Hello ODK members

This is the most extra-ordinary of mowers presented here at ODK.
I spoke with Sir Bat recently and he was most generous in supplying
the back story here. It is highly likely we will never know much about this
machine. We should get better photos shortly.

All contributors have recognised something unusual or something
�not quite right� in what they see. For me this is an interesting machine
because of its unusual features.

To do this logically, I would like to discuss the Briggs motor.
The question I address is this: does the motor match other features of
the mower? That answer is not an easy one.

This is an 8 Series Briggs & Stratton engine, a Kool Bore (Aluminium) design
first produced from the mid-1950s. Local folks will probably not recognise
that this series was made in horizontal and vertical variants, with different
carby and fuel tank configurations. The horizontal shaft 8 Series would see
service for many decades, powering AUS machines like the Scott Bonnar 45.

As pointed out by Sir Bat, its unusual feature (for small vert. shaft Briggs)
is to have the carby and exhaust on the same side. Later Briggs� designs would
run the intake manifold across the cylinder so as to separate fuel tank from
exhaust. That was a good idea�

That would not be possible with this engine. It is an 8 Series with the carby
mounted above the fuel tank � it�s an early Briggs & Stratton Pulsa-Jet! Note
the bare side of the block in the second picture �

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

So ... is this engine original to this chassis?
To be continued ...