Currently restoring my first mower and picked up this oldie with a Victa motor (see attached photos). Not sure about its actual brand though. Victa or H.G. Palmer perhaps?
There's no decals or badges anywhere just a Mobil pegasus on the tank lid.
Looks like it was green (repainted gold) with a red cowl.
Any help understanding what I have (type of motor, carb and starter etc.) and age would be much appreciated.
I can't see from the images if the engine mounting holes in the base are elongated ,meaning the original engine was the Villiers ,the engine mounting nuts under the base may have to be removed to see that or if there is another set of engine mounting holes in the base.
I haven't seen this base with a Victa motor before.
Many thanks dubrosa for giving us these clear images for the record. Max is second-to-none in his garden equipment forensic skills. I think this is a Pathfinder too.
Of course I want to add a complexity. Who made the thing!
I know that Pathfinder mowers were made by more than one OEM.
I attach two documents, one addressed to me. [Steve Coleman was hired by Victa when Victa took over Pace mowers.]
The second document is an extract from John Mason's self-published book about his time at Victa. It reproduces Steve Coleman's thought about Pathfinder, when he was at Knock & Kirby, a large NSW Dept. store.
I guess the implication is that Victa was behind at least one Pathfinder. You decide... Read between the lines.
G'day dubrosa22 and Max and all In my view this is a very handsome classical rotary chassis.
It does have overtones of a Boundy chassis, with its beautiful sleek and shallow skirt and forward side-discharge chute.
Very likely Victa was being provocative to a certain Victorian 'cutlery manufacturer'... That's a personal view.
These were competitive times and Victa did not become Number One through niceness. Victa played by the rules but was clearly secretive in many commercial dealings.
Dubrosa22, many thanks for sharing this project. We look forward to future images. All good stories need resolution, and this topic is great provenance for your now rare mower.
The 6" x 1 1/2" wheels that came with the Victa-made Pathfinder are in okay-ish condition. The rubber is a bit crumbly but only if I really rub them hard. The bushes are pretty good too. But the outer black rubber hubcap or surrounds were completely decomposed (you can see some remains sitting beside the wheel's hub ferrule and bushing in one of the attached photos) exposing the axle and cotterpin. Where they sat is where the plastic is less creamy coloured. The wheels hadn't been removed in many, many years however but these rubber caps had been mostly prised out or just dropped out.
I was wondering are these are Victa wheels? Or some other stock standard types from the '60s?
Would the typical red Victa hubcaps fit these wheels? If not, would any other hub most likely types fit?
