An FVP in USA

[Keith.P]

My early 50's 102 paperwork has a part number for a spark plug cover.
The 102 printed diagram is only a drawing, but shows a KLG plug cap.
The advertisement of the F, although not the same motor as the first F's produced, has a Champion cap.
I suspect whatever plug cap was available was used at the time, until the Seagull cap came along, the two piece plug may just be a modification that seagull did, who when how and why, who knows?

[Charles uk]

Thanks Keith, that narrows the window a bit, so the chances are that somewhere between 1946 & the early 1950's, British Seagull started fitting Bakerlite plug caps, I doubt they were buying them from the local motor factors, probably ordering direct from the manufacturers by the thousand as they might have needed 10,000 plus a year, so the chances are that they would be all the same manufacturer.

[Gannet]

I have been busy these last couple of weeks. I don't quite know what has been going on, but in my household there has been a lot of activity with food, drink, relatives coming and going, trees, presents etc etc - it has been a lot more chaotic than usual. This is a long way of saying that i have had my time taken up with things less interesting than Early Series Forty Seagulls!

This post is most interesting. My data list does contain the answers to a lot of the queries raised. It is not the quickest or easiest document to find out the answer to a specific question, but there is a lot there!

The length of the throttle cable for a correct 5" stub tiller according to my notes is 6" for the outer and with both end pieces the overall length is 6 7/8". The inner is approx 2" longer than that. i have realised just recently that a lot of engines have been fitted with what I believe is a longer replacement cable. I am sure that the correct routing is under the magneto plate and with quite a sharp radius bend into the carb.

Yes, my thinking based on what I have seen, suggests that the 5" stub tiller wasn't painted. There is not much of it to paint anyway when the grip is on it.

The discussion on Champion plug caps is interesting. The evidence points to the early Fs and FVs being so fitted (possibly perhaps up to S/No 4000 - I have no real idea) and as has been mentioned with an additional cylindrical extension, which is possible unique to Seagull.

I will re-read this whole post again in the morning.
I am really pleased that so many people are keen to establish what the original specification was for these early engines.

Jeremy

[Gannet]

Cylinder heads.
This was discussed recently. All Early Forty Models ie F, FV, FVP, LS and LM have the raised area around the stud holes. The small block Fs (40cc) and the big block Fs (56cc) are a bit different as possibly very very early FVs might be as well. It was established here, if I remember correctly (?) that the DO NOT REMOVE was introduced with the SJM/SJP, although there might well have been an overlap with the later LM/LS.
Jeremy

[Gannet]

Art,
You will see on my data sheet that I have recorded your FV as 2091. Is that the correct serial number?

Yes, the trust 'block' should be a 2 piece black plastic 'cotton reel' type.

As Oyster has pointed out my data sheet shows the change from Threaded Pump Housing (TPH) to Clamp Bolt Pump Housing (CBPH) probably somewhere between serial number 24100 and 24747.

Cheers

Jeremy

[water bug]

Thank you all and especially Jeremy. Sounds like a very good holiday there. SO I will go with black bakelite plug caps on my FVP and LS. Will order some Throttle cable makings form E-Bay vendors of motorcycle parts. Will see what I can do to obtain a raised boss early cyl head. I would still like advice as to how high serial numbers the "Cotton Spool " thrust block was used on. I have another Seagull on which to decide the correct thrust block. Were the next design ( after cotton spool) , thrust blocks Bronze? Or only Aluminum castings?

[water bug]

Now propellers: Which is the correct prop for the larger FVP and LS gearbox? See pictures. 4 blade clover leaf marked 40 minus has a much smaller hub than the gear box front. Should the four blade marked "100 only" be used ?. That has a bigger hub and larger diameter. WB

[Gannet]

Art,
That prop marked 40 MInus is for the SJM.
The prop that your LS should have has a similar form but is bigger at nominally 9".

Cheers,

Jeremy

[tambikeboy]

Fvp=3 blade prop
Ls=4 leaf prop both are known as clover leaf my understanding is that there is no markings on either hubs hope this helps

[tambikeboy]

Now propellers: Which is the correct prop for the larger FVP and LS gearbox? See pictures. 4 blade clover leaf marked 40 minus has a much smaller hub than the gear box front. Should the four blade marked "100 only" be used ?. That has a bigger hub and larger diameter. WBDSCN9158s.JPGDSCN9159s.JPGDSCN9160s.JPG

Thinking out loud there art I'm thinking that prop is not for that gearbox if it's marked 40- then it's for a 40- and I'm thinking that's not a minus gearbox. ... (iv been wrong befofe) more like a 40+

[Charles uk]

Jeremy I'm sure I have seen a 4 bladed cloverleaf prop with 40+ on the hub, am I dreaming?

[water bug]

THANK YOU AGAIN ALL> Now for some prop hunting.....Out in my barn first. ( American version of a Garden shed)...... At least I know what I need. WB

[Keith.P]

The three blade clover leaf props don't seen as common as the four, I think seagull still sell them, you see the four blade's more often but mainly the bigger props for the 102.
I don't see the VF ones that often.

IMG_1307.JPG

FVP - LS

IMG_0631.JPG

[Gannet]

Charles,
I would think that it is quite likely that a 9" 4 bladed prop would have 40 + ( or Forty Plus) on it. But I haven't got one to check.
The 6" 4 bladed cloverleaf has 40 Minus on it - at least mine do!
Interestingly the 9" 3 bladed doesn't have any markings - at least mine don't.

Cheers,
Jeremy

[Keith.P]

I think its just that the later props have +/- 40 100 and the early ones don't as the old props were polished the later ones weren't.