OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Collectors Corner Rotary Mustang Month !

My 3 powerplus chassis come off 1 1978 build engine, 1 had an engine swap so I don't know the year and the most recent one I picked up is also 78.

Out of the 3 I have, like the super start Mustangs, I will only be able to make 1 good one because only 1 of the 3 bases are good enough to use, now the powerplus base is a different cast and, to speculate only, to save on weight maybe the walls aren't as thick? I really don't know?

I do know that any of my high arch mowers from 1971 though to 1977 have very little issues with the bases except for 2 and they were a 1973 Red VC-SPORT and the first Victa that started all of this for me my 1975 Green VC-SPORT. The reason that these 2 bases were in poor condition is because I got them very very locally and I live 3 minutes drive from the beach one way and 4 minutes the other way. Most of the soil here is heavy with sand and all of the damage to these looks like sand blasting. Every other hi-arch from 71-77 are pretty good.

The first evidence of poorer quality decks in the 70's that I see starts with the Powerplus and some of the store brand decks from the end of the 70's and early 80's and then definitely show serious deficiencies in the Super Start Side pull Mustangs.

Then the amount of the 86 White Mustang and Yellow Vortex bases that I have seen with massive cracks or chunks of the bases is very high. Those bases appear it be thicker and they definitely are designed to take the abuse on the front, I guess that's been a problem that they wanted resolved for a long time, and in doing so they have gone for a durable but lightweight alloy to thicken things up and really fix the issue with the front breaking. But in doing this to the design or the choice of alloy when a big rock is thrown at the side wall hard the design has been made to reinforced the front of the base and isn't equipped to take that kind of hit on the sides or the alloy has issues with taking the impact of high velocity projectiles but great for low velocity impacts and thus protecting the front from breaking when bashed into a tree.

This is all speculation but is speculation based on my own observations that I completely admit hasn't been over a long period of time.

Here's a couple of pics of damaged front skirts of a Corvette base and Mustang, both from 81 period.
The force seems to have been concentrated on a smaller spot with the Corvette base as I've actually hammered it out and drilled two holes at the ends of the cracking to stop them spreading further. It's not really an essential part of the structure so some body filler or epoxy compound will have the base virtually mint as it's in very good shape everywhere else.

Used epoxy putty today.

I recently bought aluminium flux core brazing rods and a flame gun to fix cracks in my tinnie. Was wondering if it could be used on mower bases or other al engine parts.....
Time will tell as I find the need.
If you want to see video, search aluminium brazing youtube. It's a diy process not like proper aluminium welding.
speedy

Thanks for that tidbit speedy. Someone mentioned it before. While I've been satisfied with the results I got with epoxy compound, repairs with aluminum itself is the ultimate solution if it can be pulled off!

Sanded it down. Should look good once painted. Also rubbed down the entire deck as well as sanding rust off rear flap before a coat of red zinc primer.

Base is looking mint after I recently applied primer.
Can't decide whether to paint it close to original flat green or a very vivid hammertone green that's not original. I think I've made my mind up to paint it in hammertone.

Added another mustang to the collection last week.

Was advertised on gumtree for $15 - shed clean out. Duly fired up first pull when I got there and ran spot on. Catcher only had one small crack on front right lip.
No deck cracks. Was told it sat in the shed for 4 or more years.

Only thing I could fault was the knackered handle - had a poor design victa did not persist with for long (see 4 millionth victa - putting all load through a thin piece of metal didn't end well). Mine is a 13th Week of 1982, so around the same time

I have locked them in for now and will either source a new pair on design a fix.

Took it home and took the cowl off - very few issues. It must have had a decent going over sometime in the last 10 years as all the lines were new, yellow fuel tap with the 'wick filter (not sintered brass), new muffler gasket, revs just right, all axles rebushed and tight. Motor sounds tight as well, so maybe has a new rings?.

The lower handle clasps at the bottom were seized, so they were ripped apart and cleaned.

Only thing it needed was cut out rubbers, air filter and blades (which were truely naffed). Didn't pull the carby as it was behaving perfect.
Greased the wheel bearings which surprisingly didn't spew bearing balls everywhere. Still has the fuel gauge pyramid.

Have to put a new LHF wheel on as it's scrubbed out.

Works perfectly - a truly 'uncloggable' chute


By the way if anyone accidentally loses their plastic 'screw grommets' that mount the cowl to the deck, Champion TF33 work perfect (learnt that the hard way )

Hi Tyler,
I paid that for a cover alone to replace my cracked one.
I need another chassis for the same reason. You got both for the same price. That's in remarkable shape although better lighting would have helped!

The crack in mine is on the front, so it's not structural. Mine also has quite a bit of wear on the edge. Alhh well, time for some more epoxy sticks. At least it runs well.

You even have the original green catcher. Mine's a black replacement version. Look at that paint!

MF, I have about 10 better pictures, but ODK's limiting 2.85mb per image quota means I can't work out how to post them.

I was shocked on this one that the cover doesn't have a crack.

Between me using copious amounts of epoxy on some house projects and you with the victa decks, we must be keeping selleys glues in business haha

I've shared the business with one other epoxy manufacturer. It was responsible for the repair to the red freebie Vortex!

Looking at the condition of the base, it makes sense the cover survived intact. You did blinking well!!!!

Now I have worked out (thanks to Max) how to minimise the mb without stuffing the photo quality, here are a couple more

I can't believe how well it cuts (photos before mowing of course). Doesn't even have a bit of grass stuck under the deck after mowing. Alloy decks are normally good but this one just doesn't seem to build up any

Must be the unclogable chute

Oncloggable chute together with a good airflow dynamic. These do a better job than the steel decks and alloy version of the steel deck that replaced the PT thumb latch base in 1992.
Don't forget this is the same base casting as the VC Mustang and Sports made from 1973 and they were designed to shoot the clippings upwards into the catcher and land in a pile inside, filling the catcher completely.
You will notice with the two piece rear flap, it allows you to insert the catcher without having to lift the flap at all, unlike with the single piece later on.

Your got your grubby hands on a treasure. Use but don't abuse!

I have one of those cowls here that I can't bring myself to put it in the rubbish bin

Sell it on EBay. Someone out there will want it.

Don't worry MF, I don't abuse any of my machinery - except for the victa chipper conversion - the way its run probably constitutes abuse.

Norm, put it up on gumtree for $15. Might take a year to sell, but it will go