Copper fuel pipe.

[charlesp]

Yesterday saw me getting rather despondent about the mammoth task of dressing and generally cleaning up the exhaust of my SNP, whose rebuild has started now that Spring is here. Much of the power head is done internally, but the ignition is proving more difficult. It has one of those early Villiers points boxes, where the adjustment is a threaded bit of brass brazed to the actual contact. Adjustment is only possible if the thing is unworn, as tightening the nut sends the component off at odd angles. I'll probably have to stick it in the car and drive off to see my mate Andy, whose skill with magnetos is a joy to see. (You reading this mate?) Anyway, he'll get a fat blue spark out of it in minutes.

This has a very crudely finished crankcase, even to the extent of a casting blow-hole being filled with solder, which perhaps reflects the urgency with which the factory was taken out of mothballs in 1942, they were in a rather a rush. The crude finish is the only detectably difference I can see between this motor and the SD which superceded it.

Back to the exhaust. Some bright spark had in the past decided that the best way to polish a brass exhaust (this has never been chrome plated) was to set up a sanding disc with what I suspect was 60 grit paper, and vigorously remove all traces of original finish. For those who are not familiar with 60 grit paper imagine a disc of cardboard liberally covered with epoxy resin and with that gravel they use at the bottom of fish tanks poured over it. That's how coarse it was.

The lower part - that fits over the water pump housing - had been slitted with a rather coarse saw and a steel exhaust clamp (fair enough I suppose) had been tightened up by a very strong person until the brass was very tight on the aluminium.

You'll see by now why my thoughts turned yesterday to possibly finding a replacement, and that's what I did. Anyway, my search bore fruit, and I now possess a brand new, never used, never chrome plated, exhaust tube of the right length and the correct thickness, made out of the right brass. This one escaped from the factory, where it was one out of old stock at the time of British Seagull's 50th birthday celebrations in 1981, when the firm decised to make up a few of their older models. I wonder what happened to them?

So I'm happy with that one. It may not be the original one supplied to the Chief Inspector of Stores and Supplies in 1942, but it's a hell of a lot nicer than the one the motor came with. It has a brand new plated copper water pipe with it, too.

So that's why I'm going to need a matching plated copper fuel line. I can, of course, supply a wire pattern. Does anyone know where I can get one made? Preferably in Dorset?

The tank needs a little more work before spraying. Most of that effort has been removing the canary yellow paint that had been lovingly applied in heroic quantities, but I'm getting there. I'm also looking for a pair of galvanised Jubilee clips to secure it. I can get stainless ones new, I have a number of patinated ones in the shed, but what with that exhaust I can't have these clips letting the side down, can I!

Photos soon, projected launch will be early June.