Villiers 196 super sports

[Vreagh]

Hi, starting to reassemble a Francis Barnett Black Hawk with a 196 super sport engine, and I'm not sure if a head gasket should be fitted. I've tried Villers Spares but no reply. Is it simply a lap job?

[33d6]

Yes.
That said, the engine is at least 80 years old and most likely has been mauled about by a succession of enthusiastic owners so the surface of the head isn’t as good as it should be.
It would probably benefit from a light skim to clean it up before you start. As may the cylinder itself.
Villiers heads are so small they are easy to hold in a lathe. Years ago I made up a fixture to do so.
The fixture is very simple consisting of a circular base plate four spacers and four masonry anchors. Works for me.

[Vreagh]

Thanks for that information, I'll try that in the lathe. The cylinder I'll check on the mill. I tried to find the information from two books on early Villiers (different authors) and neither gives much info. Many thanks.