Watermota marine

I have one in good condn. - complete with mag. no. 3321 - anybody know the date of manuf. and its value ?
Captain Steam.

The twin is nice looking engine

Stu,

Think I'll have to you tube them and check out the sounds as I normally prefer a single over the twin

Stu.

Since my last posts (and my complete inability to load up photos of my K2, despite several attempts...) I see the photo of the 'Preston Services' K2 has been cleverly lifted by someone and posted here! Great, because I bought that very engine last only Saturday at an auction in Bristol and so don't need to put a photo up - not yet anyway. The good news is that the Preston one is complete with Brown and Barlow carb, BTH magneto (both of which were missing on my other K2) and most importantly has a good exhaust manifold on it. I will be jury-rigging a cooling system very shortly and hope to be firing it up soon (after I have done the same with my 1927 sidevalve Riley tourer...)

Perhaps when I have it running I will attempt to put something on You Tube, although having failed to load up on here - I wouldn't hold your breath.

Incidentally there was a question about dating Watermotas, to which the answer is that the first two digits of the serial number are the last two digits of the year of manufacture, and the remaining digits indicate its number in that year;s production line. Thus K2 - 2528 is a K2 made in 1925 production number 28. Amazingly my (now) two K2s are numbered 2528 and 2531 so only separated by three! I would be interested to know if anyone has any knowledge of production numbers for K2s (and K1s for that matter). I have looked and there is some. but not much, history out there

I think I am right in saying that a 'hot' version of the K1 actually performed very successfully in a hydroplane in the 1930s (there is an interesting video clip of one in the Maritime Museum in Falmouth doing just that). I believe it held various class records in its day. so it must have been quite something. Anyone know about all this?

your baned on here feller...

Mike ??????

It's not who you think it is.

Stu.

Captain Steam (and other Watermota fans), I made a mistake when I said that dating K!/K2 was that the FIRST two numbers on the brass plate indicated the year of manufacture, it is the LAST two numbers, thus 2231 means that it was the twenty-second engine made in 1931. My mistake, sorry. The date is also indicated by a two-digit number on the hexagonal 'plug' nut which holds the copper water-jacket in place. Thus my two K2s are not as closely related timewise as I thought, which on reflection should be obvious as the inlet manifolds and carb arrangements are completely different.

On later models (where there is a starting handle mounted on a casting and which is chain-driven to the crankshaft), you will find a number of the top of the starting-handle casting. In addition to that you may also find a number on the RH side of the main engine casting. If you are lucky enough to have the original prop shaft and prop you will also find yet another number on, or very near the prop.
I have a manual of the K1 and K2 and can supply any owners who need it, with a photocopy. There are very good line drawings, excellent exploded diagrams, and loads of good info, which will be essential to anyone attempting to rebuild one from a box of bits - like the one sold recently on eBay!
There is at the National Maritime Museum a K1 installed on a 1925 (?) wooden boat named Sssshh!

Thanks for sharing the information with us, very interesting and useful.

Stu.

You ought to do a video of it running and post it up. I would love to hear it.......

Yes, I will post a video once I have it running sweetly - I managed to get a get a bit of a snorty smoke out of it on second cranking yesterday, so looking hopeful. Have to fix a few things first though... but we'll get there.

It occurred to me after posting about Watermota a few minutes ago, that there is a French site ' Tracteurs et Motoculteurs d'Antan' which has some interesting engines (and other stuff, including a later Watermota) which some of you may like. Naturally it is almost all French engines (and tractors and cultivators etc), but worth a look. Don't be fazed by the fact that it is written in French, there is an excellent translator button on the forum - just click and the whole site can be in English. Worth a look.

Thanks again for the information the site soumds like a good place to check out.

Stu.

Is this the site you mean?

http://mototracteurs.com/

Stu.

Yes, that's the one... seems they'll meet up from time to time with their machinery, (some even have wives and girlfriends in attendance), then they start their engines up, watch them, talk about them, and drink beer... sound familiar?

Yes, that's the one.

It would be good to see some pics of these engines so if you could maybe have another try I'm sure we would love to see them. It might be best to open an account on photo bucket (free) and put them on to the forum that way.

Stu.

Well, what do you know? I seem to have, at last, been able to add a photo to my profile... I'll try the photo-bucket route next, thanks for the tip - but no promises mind!

A K2, circa 1940s I think - in bits - sold recently on ebay for quite a tidy sum (considering there's no way of telling 'til you start to rebuild it whether or not is is all there...). There is now what looks like a complete 1929 K2 on offer - currently at £333 and five days to go. Funny how K1s don't seem to turn up, any views anyone?

A well sort after engine and judging by the prices buyers ain't that worried if it's all there or not, a fully restored engine must be worth a tidy sum no matter which model it is.

Stu.