G’day Norm

Overthinking is my speciality. A decent chunk of the period I’ve been working through this has been while sitting in waiting rooms. It’s better for me to be occupied with something rather than getting annoyed by how much time I’ve had to sit around.

I’m not focussed on getting every part perfect. It’s more about keeping the character of the mowers. I have new machines that get the lions share of use and they are great but I have a soft spot for these early 70’s 2-strokes. Pulling one out of the shed is a good thing, even better if I spend an hour mowing with one.

The front axel clips I’m talking about are, apparently, unique to the low arch mowers and similar era alloy base utilities. They’re just a two inch long by half inch piece of spring steel, bent so they clip onto the axel with a hole drilled in one end to attach to the chassis. Mine are partially rusted away, cracked and misshapen. I know if I try to reform them they’re going to disintegrate, not enough substance left. I can make them, probably be more efficient for me to make 50 than the six I need.

With height, I mean the range of height I can get. I’m never going to use the lowest setting, probably shorter than any groundsman would ever cut a pitch, it’d scalp the bllio out of most lawns, whilst the highest setting isn’t enough for a rough first cut. I sat down with it and worked out a couple of options. Raising the motor in the chassis, as you suggest, is probably the best solution.

The 80 items are for four different machines. I usually keep boxes of parts for stuff so I’m able to do servicing when the weather drives me inside. I’ve run out of a few things and need to restock. The recommissionings have blown the shopping list out quite a bit though!

That 125 utility would be a peach, weight, manoeuvrability and durability in rough conditions haven’t been as well worked out since that era. I’ve been on the lookout for a good condition 160 utility from the early 70’s for a couple of years I have one here but it’s very tired.

Between the Super 24 and the utilities/specials of that era I don’t think there have been better mowers made for Australian conditions within their intended use cases.

Ironbark