OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Victa Walk-Behind Rotary Mowers My new Victa's 18

Hi Guys I'm new here and would like to try and identify the stuff I have just started getting together, my aim was to fully restore a Victa 18 but it is probably going to be more than one with the stuff aquired, (I went into more detail in the intro section) so I hope I have got the right area to post this?
I would first like your opinions one which of the three mowers would be the best one to do first, and have they got the right engine for the mowers.

These two both run now, the one with the dodgy wheels was used as a regular mower til recently and has the engine number AC50234, the one with the wheels with no tires has the bits on the front for a flap and has the engine number 227756 over 1.



Here's the blue meanie, it's engine number is AC40054 over 4.It has a rebiult motor.



A picture of some other stuff I got off the bloke with the blue mower, the engine is rebuilt and has the engine number 94828 over 1, it also has a different flywheel to the one with no tires as I have just been getting that one going, I will add a couple of photos and hope someone can help me with the difference and when/why they changed ect. the spare motor and sprae timing plate and coil are the same, it also has an inspection plate (I asume for points adjustment) I dont know what sort of flywheel the Bluey or dodgy wheel ones have on them yet.





Oh yeah the spare motor has an earlier mufler I think it's earlier anyway, also has the black cover with holes in it over the flyhweel that the other one did not have, sorry for the long winded post but I'm keen for info if you blokes can help me? well cheers for now.

OK Jonesy what you have there in the top picture left to right.
Model 5 Special Series 2.(Has edger slot cover.Well done)Wrong air cleaner on it.Which is the same as your blue one.That one has the right air cleaner.
Right one is Model 5 Special Series 1 with the correct wheels.All model 5's had those wheels on them.Models 5's range from 1957-1960.The engine with the number 94828 is a Model 2 Rotomo.The ignition plate and flywheel are from that same model.It should have the same muffler as your spare engine.As far as the spare engine goes,have a look at the engine number.If it is 10,000 and under it could be a Model 1 Rotomo engine.10,000 and over it would be another model 2 engine.I'd say it is a Model 2 only due to the fact there are more around than Model 1's.Model 1 Rotomo 1955-56 and model 2 Rotomo is 1956-57. I hope this helps.

Hey blumby, thanks for that,what one would you suggest is the more disirable to do up? I have already stripped the model 5 series 1 and have started blasting bits and cleaning up, I bought one of those on bench sand blasting cabinets, and am running Garnet through it and seems to be bringing things up real well.







and yeah the spare engine number is 94828 so I asume it be a series 2 Rotomo so 56-57

Blumby, what erea is the big black air cleaner off? and is the air cleaner on the blue one suposed to be on the short inlet tube or long one up the handle further?
cheers Jonesy.

The black air cleaner actually started on the Model 5 special series 3.On the blue the hose is suppose to be high on the handles not as far as the throttle control.Like in this picture.

These next few photos is a Model 5 Special series 3.


As you can see no edger slot.
This one is my coffee table there are a few things that are not correct on it,but it was restored as it was found.

As far as which one to restore,why not do both? As far as which one is more desirable,well there both fairly common mowers and still not in short supply.The series 2 is not as common as the series 1,but in saying that there is still a lot still out there.The guys (like myself) that restore these ones don't do it for the dollars we do them for the love of it. Even a restored Model 5 doesn't fetch big dollars I guess due to there being so many still around.There are a lot more rarer mowers out there that bring in big dollars.So I say do both I am anyway.

yeah I'm not in it for money either, I have wanted to do this for a while now but always had a Poo shed with no door (to cold in Tassy for that) but now I have a decent shed I can spend more time out there,(actually all my time) thanks for the info also, I have scoured the net trying to find a place that sells the Repo wheels and "Special" badges but have come up empty, do any of you know of any places or links to them? I have not seen your coffee table, it looks brilliant, what are the silver disc type things on the glass? are they just to make you wary of the glass? and yes there is a few around but that stretch of water between us and the mainland can sometimes be a pain in the ass but I spose it also keeeps pains in the ass out also. did the 57-60 models have the black disc over the flywheels and what was it for? yeah will do at least two up I recon at this stage and prb leave the green series 2 as is but with a full pull down and clean.

Jonesy,

Just click HERE for the wheels. The badges are hard to come by and usually cost a min of $100 +.

Hi Jonesy, and a warm welcome to the forum. It great to have you aboard. Congratulations on some great scores there mate. They will come up a treat.
I also did one as a coffee table...check out the thread HERE and here's a pic...mine is a 'blue meanie' also!


Once again, to OutdoorKing.

Thanks for the link to the wheels Bruce I have been googling every thing
Trying to find them as I Was told of a place in Launceston
That sold them but I have spoken to them and they reckoned they stopped
Making them, so I just ordered 4. And Deejay thanks also for the welcome
And yes it was your coffee table I had seen before I was aware that Blumbly
Had also done one, they are something to be proud of both of you that's top Aussy workmanship.

Hi Jonesy, and thanks for your kind comments!
We are all looking forward to your pics as you go along, restoring these icons of Aussie ingenuity.
They will look fabulous mate....

well guys I've been hunting bits down and trying to find more people with these mowers or bits and come across some more stuff, but the one thing I really like is the old starter handle for the steel cable starter, whitch he threw in once I said I would take the bits for $50, he also through in the long air cleaner tube (that I was after) and a good early crank. he told me he had an early steel cable starter some ware too and will give me a call when he finds it, he also has another special mostly complete and thinks he may sell it but not sure yet, what do you think? I think $50 was a decent deal.


theres a new Std piston and rings there as well

got a couple of closer shots of the handle, can anyone tell me what goes over the two halves to hold it together? as it had insulation tape on it when I got it.


And my new wheels turned up today too, so a pretty good day in all.

Hi Jonesy. Looks like you have alot of spare parts for future restorations. Unfortunately I do not lnow the answer to your question. But there will be someone on this forum that knows. I look forward to the rest of your restoration.

Well done so far.

this might help ? it looks like it has a rubber sleeve holding the two parts together , but i'm not going to pull mine apart unless i need too ..

just hangin' in the shed waiting for the time !!! hope it helps , Dave they were wire ??? wow , no wonder it has a big groove dug into it . learning all the time i guess

And Hi to you James P, I'm blasting and priming at the moment, just washing a bit of dust down and thought I would have a quick look on here while I do it, and thanks vccomm, I thought it may have been something along those lines, as I have tryed to find pictures of them but the couple I found was too far away to beable to tell, thanks for the decent pics. I think you should feel very privilaged to have one in as good a nick as you do, I bet the rubbers are scarce. Went and got some Avocardo green hammer tone mixed up today and a couple of spray cans of Mid Brunswick green and killrust delisious red, some etch primer and a couple of cans of black, took 4 shops to get it all but at least I have it now

Bruce, if you look on here again, is there just tires available for sale to suit the 18's? or anyone else for that matter as I have some other wheels but no tires on 3 and the other tire is a bit sad.

Well I have dropped off 3 bases and handles to get blasted, as they dont fit in my bench cabinet too well and pick them up Thurs morning, he's doing the handels Thurs morning for me so I can pick them up on the way home from night shift and can get them under primer straight away, Been busy soaking parts and cleaning up bits, going to take some parts to work as one of the guys that works under me does soda blasting as a side line so will see how they turn out,(he might be getting a lot more)if they are good
I picked up another Model 5 for $20 tonight has got some usefull parts on it, I will use the base as the base on the blue one was welded and had a bit more of a crack where one side of the handle bolts on, it's got a good air cleaner (just need to find the sponge for inside, it's even got the plug spannerclips in good condition, good starter & two reasonable wheels, I have stripped it down now and has got a good full exhaust (the plate is in the bin) the engine has had some water in it and is locked up but have that soaking for a few days, the magneto and points/coil all look good and petrol tank also good has a good rubber under the tank strap the carby is also soaking and may be a right off as its had water in it for a while I would say but you never know.



Oh yeah the handle bar clamp is also good with no holes drilled in it so that will give me 3 good ones, he said it has been sitting out the back of his shed half covered up with a bit of roofing iron, dont know which half because shes pretty rough

Just had a look at the engine #

does this make any sense to someone

Yep that engine number sounds about right for that model.They really didn't make sense back then. Victa were selling so many that the numbering system wasn't that important.Also just be careful when pulling the model 5's apart,when pulling the muffler plate off.If you find a fibre gasket under there that is made of asbestos.

Sorry no tyres just complete wheels and not many left now.