OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Model Histories AUSTRALIAN Power Reel Models MOBILCO - Power Reel Mower - c1954

Hello ODK History Lovers

The Mobilco Power Reel Mower was an Australian-made reel mower manufactured by Mobile Industries
of Whitehorse Road, Mitcham, Victoria.

This was Mobilco's first lawnmower and it was introduced in late 1953 or early 1954.
By this time Mobile Industries was a highly successful company, manufacturing for local use,
and also exporting industrial and agricultural equipment. This was a company on the move and
it ventured into domestic goods in the early 1950s.

So we know what we're talking about, here is a photograph of one:-



This was a well-made lawnmower and it would have looked stunning in its yellow baked enamel finish,
with a beautiful golden crest decal adorning the grass catcher.

But it wasn't just a simple reel mower ... It boasted an unusual feature, and a very unusual accessory.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART TWO

The Mobilco was an Australian design, but clearly it was Atco 'inspired' with its scooped
side plate frame and round handle-mounted fuel tank. I think that's all it had in common.
This was an Australian design with a unique feature of having a built-in power take-off accessory.

Specification:
- 14 inch cut
- 98cc Mark 2 Villiers Midget engine
- Kick start
- 'Hair trigger' landroll clutch
- Power take-off
- Automatic chain oiler
- Baked-enamel finish

Automatic Chain Lubrication
An unusual feature was automatic chain lubrication. This was achieved by a flexible pipe that
delivered oil-charged exhaust to the chain case. This design idea was somewhat novel for Australian machines,
with Condeco's Austral-Villiers reel mower having a similar system. I have also seen this system employed
on some earlier British machines.



Accessories:

- Outrigger rollers (for long grass)
- Rotary long grass cutter (for long grass)

The Power take-off was standard. It was a pulley fitted on the drive shaft, equipped to all of their reel mowers.
However, Mobilco offered an unusual accessory: It was a front-mounted rotary mower, designed to cut taller
grassers than a reel mower was designed for.

I understand why the idea came about; given the strict limitations of all reel mowers and the testing times -
of the era of the rotary mower phenomenon. But I think I can see why the idea never caught on:-



TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART THREE - Manual

Interim Manual
The 'Interim' manual must date from late 1953 or early 1954.
'Interim' means that it was not the final 'polished' instruction manual, but one released
with the first lawnmowers, before the professionally printed one became available.
That's unusual in itself.

The manual is comprised of 7 pages and would have been produced on a duplicator type printer.
The pages were stapled into a heavily worn Manila folder and included 2 Spare Parts Order Forms.

For the record, I have made this document available for download.

PART FOUR - BROCHURE
This brochure comes from my collection and it is a recent find.

This is the only brochure I know of for the Mobilco 14 Inch reel mower.
I suspect it is the first - maybe only - brochure for this reel mower.

The Mobilco 14" Power Mower was heavily advertised and many survive
to this day. It was a great design in the neo-Atco style, but with many differences.



This fold-out brochure seems to mimic the Victa rotary advertising of the day -
with the slogan as well as the smooth handles the rough. Note the front-mounted
accessory, the rotary attachment. The Mobilco reel mower attempted a very brave
manoeuvre: to compete with the emerging rotary mower revolution of the 1950s!

A 3-inch V-pulley permitted a power take-off for other things: maybe a saw bench,
a lathe, or the Mobilco Rotary Attachment. The Mobilco 14" reel mower wanted to be
... everything!

Of course, the rotary attachment was ill-conceived - but understandable - given the
realisation that the original lawnmower design - the reel lawnmower - was now under
serious attack. But to place a rotary cutter in front of a reel was pretty desperate!

MOBILCO CRUISER
AUSTRALIAN POWER REEL MOWERS



Do you have information about this mower? Would you like to comment?
A Topic has been started in the Old Soap Box HERE.