Mowing ..

roddy1960 · 22-10-2018, 06:03 PM

Now for something a bit different

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeSGmiiPDmQ .. Ah , those were the days and who said you couldn't buy a brand new Mustang in this country before now eh ...

As a little tacker I can remember Dad's old wind up start mower with the ratchet and lever. We had that Victa for yonks and he ended up putting a chord on it when the starter failed . It'd rev it's ring off too and throw stones for miles . it was dark green ..

**DFB FGXR6** · 22-10-2018, 06:32 PM

My second favorite subject and I'm a massive Victa fan. My grandfather had a VC Mustang for years and in fact I still have it in the shed. I don't use it, its just too old, but it still starts 1st pull of the Zip Starter in a cloud of blue smoke.

I currently have 5 Victa's and I don't care what anyone says, they give the best finish out of all the brands.

But it's the 2-stroke ones that really light my fire. I love the sound of them and I can pick one running from two blocks away

The newer Victa 2-Strokes don't Rev like the older ones, but they have an amazing ability to grunt through the tough stuff like a 4-Stroke can't.

I'll stop now before I embarrass myself

(Thanks for the post Roddy)

Peter B - CV8 · 22-10-2018, 06:54 PM

I grew up using a Victa Corvette - the same ratchet & wind starter that Roddy mentioned + I also remember that the fuel cap had a built in cork float/fuel level indicator.
I did our lawns, then neighbours lawns etc for pocket money & that mower just kept on going. Eventually the ratchet starter gave up the ghost - so it became a pull start. The base fell apart & wheel axles were held on with twisted wire etc etc. Got a good 25+ years out of the old girl.

**DFB FGXR6** · 22-10-2018, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

My second favorite subject and I'm a massive Victa fan. My grandfather had a VC Mustang for years and in fact I still have it in the shed. I don't use it, its just too old, but it still starts 1st pull of the Zip Starter in a cloud of blue smoke.

I currently have 5 Victa's and I don't care what anyone says, they give the best finish out of all the brands.

But it's the 2-stroke ones that really light my fire. I love the sound of them and I can pick one running from two blocks away

image

image

The newer Victa 2-Strokes don't Rev like the older ones, but they have an amazing ability to grunt through the tough stuff like a 4-Stroke can't.

I'll stop now before I embarrass myself

(Thanks for the post Roddy)

Correction, make that 6 Victa's!

Tommie · 22-10-2018, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roddy1960

As a little tacker I can remember Dad's old wind up start mower with the ratchet and lever. We had that Victa for yonks and he ended up putting a chord on it when the starter failed . It'd rev it's ring off too and throw stones for miles . it was dark green ..

I'd say your father might have had a Cortina model like mine did. Bought in about 1971 Id say. He also used a rope to start it when the ratchet windup mechanism broke. I still have that mower and still use it sometimes. Starts easy, smokes like hell when on idle and revs like crazy.

LG17 · 22-10-2018, 08:51 PM

I don't have a Victa.
My old man had a couple of them.
Ge had the very first toe cutter but didn't lose any toes.
He did slice through some fingers one day when he dropped his hand too close after doing something.
I remember riding on the tram with him, fingers wrapped in a hanky, going to Princess Alexandra Hospital for stitches.

I have a Husqvarna 22hp mower with a 46" cut - much more sophisticated than walking.

roddy1960 · 22-10-2018, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tommie

I'd say your father might have had a Cortina model like mine did. Bought in about 1971 Id say. He also used a rope to start it when the ratchet windup mechanism broke. I still have that mower and still use it sometimes. Starts easy, smokes like hell when on idle and revs like crazy.

That's it Tommie , It was a cortina I think now you mention it ..You're good . Thought it was a corvette but I think you're right now.

I've got nowadays , A Husqvarna 18 hp ride on with the 38" deck , a Cox Stockman 10.5 hp in bits awaiting a rebuild , a 1980's Victa that still runs that I bought very second hand at a garage sale, a Rover that I've used since 1995 from brand new , still runs perfect , a side throw newish MTD 4 stroke and a POS MDT that I bought in a weak moment that's gutless as heck Another source of pride is a fully working Villiers reel mower .Bought it off an old English immigrant for $50 .. Oh yes and Dad's Scott Bonnar that he bought to replace the aforesaid very ancient Victa mentioned in the original post .Motor seized though but won't throw it out .. Also got a Jonsered TL33 commercial brushcutter from 1994 ish that has a load governed carby that senses when under load and opens up the power as needed basically. Also an elderly Echo line trimmer owned by an uncle that needs a bit of a reno .

You guessed it , despite that armory I often find the grass is wet and a foot long before I get mowing.

..

The Cox Stockman was the friction drive rear engine mount , was a ripper until the cone wore down too much after about 20 years constant use . The cost of parts is horrendous but I've tracked down a few bits . Busted off one of the shaft bolts causing skinned knuckles and thrown spanners but I'll get there one day . The Husky is a beaut and a pleasure to use .

A hedge trimmer , two chainsaws and a garden tiller too.

**PG2** · 22-10-2018, 09:04 PM

Thanks Roddy.

I read this and felt a very strong urge to mow the lawn to the point where I went and mowed it for the first time in weeks.

My wife wants to know how you did it.

Trendseeker · 22-10-2018, 09:05 PM

I’m another Victa Mustang owner. Alloy chassis, cut ‘n mulch, about 8 years old, starts first time every time, highly recommended.

roddy1960 · 22-10-2018, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Correction, make that 6 Victa's!

But who's counting !!!!...

I reckon it's awesome to have a collection of Victa's and they're actually a bloody good thing . They're iconic ..We do make a pretty good mower and you're not true blue unless you've owned or used a Victa at some stage .

roddy1960 · 22-10-2018, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LG17

I don't have a Victa.
My old man had a couple of them.
Ge had the very first toe cutter but didn't lose any toes.
He did slice through some fingers one day when he dropped his hand too close after doing something.
I remember riding on the tram with him, fingers wrapped in a hanky, going to Princess Alexandra Hospital for stitches.

I have a Husqvarna 22hp mower with a 46" cut - much more sophisticated than walking.

Big fan of Husky's.. I love mine but I'd also love a brand new Victa lawn mower again . My Husky is about 5 years old now . Hasn't missed a beat , one battery only so far . A 22 would have some real grunt .. They're well made ..So are these Victa's

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvajHi7veD0 ..

I'm thinking , I'm thinking ..

Adamz Ghia · 22-10-2018, 09:33 PM

No idea what Victa it was, but mum bought it in 1978 and after a hard life it died in 2012. It was yellow and green and mowed the toughest grass you could throw at it. And boy was it loud.

Ghiaman · 22-10-2018, 09:33 PM

Love a good mower! Great thread Rod.
Got a collection of reel mowers.
A couple of Scott bonnar 45's, a Qualcast and a Rover 45 which is the daily driver or every 2nd day driver at the moment.
Also have 2 Honda rotary mowers which are previously used commercially and still go strong on the odd occasion they are used.
Very fond memories of mum and dads Victa. It was a tiger I think? I just remember it having orange highlights. Also remember my uncles Rover Barron.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

roddy1960 · 22-10-2018, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PG2

Thanks Roddy.

I read this and felt a very strong urge to mow the lawn to the point where I went and mowed it for the first time in weeks.

My wife wants to know how you did it.

Oops , but glad your better half will be looking at a freshly cut spread . Got to stay in the good books ..REALLY IMPORTANT...

Tommie · 22-10-2018, 09:38 PM

My regular mower is a Victa Commando, 94 model. Installed a new carby kit last year, still runs like new. Must say though, it uses heaps more fuel than the older 71 Cortina but feels like it has heaps more hp

roddy1960 · 22-10-2018, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghiaman

Love a good mower! Great thread Rod.
Got a collection of reel mowers.
A couple of Scott bonnar 45's, a Qualcast and a Rover 45 which is the daily driver or every 2nd day driver at the moment.
Also have 2 Honda rotary mowers which are previously used commercially and still go strong on the odd occasion they are used.
Very fond memories of mum and dads Victa. It was a tiger I think? I just remember it having orange highlights. Also remember my uncles Rover Barron.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

At work we use Honda 4 strokes . Using one today actually , really nice , start well , well made .

My Rover only has the nylon bush wheels , is 23 years old or so and is pretty good in that regard . Mine is a base model ..Better ones had ballrace wheels even then . She's 50 to 1 fuel mix too . Does smoke a bit now but still cuts like the 4 stroke won't in heavy wet going . Four strokes are okay though ..

roddy1960 · 22-10-2018, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tommie

My regular mower is a Victa Commando, 94 model. Installed a new carby kit last year, still runs like new. Must say though, it uses heaps more fuel than the older 71 Cortina but feels like it has heaps more hp

Oh yes , the Commando ..They were a popular Victa if ever there was ..

roddy1960 · 22-10-2018, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

My second favorite subject and I'm a massive Victa fan. My grandfather had a VC Mustang for years and in fact I still have it in the shed. I don't use it, its just too old, but it still starts 1st pull of the Zip Starter in a cloud of blue smoke.

I currently have 5 Victa's and I don't care what anyone says, they give the best finish out of all the brands.

But it's the 2-stroke ones that really light my fire. I love the sound of them and I can pick one running from two blocks away

image

image

The newer Victa 2-Strokes don't Rev like the older ones, but they have an amazing ability to grunt through the tough stuff like a 4-Stroke can't.

I'll stop now before I embarrass myself

(Thanks for the post Roddy)

Thanks for the pic's ..That little black utility style Victa you showed REALLY floats my boat ..What a beauty ..Sweet..

roddy1960 · 22-10-2018, 09:59 PM

Anybody here gone down the battery powered mower path yet , or electric for that matter .

I understand the battery pack ones especially are getting more popular . Kinda sorta a bit like cars with petrol-diesel versus hybrid-electric I suppose .

Love to know whether you'd ever consider something like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAkU6hj8Ed0 ..

**FTE217** · 22-10-2018, 10:58 PM

Good thread !
I love my lawns and used to do them for the ol man loved it.
Must be motors.
Had a victa commando for around 25yrs, rippa ol girl but it did finally die.
I do like 2strokes as well but I always did admire Briggsys.
So I finally got one about 2yrs ago.
Starts first pull, is a beast and does cut through long grass as good as 2's imo.
Trouble though GUD Holding sold out Victa long ago and Briggs is on any chassis nowadays.
I don't rate the Victas as they once were.
Hondas, top shelf product imo today for surburbia I'm talking.
They ask good coin for them thats for sure.
Fed the lawns about 3 1/2 wks ago, that Sydney rain was perfect timing, my lawn is brilliant right now and gave it first spring cut Saturday.

.:4:. · 22-10-2018, 10:58 PM

Battery powered no. Electric, sort of. My dad bought an electric in the 2000s and it was crap. Trailing a lead around creates its own issues. But battery power is not what it was back then. Brushless motors and stuff from my experience with the power tools i have is worlds ahead of what it was. I took the advice from my grandpa on mowers when i bought mine in 2010. I dont remember what chassis his was, it wasnt a victa but it was powered by a Briggs and stratton. The advice from my father in law was a bit sketchy. He had 2 victa v60s and neither would start first attempt. He'd waste an hour on 1, flood that, waste an hour on the other, flood that then the first would start. So i went 4 stroke on my grandpas advice and the 158cc briggs powered victa vantage i still have starts first pull. 3 pumps of the primer bulb and give it a minute to get into its happy place and shes apples. So the argument they dont make em like they used to is kind of false.

**PG2** · 22-10-2018, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roddy1960

Anybody here gone down the battery powered mower path yet , or electric for that matter .

I understand the battery pack ones especially are getting more popular . Kinda sorta a bit like cars with petrol-diesel versus hybrid-electric I suppose .

Love to know whether you'd ever consider something like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAkU6hj8Ed0 ..

Yeah, I would consider battery - for a number of reasons.

I normally get home from work and do the lawns in the cool of the evening during summer. It gets annoying when you are rushing to get it done before the sun goes down and you realise you have no fuel. With battery, if you keep it charged you can plug it into the mower and off you go.

Also, no more petrol fumes in the shed.

**FTE217** · 22-10-2018, 11:45 PM

Bro inlaw bought whatever mega electric brand with back up batteries as you would and whippa and blowa.
Loves it - I'd seen the mower running has mega powa and the blower really strong.

LG17 · 23-10-2018, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roddy1960

Big fan of Husky's.. I love mine but I'd also love a brand new Victa lawn mower again . My Husky is about 5 years old now . Hasn't missed a beat , one battery only so far . A 22 would have some real grunt .. They're well made ..So are these Victa's

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvajHi7veD0 ..

I'm thinking , I'm thinking ..

The 2246 mows with ease. The only thing I did was swap the solid blades for swingbacks.
The cruise control makes me really lazy!

whitelion65 · 23-10-2018, 06:34 AM

I’ve gone with an electric blower. Doesn’t perform as well as the old two-stroke, but that could be down the the different noxxle design.
The two stroke was getting to be a b to start, and keep running. I don’t like “small engine” work, so off loaded it. 144 is the smallest I’ll go ;-)

**Giant Cranium** · 23-10-2018, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roddy1960

Anybody here gone down the battery powered mower path yet , or electric for that matter .

I understand the battery pack ones especially are getting more popular . Kinda sorta a bit like cars with petrol-diesel versus hybrid-electric I suppose .

Love to know whether you'd ever consider something like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAkU6hj8Ed0 ..

ive got a mate who uses all the sthil electric gear, he does landscaping and maintenance in mosman and the clients love how quiet it is, he said its not as good as the petrol gear but when trimming hedges for 8 hours you finish with no head ache, no fumes blowing into your face and his arms aren't sore, he said quite a few blokes in the area are using the gear now for those reasons, not to mention caring a electric mower down 200 odd stairs and through houses is much easier

290GTP · 23-10-2018, 08:52 AM

Pffft..to hell with pushing mowers around.

**FTE217** · 23-10-2018, 09:48 AM

Ride on waste of time in surburbia unless your on acreage.
My bro is on 5acres, its lovely but you know what, as much as I enjoy working in my gardens/lawns feck that being a slave to the land.

290GTP · 23-10-2018, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FTE217

Ride on waste of time in surburbia unless your on acreage.
My bro is on 5acres, its lovely but you know what, as much as I enjoy working in my gardens/lawns feck that being a slave to the land.

I'm in suburbia, but I'm on 1466 sq mtrs.

With the ride-on I can mow in less than an hour, edges included.

Fed · 23-10-2018, 09:59 AM

I'm banning batteries from my life but what I'm using now is Ozito 240V mains powered lawnmower, edger and whipper snipper on a Buffalo lawn.
So far so good after 12 Months, nice and quiet, very light and no hassles with the lead at all. Also got a ryobi 240V blower that packs a lot of punch.