Hemingway Kits
The Hemingway Engine Bay
Internal Combustion
The IC Engines
The Seal - Edgar T Westbury
The Seal
Ref: Seal
One can imagine the stir this engine caused when it was released in 1947! Westbury, in his efficient manner, was at pains to explain the practical virtues of a multi-cylinder layout for scale cruisers and launches up to around 4ft long. "Reduced height... a more realistic marine installation..." 'Practical' be damned; this engine promised constructors an end to the swingeing austerity of WW2. During a period when less than 5% of UK households owned a car, to build and run an engine that was every bit as sophisticated as the real thing, was the answer to a virgin's prayer! 60 years on (with around 40% of UK households owning 2 or more cars!) building and running the Seal offers no less satisfaction to the constructor.
The layout of the Seal owes a lot to pre-war automotive design, using side valves and a two bearing crank to reduce complexity. The combined inlet and exhaust manifold casting is a brave and successful touch, as is the HT distributor assembly. A carburettor design with automatic mixture compensation is provided and can be fitted in an up-draught or down-draught attitude.
The 10 castings for the Seal are aluminium, keeping the weight of the engine to a minimum. The crankshaft, perhaps the most demanding component, is cut from high tensile steel bar and has a stoke of 11/16". With a bore of Ø5/8", the swept capacity of the Seal is actually 13.8cc, rather than 15cc which is often quoted. The engine block measures 3" x 3" x 4" (H x W x L).
The Seal is known as a good starter (how could it fail with 2 sparks per revolution?) and a very flexible runner. The Seal is also known as a "rights of passage" project that each must face before being dubbed a "craftsman". To help constructors along their quest however, the build notes are highly detailed, the castings are well proven and the finished product is a valuable and renowned classic.
For more inspiration, have a look at the Craftsmanship Museum's Seal Project .
Seal - Drawings & Construction Notes
Ref: HE 1804
2 A1-size drawings together with 58 pages of illustrated notes on building the Seal. Now that's a project!
Price:
£28.00
The Seal - Material Kit
Ref: HE 1800
The kit includes material for the major items required to complete the engine as originally designed with a direct mounted distributor. The kit is not exhaustive and constructors will need to find (or make) various items including hex fasteners (7 & 8BA). In time, we hope to add a supplemental kit for those wishing to incorporate Westbury's optional vertical distributor and water pump.
The bill of materials for the Seal kit includes:
· (10) Aluminium sand castings
· (8) Iron Piston Rings
· (8) Valve springs
· (3) Timing gear train
· (2) Ball races
· (22) Sawn lengths of bar material (free cutting, high tensile, and silver steel, bronze, cast iron, aluminium, brass and Tuffnol)
· BSF hex nuts
Electrical components (points, coil, spark plugs...) can be found separately in the IC Engine Accessory section and plans and construction notes can be ordered above.
Price:
£280.50
The Seal - Castings ONLY
Ref: HE 1805
If you want to minimise shipping costs or if you are particularly well stocked with supporting materials, you may prefer to order just the essentials. This item buys the 10 castings available for the Seal:
Cylinder Block, Head & Cover, Sump, Bearing Housing, Timing End Plate, Timing Cover, Manifold Body & Cover, Carburettor Body
Price:
£118.50
