PART TWO – Thoughts …
A most interesting question is why Kirby quickly abandoned production
of the Outboard Marine Ironhorse in favour of Tecumseh 4-stroke engines
and then Tecumseh 2-stroke engines.

I’m happy to speculate …

James Kirby was involved from the earliest days of rotary lawnmower
production in Australia. He was a director of Tecnico, the maker of our first rotary!

We know Kirby was making Victa components in the 1950s, and there must
have been a close business relationship between James and Victa’s Merv.

I would think Merv would have been not-too-keen on an advanced [and governed]
foreign 2-stroke engine being released here; just a couple of years after the
release of his own un-governed 125cc engine!

[Linked Image]

Read between the lines …

The Kirby Hi-Torque had a limited release here, but it was the
No 1 engine for rotary lawnmowers in New Zealand at this time.
Kirby GEs were sold to New Zealand.

TO BE CONTINUED …