OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Finding and Swapping Tip & Curb Side Finds Grumpy, you think Rover look unapealing?

Here's another recent acquisition, an 80's Masport Iron Horse!

It's running a Lawn Boy engine, and it works, this is my second one, the first was stripped for parts, which helped spruce this one up (after these pics) a little, but no mater how much I clean it up, and no matter how interesting the engine is to work on, I just cant seem to get this thing to look anything other than damn UGLY!!!

Still, I'm holding onto it for now, God only knows why...

I think it looks ordinary except for the ugly top cover, Ty. And I don't think Rovers are entirely unappealing, they just look like vans where some Victas look like sports cars. If you want unappealing, take a look at any of the Victas with a full top cover.

Just a point of trivia for you. Those engines are made by OMC, (Outboard Marine Company). They're the one's who make Johnson and Evinrude outboard engines for boats!
I've got a stuffed one here.

Aww, you dont mean my baby do you?


I guess we all have our tastes, these ones are my favorites, but i guess i really can't expect everyone to like what i like, lol!

Hi Ty, definitely a very unattractive machine there mate...
The people that designed it back in the 80's must have had no imagination
But everybody's taste differ...and thank God for that!!

Greg, that's correct, these are the same engines used by Lawnboy in the US and Canada, and earlier versions had that lovely 'Hammer Head' look seen on the earlier masport iron horses.

Darryl, I hope your talking about the Masport :P I'd hate to think everyone hates my Favorite machine!!!

No, you're safe Ty, I'm talking about the Masport, not your VC....

huh. i didn't think those engines were used anywhwre but in the US

kori

kori, things turn up all over the place in small numbers. I think the Iron Horse engines were rather uncommon in Australia - there were certainly some in New Zealand though. If you look at this thread you can see the story of a restoration on one:
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=19752

That is one of our most popular threads.

yea ive talked to pcamore and altair on www.mytractorforum.com about those iron horse mowers... almost seem rarer here than 'oer there

kori

Yes I do agree they are very ugly.

Oh hell yeah, but for some reason i'm holding onto it for now...

I reakon I could get my hands on a couple more of those, see a few around here. I even had one that had a Tecumseh 2 stroke on it, had Masport stickers on the engine.

I had one of those too, but the engine was well beyond it.

I have seen this base with this engine, a Briggs 92908 and a Tecumseh, the base itself does not appeal to me much, and where I have had one come with a good brigs, it is just the engine I have saved.

However, the mounting is different for this engine, the hole is much larger to accommodate the circular underside muffler, so it will stay on this base.

It is an interesting engine, quite unlike Victa 2-stroke engines, it's a reed valve engine, with side geared starter, and the carburettor and air filter are cast together. There is also little to no throttle control, the first one I found had no throttle control, it's fully governed, and this one has 2 position selector for slow or fast, down on the carby itself.

I have on here with a 2 stroke tecumseh on it, was hanging onto it for Ty.

The one I had is long gone now. The reeds were a bit of an issue on it though, one wouldn't seat. Bit of a challenge, but I got it sorted.

Hmm, I'm going to have to go out to the shed and throw a few more on the "Bob" pile by the sound of it, fill my cannon with trading fodder!

I'm going to give this one a good tune up, the engine really interests me, i have the spare engine, so I might just take a gander at the reed valve myself Greg.

Sorry, I was talking about the Tecumseh 2 stroke with the reeds. I haven't bothered with the OMC I've got here, it's solid! hahaha

They certainly seem that way, I'm thinking I might try this one out on the lawn today!

I guess the OMC engine can't be too bad, there's a few of them around. I'd actually like to have one going, 'cause the engine on my boat is OMC as well! hahaha