Thanks Buc and Tubs, using some of both of your gasket making ideas I was able to make a good gasket for this motor. I was also able to get the propshaft thrust plug out…sprayed carb and choke cleaner in the bushing to clean it well and found it to turn freely. Then took a large allen wrench …put good thick sticky wheel brg grease on the end stuck it in and the plug and two .015 shims out. The plug is a black plastic material and the shims were copper. The OD of the plug is .558 and the thickness is .095 ….I can prolly find some shim material and cut some but not sure about the plug….Buc…is that something I could hire you to make a couple for me or should I check around my area? I don’t have a lathe or the expertise to do something like that. I put the plug and shims in my original gearcase and cut the propshaft endplay WAY down…at least in half. I don’t have my dial gauges here at home so I will check it out next week at work.

Buc, not sure if I need them any thicker…it might lessen the endplay but would make the gear contact shallower…not knowing what the factory recommends prolly just the same size. These would allow me to put the other two gear cases together for spares down the road. One of the gear cases has a broken skeg repaired (horribly…lol) and the other is a borrowed g/case. Funny thing about the gasket…after I made it I was looking on ME.com and found them for $3.00 each and I also need a merc gas cap gasket that they also have…might buy a couple just to have….@ $8.95 shipping I’ll have to try to find more things I need.

Buc, Thanks …got the plugs today…good thing you made me extras…I misread the caliper…it was .195 thick not .095…DUH…was able to make what I needed using two pieces. Thanks again.

A little update on the Handitwin, Everything is painted and put back together with the exception of buffing the flywheel and installing a decal set. I want to make it period correct with the decal. Dixie has a decal that is blue for the 1938 only then it appears to change to the gold decal in 1939 and up. I’m going to have to sleep on it some more but I’ll prolly go with the blue. Once I get it all cosmetically done I’ll gas it back up and tank test it to make sure everything is still running good. This is the first one I’ve actually completely restored … paint and all. I’m happy with the way it turned out!