OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Other Walk-Behind Rotary Mowers Pope's First 2-stroke Rotary Mower - the 320-01

Thanks Jack :-) it's good to have a record of rare mowers.

Cyber,must congratulate you on your vast ,thorough knowledge on this site

Thanks Pope

I know I have your blessing.
There is enough reading in the forums for even the most
acute forms of insomnia.

I also think we are starting to break the view that there
is only one type of vintage mower make (starts with 'V').

The reality is that Australia has a rich and interesting
vintage mower history, and it is only being recorded here
in a serious and methodical way.

The rest is history.
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Jack

new owner of the pope 320 01 that got away last time,HAS IT ON EBAY RIGHT NOW.i was going to get it last week,but freight was going to be HIGH. GO FOR IT KYE

hello all.... i too have one of these old popes .it has a few parts missing though. has no fuel tank or carbie.
dont think i will ever find one for it either?
heres some pics of mine.

:great to see you have one also gizmo.brings a tear to my eye not seeing it complete and sparkling though.dont give up .hang on to it .does it turn over ok.

thanks Pope.
despite its discouraging looks it runs pretty well.
when i first got it(as with most of them i get ) i got it up and running using a victa carbie.
this is one of my favourite ones and i have quite a few mowers.
one day it will sparkle like yours.

It has much more bids on it then last time Pope! I will probably leave this one, hopefully another member gets it! Also is it just me or does it look like someone has bought that pope fuel tin and is trying to make $30?

There was two on eBay .one sold for $12 (I bought it,and am waiting for deliver from SA. The other is advertised at $40 for the 2nd or 3 rd week with no takers

I will keep my eyes open for those parts you need gizmo.would love to see you get it back on its own feet .

That's cheap! the one i see on ebay at the moment is over $100 with 15 bids!

Sorry kye,I was talking about the fuel tins.

cheers for that mate.

Hi all Contributors

I think everyone will be on the look-out.
This Pope sold for just one season, and it is rare.

Many of the Pope patents went into the next model, the 320-02,
but on a totally new steel base. Pope would never use an alloy base
again!

For the record, the Caboolture Historical Village in Queensland has one.


Photo: Geoff Nowak 2015

http://www.historicalvillage.com.au/

All very Papal.
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Jack

So true cyber.i am interested to see how much the one on eBay is going to sell for.its basically all there except for the small rope guide.i have noticed all the cooling fins are broken off,and there is no mesh under rope pulley.hopelly the low compression prob won't be too serious.this is the one that recently got away in that job lot on eBay.The guy who won it only wanted the southern cross.I tracked down the new owner,and he said he would sell it to me,but I found the freight to be massive.

Wow i never knew the caboolture historical village had mowers! I live not to far away from there, will have to check it out! Also whats the go with that victa special edger?

Yes Pope, at least two punters seem to want it.

Yes Kye, in fact they have some very significant mowers and
I don't think they know that...

Wow there some good looking mowers there! Was there any that you didn't know there?

This photo sums it up.no matter how advanced we have become at this present time.The craftsmanship,and beauty of these mowers will Never be outdone.

50 years from now I can't see anybody looking back at the current crop of mowers and drooling over them

Kye, I visited there in 2014. What a fantastic museum!

Regrettably, the mowers have been ignored. They are exposed to
the environment on one side (as in photo). You have my permission
to use whatever means necessary to fix this.

Yes, my visit solved a mystery and started new research about
lawnmowers made in Brisbane. These are the QPS mowers I hope to
write about this year. I don't know about the Victa 'edger'...?

Well said, Norm!

Cheers
----------------
Jack

They would probably want good money or would not sell either hopefully someone will be able to save them Jack!

Bloody hell Pope. In my opinion having a mower that never cuts grass is pointless but what you have there is a work of art! I'd like to think she lives in your lounge room, billiard room whatever and gets a polish from time to time!

. This photo shows where it lives.IN THE LOUNGE.even has the missus approval

I would be surprised if she didn't approve pope!

Rightly so. I'd like to think you have a few refreshments and give her a polish.

G'day Pope and all Contributors

Thank you for the extra photos!
It's amazing how many times you look at a mower and miss something.
That RH side photo shows the cylinder rotated towards the RH side,
to give more room to enclose the carby & filter. Brilliant.
And, of course, the muffler is in the base below deck.

This restoration is nothing short of stunning.
AS industrial art it could easily sit in a lounge or board room.
I see it on the dining room table on a Lazy Susan.
Guests eat main course off Pope blade holders...

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Jack

Haha ,so funny cyber.your sense of humour is a classic.i am right now picturing people eating of pope blade holders

I guess so Pope...

I feel the 320 needs a podium of some sort, to elevate it to the stature of the Papacy.
In any case, here's the entree - Persimmon Soup with Buttercup oil...