OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Collectors Corner Rotary COWLING CORNER

So I now have a copy of the original impala 2 and the catcher isn't as it is in the advertisement. It shows the standard Mustang catcher but im guessing the darker green colour that came out on the Vc160 mark 2.

I've also included a collage with the catcher from the manual, the front cover picture of the impala 2 and a close up of the advertisement picture of the impala 2.

Thanks for all the input guys!!! I'm looking forward to being able to present my impala 2 with progress pictures as I put it back together. Bloody restrictions are the only thing Holden it up.

Yeah I love the clean arch too MF

So here are 4 of the different coloured cowlings I have in this particular shape. According to the high arch manual I have, it shows this shape cowl has 5 colours: Green, White, Black, Orange and Yellow. I can't remember off the top of my head but the manual may also have a Corvette under this shape too. I could be mistaken tho.

Here I have the Green, White, Black and Orange.

Take note the black one isn't a store brand, well it isn't reported as one in the part's reference guide. It's the Commodore high arch cowling. But it's the same shape and style as the others.

I wonder if Victa had a name for that mould? It was used on a lot of store brands as well as a few Victa models such as the Corsair and Commodore according to the pic above.
They even used it on SPFC models without the cup starter.
Here's the label that was on the one I'm slowly doing up. You can't categorise it as either a store brand or official model in the Victa lineup. I think it was an ultra budget 125cc high arch model with the low end features sold in the 1979/80 period.

So I can't find the exact name of the mould used and I can't find the page in the manual that shows the different colours and models. It wasn't Corvette in the manual I think I remember now that it said Corsair then it had, I think, 5 colours. White, black, yellow, green and I'm sure it said orange.

I was going to buy a side-pull Corsair model but it sold before my pay went in so I missed out, it was running, had a good base and catcher for $40. But I have got a couple of good reference pictures of the cowl off one that's up for sale on gumtree for $190 🤦‍♂️. Where it appears to be completely filled in where the pull cord would have normally come out through.

Im really enjoying buying and saving these 70's and early 80's store brand mowers. Saving the original decals on some of these decks has made saving some of these smashed up mowers worth it alone, I'm posting 1 decal picture but I have many more decals and pictures.

I'm finding some really really interesting things when I look at serial numbers and see what year the mower was produced and then see some things that I thought didn't come out as regular parts until a year or 2 later. I know things get changed and replaced over time but certain things are obviously original to these mowers and haven't been changed, I also have plenty that look original but I can easily tell these days when things have been upgraded or changed.....

But that's got a lot to do with certain members of this forum and a few others who have been amazing in sharing their knowledge, experience's and time answering questions that I thought were stupid now looking back but now I get asked these questions and realise that they were very important questions at that time for me. I'm a big pusher and believer of the philosophy that "there is no such thing as a stupid question" or "the only stupid question is the one you don't ask" well these early questions I was asking I'm now answering for people who are new to this, just like I still am.

So 1 more specimen of this shape cowl is already on this thread and it's Max's Utility one. I'm not sure of the year engine or model this has come off but at a guess I'd say 80-82 side-pull Super start utility. I'm not sure if I've seen the utility decal on any high arch models from the 70's and early 80's besides this one!

So to amend my above statement, I just found a picture of a side-pull Utility on a Utility deck. 🤦‍♂️ I hate it when I don't think outside the box or something right in front of me, which ever way you see it....

It seems odd for Victa to get even more mileage from this mould than they already had, when they were going for a new lower profile look with the starter now at the side instead of the top. Why make the motor stylistically like the previous cup starter series with the needless height on top that no longer houses a pull starter?
My guess is it was an economical way to offer more styles in their line up with different packaged looks at different price points for marketing purposes.

So I had a question raised recently to me that I don't have an actual answer for but I have a theory or speculation.
Question:
Why do some of the VC-SPORT series cowls have only a single set of vents at the font and others have 2 set's, one at the front and one at the rear in front of the fuel cap hole and next to the pull starter.

My initial answer was different models but then I decided it's a bloody good question. So my theory is, That the design changed after the first 2 year run of the cowl design 1972-73. Either due to an issue with heat and extra ventilation was needed, or it could be to do with patent laws and making small
changes every 2 years, heard that as a complete rumour.

So if I'm right all impala 2's should have only one set of vents. I have 2 red VC-SPORT'S one purple and blue and 1 VC125 and all are complete mowers. 3 of my 73-74 series were 1973 builds and all have 1 set of vents, the 1974 engine had 2 sets of vents. But in going back to a thread concerning serial numbers I believe Max's VC125 is a 74 serial number but has 1 set of vents. That could be explained that the cowl was just older stock, again speculation. I also have 1 cowl from a green V174 VC-SPORT and a VC Mustang S cowl. Both came off later engines and both have 2 sets of vents.

I'll put in some pictures of my own cowls and so pictures of others mowers for reference pictures.

Im not sure if anyone has any theories or actual knowledge of why these changes were made and why? But I'd love to hear any theories!!!

G'day Seanoss ,

The Cowl with one set of air intake vents looks to be an early release ( around 1974) then later models
have the 2 sets of intake vents for more airflow cooling ,just a running change when Victa ran out of the early
style covers.



Cheers Max.

So my speculation is somewhat correct in that they changed the design after probably a 2 year run of the mould and then changed during 74. As I have a 74 VC-SPORT with it's original cowl with 2 vents and all cowls onwards had 2 sets of vents.

Thanks Max, nice easy explanation. I had been talking about it in private messages with other vc enthusiasts and I thought it was worth putting it up on the forum.

I envisaged blanked off dummy vents but upon comparing the pics, I realise it was completely absent.
Good observation Seanoss, never would likely notice unless I got a collection with the two variants.
The only other variation I have observed is the different shape raised border for the powerplus label on the later black version.

Here's my sole Corsair style mould. It has a thin layer of UV degraded plastic I want to scrape off before I paint it.

That's about the same amount of sun damage as most of mine and I'm still working on the best way to remove it gently enough without damaging the colour underneath it.

The question about the vents came from someone else who put their hand up to ask me the question thinking it was dumb but it was a great question and one that I had missed completely. So I'm just the messenger who put the question together correctly with a theory behind it.

I had a person ask me today about having a VC-SPORT cowl but it had some different bits and he would show me tomorrow but I asked if it was black and if the decal spot was the difference. Yes straight away from him. I showed him the powerplus advertisement and one of my cowls and he was %100 yes. Many people mistake the powerplus for a VC-SPORT but power wise, I'll take the powerplus every day but noise wise give me mark 3 125cc at full revs

I'll post some pictures of my 2 other cowls that are for testing because they have unrepairable damage and one of my powerplus with the decal that will eventually go on it and without.

I've never noticed an older style Corsair label like that.
It's in remarkable shape with the battle weary cowl.
Reminds me of the situation I had with two side pull Mustang covers where one was cracked everywhere with ingrained marks all over but the label was immaculate whereas the label was creased and pock marked on the good one.
Thanks to a suggestion on here to use a hairdryer while slowly peeling off, I was able to successfully transfer the factory label over.

Ok MF, here is one of the Mustangs GTS Vortex style with the silver cowl, that looks to be stainless steel.This was posted on another forum so I'm just the messenger!

But it has an A4 size piece of paper hanging on the handelbars reading:

Presented to the Penrith Mower Centre
"In appreciation of outstanding sales performance during the ???? Mower season"

VICTA

How did you find that?!!!!!


I just got an endorphin rush. So you have just shown me that the Kennys Mowers one wasn't one of a kind after all. I don't remember it having a silver base or Mustang GTS label but that cover was it. Memory can play tricks.

Victa must have been handing these out as trophies.

There could be quite a few around the country and oh so collectable.

I was going to make a replica out of spare bits.

PS: appreciate the post immensely. That was excellent.

HOW DID I FIND THAT? Remember I'm the guy who can get things!!! Just because I'm not posting much at the moment doesn't mean I stopped buying, researching and looking for anything victa in general. But we both agree that there is a decent amount of luck involved....

I never go on Facebook much at all any more but I saw this yesterday, I think, and took some screen shots and was able to zoom in enough to read the little A4 plaque!

I did this just for you MF, as soon as I saw it I made sure I got pictures to post for you!!! But being able to read why it exists and what for, yes their must be a few around but not many. Remember they only made the vortex for a few seasons and I wouldn't think that too many were given out as it was for outstanding sales performance..... plus if it's stainless steel, it's wouldn't be cheap!!!

Im just happy I got to find pictures of one to post for you mate! Least I can do after all of your support!!!!

It actually looks good in a utilitarian way in that typical used condition like that. The one I used to see all those years ago was in showroom condition and I kept having to remind myself our wasn't a display model of a mower available for sale, but it should have been.
It did look a bit much in mirror chrome, like a Transformers toy, but used like the Penrith one, I can see it would have made a good legitimate variant.

This has certainly raised the standing of this topic on cowlings!!

PS: it's plastic coated in a chrome. It's possible to do as I've seen it done before on toys.

So I decided to do a couple of mock up pictures of what the Corvette or Orange Corsair cowl would look like on a black deck with black catchers and 2 choices of catcher design too.

Im not a fan of the Corvette on the black base but that could be because the decal on the deck doesn't match the decal on the Corvette, so the colour scheme isn't right and that's throwing me off because black and white should always work.

The decal I would use is off the broken cowl that originally came off this deck. I just need to put a lot of work in, to bring the other orange cowl back to original colour as possible. One picture is of the underside of the cowl I'm going to use so you can see the real original colour and why with the original Corsair decal from the deck matches so very very well. This also shows how much small colour differences make the designs, from this era, work so well and shows how much thought goes into every aspect of the design.

Any way, This was just a little bit of fun I had today. MF I'm sure you will have a strong opinion on this subject.....

My late nan had a mower branded as a Pace Premier 160 with that base in hammered blue and matching blue catcher shaped like the one you first put with the white Corvette top, with raised Pace lettering on the side. It had the same engine top shape as the Corvette in white too. It had the smaller solid rubber wheels (like the VC-125) with orange covers. Wish I took her up on her offer to let me have it as it was very well kept.

Is that Hi Power cover the same shade of orange as the tatty Corsair one? Those would be good to do a label transfer and get that mower back to good original patina condition. Interesting to see Sunbeam style hubcaps with the circle of bumps on them.

So I just acquired this Pace Premier 160 high arch. I now need to find the original blue catcher with Pace on it.

I have some references picture of the colour of the catcher and a few other pictures.

This really shows how small details like matching decals make these mowers colour concepts work and shows exactly why the Corvette I did in black didn't work because of the decals not finishing off the look. I now actively buy broken completely stuffed mowers from this era if they are for free or $5-$10 just for the decals, if I get extra spare parts that's just a bonus.

Yes the 2 orange cowlings are originally the same colour, they do look different shades at the moment due to different levels of fade from uv, I know because they are exactly the same shade of orange on the underside where the sun don't
shine!!!! The decals on the other hand are completely different colours on both and are exactly what make the cowlings truly match the mower.

Interesting to see the bigger ball bearing wheels, as well as a Victa Corvette counterpart!
I wonder if later batches did indeed come with the bearing wheels or was the set later fitted?
The rear axle is actually slightly different on this chassis for the 8" rear wheels. If you simply fit on a pair of them to replace original 7" wheels, you no longer have an even height front to rear.
I replaced the rear axle on a side pull Corvette of mine as I found the nylon sleeve wheels made the mower feel heavier to push. The bearing wheels make it glide in comparison.
If course there are 7" ball bearing wheels you can fit, but the 8" really make the mower look slick!
I'm glad you pointed out the importance of matching decals. It makes me appreciate the reproductions all the more.