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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 21
Leo G Offline OP
Novice
I have a lovely old 1963 (odd) Victa Mayfair with an impulse starter. The spring recently broke in 2 places strangely, while it had been working and I'd tipped the mower on it's side to remove palm tree fronds wrapped around the crank (like steel cable, horrid stuff).
I was lucky enough to be given some parts by an old friend which included a Victa 18 base or two, seized engines and an impulse starter with good spring. It didn't work, I remover the top and found the cup and pawls were all stuffed.
Great idea, pull the matched colour starter apart (gold base, yellow engine covers and starter), remove broken spring, do spring swap.
I was lucky enough to be given a new dog cup (whatever you call the cup the pawls catch in that's held on the crank by the big nut (no, not me)) and new pawls along with the cup and brake which rotates/extends the pawls, all new old stock in a friends shop, all free.
Problem is I stripped the spring out, stripped my starter down, put the spring in but there's a grinding noise somewhere in the system when I attempt to start the mower. It's not the crank, it spins free with spark lead disconnected, the pawls rotate/retract (I forgot the little spring just once) so it has to be a washer or some other item in the incorrect place, assembled exactly the way the other starter came apart.

I'm in desperate need of assembly instructions and some I've seen documented here in another thread I can no longer find shows different components, possibly off a different brand.

I love my old Mayfair, it's images have been used here before to show the mayfairs in untouched, nice condition, twin inverted white handle (turning in towards the engine), red grips, all original and untouched including original mesh filter without filter and looks about 5 years old at most.
If I'm going to spend my time washing and polishing the mower it would be great if I could mow my lawn with it too.

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.a...yfair-help-identifying-my-new-mower.html

HELP please?

As for Victa 18s with stamped decks (toe cutter decks), I'm looking for suitable wheels which I now know cant be purchased new and are very hard to get and while I still have a tub of parts to collect from the owners front porch (maybe tomorrow) I'm not sure if there's any original wheels in the tubs and more curious whether the original wheels which are cracked may be able to be glued with any particular adhesive to keep them somewhat original.
Have I mentioned I like old junk?
Reminds me of me, old, useless junk (below the hair line I think).

Last edited by Leo G; 23/12/24 07:45 PM. Reason: I like red!
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 2,432
Likes: 191
SENIOR TECHNICIAN & HISTORIAN
Hi Leo G,

The wheels could be plastic welded to repair the cracks with an electric soldering iron .


Cheers
Max

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1 member likes this: Leo G
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 21
Leo G Offline OP
Novice
Thanks Max, I considered that with the wheels but have found the Gorilla glue range has proven to be fantastic at bonding several grades of plastics the very expensive top branded plastic adhesives struggled to bond (trust me I tried everything on BMW K100 panniers (motorbike)). I have nothing to lose by trying to bond them.

The diagram is the same one I'd already seen and I kept thinking it was different.
Of course it was, I was holding the entire assembly upside down to work on it, I'm such an IDIOT!
I think it must be something to do with the bearing numbered "21". That assembly didn't come apart from my housing but I was thinking I may have put the spacer washer in the wrong place but I haven't, now I'll pull it all part again and figure out how to get to that bearing (or bushing) and if it's damaged I'll obtain the required material and turn something up on the lathe (if it's a bush). Ah, I have to remove the handle, that explains why it didn't come out but it was never noisy in the past, it's only since I replaced the broken spring with the unit from the second hand impulse starter I got from my friend (it had other damaged components but the spring itself was replaced not long before the machine was trashed/blew up (he kept only the impulse starter, thankfully)).

To think I was offered a position as a draughtsman in a large engineering firm when I was studying my final year of fabrication engineering in my late 30s, the entire companies works would have all been built upside down (think the pyramid in Minions, LOL), thank goodness I turned it down (medical reasons).
Now I just have to stand on my head on my computer desk and it will all make sense!
Wait till I try to figure out how to put new blades on. That's going to cause a situation, LOL.

Thank you again and have a lovely Christmas and New year!

Leo

Last edited by Leo G; 24/12/24 02:00 PM.
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 2,432
Likes: 191
SENIOR TECHNICIAN & HISTORIAN
There is one impulse start mower here that I converted to electronic ignition and that always starts with one or two wind ups cold.

Same to you Leo and all have a great Christmas and New Year!

Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 21
Leo G Offline OP
Novice
Thanks Max, I was given the electronic module free to replace the points but it was for a 160cc unit and my old thing is the 125, I just couldn't get it to do anything.
Not a major problem, I'll put it on the Victa utility a friend gave me (he owns the local mower shop and they give me most parts free). I'll grab the proper unit one day when I remember.
It is funny though, the Mayfair sat under my house in 4 inches of water for 2-3 years untouched. I puled it out one day, put fresh fuel in it, primed the carburettor, would the handle 4 times and it started immediately, amazing old mowers.
I'm keen to get onto the Victa 18s I was given and another old unit from around 1960 with the toe cutter deck but not stamped as the Victa 18. it has a square fuel tank and the Victa 18 pull start unit.
Though I mostly collect old camera (and an occasional radio/gramophone) I love old stuff, it was made with pride and quality unseen in todays industries.


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