Was the base Honda steel or alloy though?
They should have just re-introduced the thumb latch base in new colours. They were popular and very high end in appearance. Victa were mad to drop it in favour of a new one based on the steel design in 1992. It didn't get all the clippings into the catcher as well as the thumb latch.
Their best alloy bases of all was the 1970s VC models which allowed you to insert the catcher into position before locking it on with the lever. This was made possible by the two piece rear flap, but Victa had to introduce one with the single piece flap, making it slightly more tricky to operate. The two piece flap base made it into the 1980s with the most premium models only before being quietly dropped when the Powertorque engine took over from the side pull full crank.
