OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Collectors Corner Collectors General Discussion Early Rover, Victa Model 5 and More!

Hi everyone!
We went hunting again.

I bought an early Rover and a Victa special (engine number AA 18743) at the very start. My dad then bought these 2 tins, one is Shell and the other is Mobil, he also bought this Wakefield Castrol glass bottle. I then found this nice little booklet for the Qualcast Lawnspeed. My dad also bought some engine parts for a car.

I can get some scans of the instruction book if you want them.

Today's Scores!


The Rover



Tins


Wakefield Castrol


Qualcast book



Should i make the Special a parts mower, restore it or sell it? I am not sure so I would like to know what you guys think.
Thanks For Reading!
Kye.

Another nice haul mate. I really am surprised how much of this stuff you are able to turn up week after week. There seems to be a lot around your area. The Rover has a great shape to the base.

Thanks Slash, the trick is to keep looking! I still envy all the stuff that comes up online down south. This is the first Victa Special i have seen under $50.

I was just messing around with them then, I guess you could say I... Recovered them!


I will still need the handle bars for my Rover, but then it will be complete
I just happened to find a Victa Special the same week I sold the only spare fuel tank I had, oh well I will find another cheap one soon.
I really do like the early rovers, there like Pace but from Queensland, and they didn't sell out to Victa!

Thanks For Reading!
Kye.

That's funny mate. I very rarely see anything around here I want in my budget. Something about the grass being greener.

I have decided to use the Victa as a parts mower, should be almost done my Victa Special by tonight if all goes to plan.

Hello Kye

That's magic.
The Rover base seems to be in great nick.
The exciting find (for me) is your Qualcast Lawn Speed book.
I have never seen one of them before - and with a parts list!

Another rabbit out of a hat.
-------------------------------
Jack

Yes Jack I knew the Qualcast one was a good one when I saw it! The Rover is in a very good nick! no cracks or chips, once I find handle bars I will most likely leave it as it is.

i cant see any pics?

There showing for me Gizmo.
Jack I will be scanning the book in about 10-20 minutes for you.

same here . no pic's only members icon's ? and not all of them

Ditto:
- both for Chrome and Firefox, both on Android and WinXP

Right-click and "open in new tab" for the "New Scores" pic


in Chrome on WinXp gives:

Same results encountered on Android.

Hi all,

Pictures are now restored a minor issue with the site. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Thanks for that Bruce

thats better. do you know what the handlebars on the rover look like Kye as i have one.

I think they were similar to early Pace handle bars. If you click here you can see some that have signs on the handle bars, would love to have some!


I would kill to get my hands on that Pace stuff!



Thanks For Reading!
Kye.

Hello Kye and Gizmo

I think this Rover is a real worthwhile project.
The 7F tells me this machine is what I think to be the second Rover chassis.

The first Rover took the Simplex engine.
The 7F entered service in late 1957, suggesting a 1956 start date for Rover.
Here are two chassis - both appear to use the same handle design. The first
is what I believe to be the first Rover chassis. Note the smaller 'V' in the
base. The later machine accentuated the 'v' design to a 'V'. This was a
clever thing to do - given the connotations of 'V' for Victa and 'V' for
victory. Little is known about the early Rovers, so important to Queensland
vintage mower history.



Note: the dog in the second photo makes it a clever composition,
'Rover' being so synonymous with 'dog' and 'loyalty'. Rover's
changing the name 'Wizard' to Rover was a shrewd move.

Thanks Jack. Now I am going to have to hunt up and down for those handle bars!

Turns out my Pace Special 2 had Rover handle bars! What a short hunt!


Looking great now!


Thanks For Reading!
Kye.

Fate? Lols....Well done Kye! Nothing better than completing a rare one by reuniting its missing parts, especially so easily

In regards to your Victa 18 aquisition, AAxxxxx serial is correct to model 5 S2

Hi Kye

That is just another example of Kyeluck

The original Pace handle bar is not quite the same is it.
Any idea how a Rover handlebar came to be on a Pace base?

A very luckye find ...
--------------------------
Jack

eM jAy I got the engine numbers wrong sorry, its the same but theres 3 A's, if that makes a difference. Also isn't the S2 the one with the auto hooks on the front and back?

Jack I got very luck this time! I think even I would have lots of trouble trying to find spare handle bars. I am truly not sure how the handle bars ended up on the Pace, it also has a Turner wheel, Hurricane pull start and the Fuel [Censored] of a later model Victa. It used to have a later model snorkel too. Its quite the bitsa, I wonder if the Victa engine is the original or a replacement.

Thanks For Reading!
Kye.

some more pics 4 Kye

They do look very nice with the Kirby! Is that yours Gizmo?

Yes I like the Kirby fitment too.

AAA is M5 S3 kye, and the M5 Series 1 retained the Pedicta stays, the S2 is flush:)

What engine no is actually on your Pace Kye?

So is the engine on the wrong series of special? At the moment it is on my S1, I plan to find an engine to match S1 later.

Yes AAA is incorrect for your newly restored S1 Special:)

155,000 to 280,000 approx (no letter prefix) will make it right

Thanks Mal, You should write a guide to Victa engine codes. I need it haha! Hopefully the bloke I bought the base and handle bars will have the engine sitting in his paddock somewhere.

yes thats my rover Kye

You didn't get it from Nambour swap meet did you?

Set it up for a photo shoot this afternoon, looks good!