Amanco Head Gasket

In a moment of madness, I have bought an Amanco Hired man (the one pictured in this months SE on the Cheffins sale page as it turned out) It is in "reasonable" and sort of Rally condition but now I have looked at it closely my engineering head has found lots of little things to do like shimming the Mag skew gear, some play in the hit-n-miss linkage etc etc. Then the trolley really wants bigger wheels....and the paint is not that good !!! End result is a pile of bits as I have decided to restore it from scratch and build a new trolley. The reason for me boring you all with this is I can't seem to find anyone who sells head gaskets (this is a water cooled head 2.25hp model). I know I can get one from the States but I would prefer to source one over here. Any suggestions gratefully received

Pete,

I made a replacement gasket for my Hired Man (aircooled head model) out of standard 1/16" compressed asbestos gasket material ( or whatever asbestos free modern equivalent it is) about 5 years ago as a temporary measure, needless to say it's still doing OK and has run countless hours at shows. These engines are very low stress, particularly the hit and miss versions so theres no great temperatures and pressures to worry about.

Regards

Dan

Pete, boring indeed! Golf, snooker and television are boring, gaskets are good :-).

A chap called Brian Harfield in Bolton does copper gaskets. See "Services" in the classifieds in SEM, I don't like putting peoples' phone numbers on group without their permission. I've never used him, but I know someone who has and was happy with the result. I spoke to him once and he gets you to do a rubbing of the head jointing surface, which he makes the gasket to match.

When I wanted a gasket to get my little Bamford 2hp horizontal (not all that different from a Hired Man) running, I spoke to him, but like Dan knocked up one from pretend Hallite and it's been fine, though I have to say I've only run it for a few hours. Hit and miss engines do not get very warm off load. My engine still requires restoration too. I bet I know which one gets done first :-(.

Regards, Arthur G

the classifieds in SEM, I don't like

used him, but I know someone who has and

of the head jointing surface, which he

different from a Hired Man) running, I

fine, though I have to say I've only run it

engine still requires restoration too. I bet

We bought a sheet of graphited asbestos from McGowan some years ago, that would be OK for this sort of gasket, and he has probably still got some stashed away.

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Web

Thanks guys, I will give McGowan a ring