much about Fleas they're usually so far behind me I can't see how they run, ask Steve Roberts who held the sport record how much his was beaten by, & check with Bruce how much a skinny Limey with a single sport surpassed his twin record?
I'm the guy who has the quick 170 & no I won't tell you anything, cos if I did, I would have to shoot you.
Wait till next June, then we will see if I'm right or are the people that are running the sweepstake right?
I belive South Shore tickets are very popular, not many buying second half tickets.
I'm just trying to prove that a real Seagull is better than a spagetti one.
I'm the guy who has the quick 170 & no I won't tell you anything, cos if I did, I would have to shoot you.
Wait till next June, then we will see if I'm right or are the people that are running the sweepstake right?
I belive South Shore tickets are very popular, not many buying second half tickets.
I'm just trying to prove that a real Seagull is better than a spagetti one.
Whoa Nelly!
No worries Charles. I realize now that you are truly a "Seagullian".
I never really used to care about placement in these races. I recently bought a Sport only because I just can't handle 9 hrs+ in the hot sun with a cooler full of beer anymore -and that's only the "warm up"!
I am into tradition as well and one attractive thing about the Sports is if they break it don't matter!!! Now when a peace of history is destroyed for the sake of speed that's different.
I think that 170's might be on that neutral ground -old but fast. I'll try to get my hands on one. I'm sure I'll be no match for you though!
Take Care,
JJ
I never really used to care about placement in these races. I recently bought a Sport only because I just can't handle 9 hrs+ in the hot sun with a cooler full of beer anymore -and that's only the "warm up"!
I am into tradition as well and one attractive thing about the Sports is if they break it don't matter!!! Now when a peace of history is destroyed for the sake of speed that's different.
I think that 170's might be on that neutral ground -old but fast. I'll try to get my hands on one. I'm sure I'll be no match for you though!
Take Care,
JJ