OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Model Histories AUSTRALIAN Power Reel Models QUALCAST - Side-wheel Power Mower - c1954

Hello ODK members,

The Qualcast 16" Side-wheel Power Mower was a purpose-built self-propelled lawnmower.
This lawnmower was manufactured in Australia to a British Qualcast design. English-
made machines were also sold here after local production ceased.

Introduced in 1954, it would be Qualcast's answer to the number of competitor
powered side-wheels on the market - particularly from Ogden and Pope.

This was a significant machine because Qualcast could offer a cheaper reel mower than
its aging and more expensive 16" power reel/roller mower. This lawnmower was
price-competitive with rotaries.

There were two Model variations: the original P1 and the up-graded P2.



MODEL P1

The drive was by a double reduction through a 'V' belt and chain drive down to the cutting reel
and then from the reel shaft through cast iron pinions to the side wheels. It had a 6 blade
cutting reel, semi-pneumatic tyres and a manual clutch that engaged both reel and wheels.

The original QSW16 was powered by a Villiers 4G 70cc engine.
The most unusual feature of that engine was the fuel system employed on this first model.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

MODEL P1 - Fuel System

I would like to spend a little time detailing the most unusual feature of the P1 - its fuel system.

This machine had a Villiers engine but with the fuel tank mounted on the chassis below the carburettor!
It was not gravity feed. This was not a common feature on domestic lawnmowers of the time.

The Villiers Suction Lift Carburettor relied upon controlled suction from the engine for its operation.
For starting, a rich fuel mixture was achieved by a conventional choke in conjunction with a novel fuel
priming pump fitted to the chassis mounted fuel tank.



Here is a full description of the fuel system operation:-



TO BE CONTINUED ...

MODEL P2 - An Updated Machine

A revised design in 1957 was largely cosmetic. One major difference, however, was the introduction
of a fuel tank mounted over the now gravity-fed Villiers 70c.c. engine, and the use of a conventional
slide carburettor with float.





TO BE CONTINUED ...

OGDEN-QUALCAST

By the late 1950s Qualcast were clearly in the process of exiting from Australian manufacturing.

After three decades of Australian manufacture of some of their range, Qualcast made some arrangement
with Ogden Industries, whereby Ogden became the Australian distributor for the Qualcast Group.

The last 16" Sidewheels appeared alongside the 14" Ogden Power Sidewheel in brochures.
Neither machine would survive to see the 1960s.



TO BE CONTINUED ...

SIGNIFICANCE

The Qualcast 16" Self-propelled Power Mower was the largest of the Australian-made lawnmowers of this type.
There were a number of competitors producing smaller machines: Pope, Ogden, Crowe, Cambridge and Precision.
It should be pointed out that the Qualcast was fully self-propelled; the others only provided power to the reel.

The Qualcast was advertised widely through a large and established dealer network. It was priced
competitively with rotary lawnmowers in the losing battle with the latter's impending supremacy.

In my opinion, the most collectable would be the first model, the P1; because of its unusual fuel system.
Both models, however, are collectable - because they represent the last power reel mowers made by
Qualcast (Aust.).



The rest is history.
------------------------------------------
JACK.

OPERATOR MANUAL & PARTS LIST P1
Here is my copy of the Qualcast Power Sidewheel P1 Model.
It includes a nice exploded view of the chassis.

This is an edited copy.
I have removed the foreign languages' pages where I could.

OPERATOR MANUAL & PARTS LIST P2
Here is my copy of the Qualcast Power Sidewheel P2 Model.
The main difference between the P1 and P2 models was the
change to the Villiers Mark 5G 70cc two-stroke engine.

This manual is from my collection and it is in average condition.
As always, I make it available to members for viewing or as a quality download.

The gallery below depicts a cross-section of P1 and P2
Qualcast Power Side-wheel mowers.

Qualcast Power Side-wheel Photo Shoot - Melbourne c1957: -
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/u...-powered-side-wheel-melbourne-c1957.html

The Other Important Vintage Qualcast - The Qualcast 16" Motor Mower: -
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=75286

A Great P1 Restoration here: -
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/81561/1.html


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