OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Model Histories AUSTRALIAN Rotary Models CHAMPION - First Model - c1954

Hello ODK history lovers
An exceptional discovery was made by member Kye in 2021
and I thank him for his noticing its significance.

This could have been easily overlooked by most collectors.

The Champion Mower Company has always remained enigmatic;
in that they were a relatively small 1950s company that made
mowers that could equal – or better – anything that Victa did
make at that time. But so much less is known about Champions!

The Champion was a beautiful ‘Toe Cutter’ and they remain
both rare and collectable. The one below shows the clever
patented wheels and sculptured fuel tank, but without flywheel
vanes and early wheel brackets. It’ cannot be the earliest!

I have written about the Champion Company and its unique
patents in the Company History Forum (see related links).



This topic covers what I believe to be the first
Champion lawnmower, and I date it to 1954.

It differs from later mowers in that it has a unique wheel
support system similar to the early Victa Rotomos.

It has the patented Champion wheels and fan cooling
system from the 1954 patents. It also has a rear safety
skirt and instruction plate that were totally unknown on
Champions. Amazing!

TO BE CONTINUED …

PART TWO – First Model
There are clear indicators that this model must pre-date
known Champions.

There is so much to show as evidence: -
[1] The wheel support system is a close replica of the
Victa Rotomos of the day. It is reminiscent of the Victa flat
chassis ‘Fan Mowers’ with their steel outrigger wheel brackets.

Here, note the the support weldments go under the base;
Victa weldments were above deck.



Champion clearly learnt from the defect of this system:
how do you accurately level a mower with brackets that permit
infinite height adjustment? Answer: use brackets with defined
height settings. That would appear on all Champions from late 1955.

[2] The 1954 patent covers an air vane flywheel.
This was a cover plate over the Villiers Midget flywheel that
had rubber air vanes that theoretically cooled the engine.



[3] The other 1954 patent feature is the wheel bearing
oiler system that seems to be unique in Australian rotaries
[see Related Reading].



[4] The big surprises were a nameplate, and lubrication
instruction plate, that differ from later models. Another
feature that may be original is a safety flap at the rear.



[5] The last surprise is a snorkel air cleaner.
I’m not convinced that this can be original to the
first Champion; given that the Victa patent was lodged
in early 1955.



TO BE CONTINUED ...