Alco Featherweight Parts Wanted

Yes, welcome!

There is no specialist spares support for these engines in the way there is for some of the more popular Lister and Petter models, so it is a matter of getting around to a few rallies and sales to see what you can pick up. There is stuff out there - I bought a very incomplete engine for only a fiver last year, the carb and some starter parts are now in Scotland while the cowling is in Bristol! I think you would be lucky to find an original exhaust system though.

Nigel, good to see you have joined in following our discussions. Hope you find the group friendly and helpful, feel free to get stuck in ! Regards David

Please Note - My office contact telephone number is 01254 672373. The number mentioned above is my evening/weekend number!

Hi Nick, thanks for that. I better keep my eyes peeled at each rally and sale I attend! Would appreciate it if you can let me know, should you ever come across another one, so I can intercept it before it arrives in Scotland!

Regards, Nigel

Welcome to our talking shop - you'll meet some interesting and learned people here and all like to help each other. For me, the hobby would be much the poorer if it vanished ;o))

Alco parts are not particularly hard to come by - and it's the Sodbury Sort out this Saturday. That said, I have a couple of these engines, one with a generator and one without. I also have a spare engine and I'll go and have a look later to see if it has a cowling. An exhaust will be hard to find - in fact, to find one with an unbroken exhaust manifold is quite hard to do. I've modified both mine as they had broken manifolds and made an exhaust for one out of a Coffman starter cartridge.

The generators are less common again and most of the Featherweights I've seen at rallies are sans generator. The complete generator is a peculiar looking device and I'll attach to an off-list e-mail a couple of pics of one in Holland owned by Hans Scholten

Normans made some interesting small engines and I've also got a couple of their flat twins, a T300 & a T600.

Regards,

Kim Siddorn

Many thanks Kim.

Enjoyed the pics that you emailed very much. Since posting my original message I have set about the reuild of the Alco - it's in a very sorry state! It has evidently been left on the exhaust stroke, reulting in water getting into the cylinder. The piston is ceased, valves stuck and I'm sure you can imagine the rest! But, I shall persevere and hopefully come spring have this nice aircooled engine up and running.

Please could you explain for me what exactly is a 'sans'generator.

Regards, Nigel

I think Kim is showing his age - he dates back to Anglo-Saxon times you know ;-) The use of 'sans' for 'without' was probably already archaic when Shakespeare employed it in his seven ages of man speech!

Good luck with the engine.