OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums General Discussion Forum Off Topics Scott Bonnar 45 Mains Electric... help!

Hi. I am new to this. So I'm sorry if this has previously been covered.

I have been given a Scott Bonnar 45 mains electric mower. I would like to know some history behind it. Also whether it's collectable and worth the upkeep to sell for later?

I haven't been able to find much information on it yet so any links would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Gracious86 and welcome aboard, the mower looks to be in a well cared for condition. The fact that it was given to you tells you it's worth. More pictures would help to ascertain its mechanical condition, a few pictures of the chains and sprockets hiding behind the chain case is necessary as is the cutting reel.

Below is a link to some information on the 45 models

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=64934

If you type your Scott Bonnar into the search field at the top of the page you will find a lot more information of interest. Once again welcome :-)

Hello Gracious86 and Paul

Welcome from me too.
Paul has said everything really well; but I'll add a couple of points.
The black chaincase screams c1975.

It has been fantastically stored. I do get annoyed with the vagaries
of the market - in not valuing these machines. Correctly maintained,
this will deliver many decades of reliable service, and will produce
a finish equal - or better - to any domestic machine available today.

So, to answer your questions (from me)
History? - as Paul said (history dates back to 1923).
Collectible? - not at the present.
Worth upkeep? - absolutely. Parts available.

Hope this helps.
----------------------
Jack

hi gracious 86
your mower looks in great condition, being electric they sell for around $50.
I wonder how different your electric scott bonnar chassis is to a petrol one.
you would think to save on production cost , jigs tooling ect that they would use the same chassis. engine mounting plate ect.
may be with some work and parts it could be converted to petrol , has any one done this.
just a thought any how.
damo

Hi Gracious86,

I have to say that I loved paul_c's line, "The fact that it was given to you tells you it's worth"

I picked up in identical condition an electric 14 inch model 45 for a whole $80 simply for the catcher, and then the rest was pulled apart for the bits that cross over to my petrol unit and the rest that doesn't went to scrap. Sadly there is absolutely no interest in Electric 45's at all but as Mod CyberJack eludes to, they are probably one of the best machines made then and still are up to this day. They are a superb mower, but if your sole interest is making fast coin out of it then you are going to be very disappointed with the outcome. These mowers surface on Gumtree regularly Australia wide and are listed at around $250. They sit there for months, only to end up being sold for as dodegy suggests, $50 and basically for only the catcher.

As far as conversion is concerned, it's just not worth attempting to convert an electric to petrol when there are so many petrol powered units out there to be had, and 14 inch petrol powered units aren't expensive at all. There are a few differences between the electric and petrol powered chassis's.

I've said this bit before, but maybe in 100 years when we all aren't here anymore, then the model 45 overall might end up being as hard to obtain as an FJ Holden is now, but until then in the scrap all the electrics go one by one, only to be returned to us as Chinese Reo-rod and eventually Chinese Holden's when production starts soon in Shanghai.

A final word, if you can find someone that wants to actually use it and love it then just pass it on as it was to you and put it down to experience and consider it as your good deed to "Australia's Mowing Heritage" instead of what I did, something I still regret to this day.

Cheers,
BB

I remember the days of the paper Trading Post where there were plenty of adds for 2 FJ Holdens, for $50, buy the 2 and make one out of them. Boy how things change with time

Hi NormK,

Hey, you certainly got that one right, and just to remember the "Trading Post" newspaper that was put out weekly and sellers actually paid for their ads on an honesty based system when they sold their advertised item !!!!!!

Don't we just love the internet.

Cheers,
BB