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

OK Bruce, you got me, ordered another set of wheels. Blumbly I was aware of the two asbestos gaskets but if you keep every thing damp so no dust it's no worries, I was a builder for 20 odd years and have had to deal with a lot of the stuff, not a good product by any meens, I now work in a mine and we have a bit of the stuff there as well (natural in ground).

Hi Jonesy, I think you were very wise getting a new set of wheels, as from research that I have done, they are not being made any more.
New reproduction hub-caps are sometimes available on eBay....I bought a set for my Victa 18 coffee table, and they fitted perfectly.

yeah Deejay I bought 2 sets of the hub caps hopeing they would be OK, hope they have turned up by the time I get back home from work.

Going for a drive to Launceston on Sat to have a look at a mower lot a bloke replied to my add with this lot, he said he wanted $120 the lot, seems fair to me as there are quite a few bits I can use and a couple of other good old mowers as well.

I just got off the phone to him and another from down there rang and said he also had some mowers and bits and peices, he has a starter with the nut on top, he then proceeded to tell me he had badges etc so I'm off to see him also. looking to be a good day Sat.

Also my Badge turned up today and is better condition than what I thought it was going to be.

So can anyone tell me is the area around the green suposed to be painted?
from what I can see it looks like it should probably ment to be silver??

Wow that does look like its in great condition. Yes the colours are right.

Blumbly its a bit hard to tell from the photo but most of the silver around the green bit has gone except the bit that is hidden by the clamp, so what you are saying is all the back ground part is suposed to be silver? is this correct?

It sure is.

thanks Blumbly, any info whats the best silver to match the original? looks a lot like a chrome paint, but in the 50's I would not have thought they would of had chrome paint back then.

Hi Jonesy, is that an original badge, or is that a reproduction?
In any event, it looks brilliant....by the way...they could actually chrome over plastic back then, a lot of badge-work for electronic applications were.

OK thanks Deejay, it is an original, it has only tiny flaws in the clear plastic that covers the front of the badge that won't polish out, I did polish the front with some 3 step Novus plastic polish that I gought for my 4 wheeler, the white paint on the VICTA is perfect and I just touched up a couple of spots on the green bit as there was a couple of tiny patches you could just see through, so the silver is next, tried a small bit with some silver wheel paint I had but did not like the match so just wiped it off again, will buy some chrome paint and see how that looks, I payed a good dollar for it off Ebay with the handle bar clamp that was supposed to have been painted the corect green, but it wasent but I only have to sand down and paint again wih the mid brunswick green, I payed $130 for the two but have seen a lot worse condition badges sell for more so I was happy with it, seeing how the badge is a fair focal point of the mowers I payed the money.

can anyone identify some of the mowers in the above pictures that I'm going to look at tomorrow??

Yes Darryl that is an original badge see in the centre part at the bottom there is a circle there.Inside the circle there is an A in that circle.The theory is the A is the original for the Model 5's.There was some badged which had a B in that circle.They were believed to be the replacement badges.Still old,as when you took your model 5 in for a service (At a Victa dealer)and the badge was broken,Victa would replace your broken badge for a new one,Free of charge.Now we have to pay a small fortune for them.I wish they were free now.

OK Jonesy you asked so here we go.From left to right.
1971-72 Professional 160 Model 71VK
1970-71 Utility 125cc Model 70VG
1957-60 Model 5 Special series 3.I'd say it's more towards the 1960 mark.
1963-64 Utility Model 509
1971-72 Utility 125cc Model 71VG
Then there is a Model 12 Utility base (with badge.Lucky bugger I need that badge).
Then a model 5 special base series 1.
Then a hole heap of spares one engine is a model 5 engine.The other one I can't quite tell but with the amount of utility's I'd say that's a spare utility engine.
I'm hoping I find one of the series 3 model 5 bases as I need another one.I will just have to wait my turn.

Thanks heaps Blumbly, yes the series 3 mower was the one I am chaseing as I've got a series 1, 3 series 2, yeah that badge caught my eye as at first I thought that base was the same as 1963-64 Utility Model 509, I seen the badge goes the same way as the Romoto badge, cant wait to see what it is like. there was a series 3 on ebay but the base had a chunk out of the side of it, I come across a supposedly new old stock Special & sheerline badges.

but he still ownes them as he wanted $720 FOR THEM I nearly fell over, he also has some second hand ones but after that price I recon he will be too dear for them also.

I just zoomed in on the spacial badge and (now armed with new info) it does have a "A" in the cenrre bottom, So could be, but still way too rich.

Yes that is way to expensive even if they are n.o.s. Would be worth $200 at best,the problem is they could even be reproductions they not that hard to make if you have the right equipment. So yes stay away from them. Could buy many mowers for that price.

Blumbly, whats the difference between the Model 12 Utility base and the 1963-64 Utility Model 509 base? also what year is a Model 12? Is it the V35 (Victa code) 65-67? Got heaps of other questions on some of the others I got today also but will do a bit by bit so you dont get sick of me. I ended up bringing home 15 mowers, 7 of them are the ones you have already identified for me though, and 3 others I know are two more model 5 series 1 and the other is a series 2, so that just leaves 5.

cheers

some pics of some bits I have finally started.





I also had a crack at painting with hammer tone for the first time on a base that had been welded up and just thought I would make it different and hang on the wall in the shed, might do the clock idea later, will do the 18 in silver when the paint dries a bit more.


Been mostly soaking and cleaning bits up but should start to take shape, will need to get some seals and bearings and gasket sets very soon.

Bugger you've got me worried now I can't find my model 12 base.I'll have another tomorrow.The different's really is only the bar that runs across the deck on the 509 is wider (or taller) than the model 12.I guess it's like the thickness of the model 8 for the model 12 where as the 509 is almost twice the size.Also the axle mounts were different,model 12 sort of had.Like this picture.

I know this is a model 8 but the 12 had the same axles.Where as the 509 had this type.


I can't remember but I think that's the only difference between them.The 509 has a guard at the back of the base but that's just a bolt on thing.Not really to do with the base.
The Model 12 was made in 1962-63.The Victacode V35 is actually for the 1965-67 Utility Model 530. Also don't worry about the questions it's the only way we can learn about what we love to do.So keep them coming.