In the 50s and 60s we had the Wen-Mac 1/2A engines with a pull starter, they worked but never caught on, flip starting was easier and there was no line to break. Haven't seen one on any other engines but I do have a spring starter on my Zinoah G-62 gas engine and love it. Just roll the prop back a turn or so and let it go. It creates enough RPM to fire the engine instead of flipping until your arm drops off. I have never seen the system for a glow engine. Back in the days of the pull cord Wen-Mac we didn't have electric starters yet. The electric starter is a much better idea. I have seen the pull cords on some of the RC cars and trucks so they are still made. For boats we had the pulley on the crank of the engine and the prop shaft connected to that. We would wrap a cord around the pulley and give it a pull. I'm sure that pulley is still made or you can machine one yourself to make your own pull starter but really, the electric starter is a better idea. The old TD 1/2A engines also had a spring starter. Lot of ways to do it, just not real practical.