Restoration: A Seagulls second chance, part 1

Today, I'm starting a new series of updates here on the Petrolist blog. This is going to be an informative, step-by-step manual showing my usual ways of getting around an engine from the moment of getting my hands on it to the moment of the first start up.

In this series, we are going to bring a British Seagull back to life, hence the name of the series. The engine in question is a 1960 Century. Serial number LLS 16614.

It is pretty much the same engine as my 1967 Century Plus. The only real differences are that the 1960 uses a Villiers ignition, when the 1967 uses a Wipac ignition. The '60 is a standard shaft. The flywheels are different (not only cosmetically), and the 1967 looks overall more modern.

Here is the engine (almost) as found. Haven't done anything to it yet in these pictures, except wiping off a little dust off of the gas tank, and cleaning up the area of the serial number.

The was seized up from sitting, but after squirting some engine oil into the cylinder and letting it sit a few moments it freed up and turns over quite good now.

I'm not going to do a total restoration on this engine, since under all the dirt and grime lies a real gem to be found, and as usual, original condition is always better than restored. Except when the engine is beyond the point of being resurrected and has to be totally restored. But thats a different story.

Serial number LLS 16614 makes it a 1960

Tune in soon for part 2!