OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Other Walk-Behind Rotary Mowers Rover Self propelled and other scores!

Hi everyone!
I have scored a few things over this past week. As it is the holidays I do not have school so I can put more time traveling around and finding interesting items.

As some members have seen I got a nice little Morrison's Tin from the 1930's (at least thats what I have been told). The next things I got were these signs which were bolted onto my dads shed, he said they were there when he bought the shed and he never got around to taking them down, sadly there not in the best condition. Then I got these 2 mowers given to me, one is a 21" Rover Self propelled (I think its a self propelled) which is sadly missing the self propelled parts, and this little Victa Utility.




I believe the Rover is a 1964 model, I have seen a 1963 Rover and it has a different badge, the engine code says 73 which wouldn't make sense when the base (besides the engine mounting) is exactly the same as the 1963. I plan to restore the Victa Utility and Rover but I may end up selling them or using them for other projects.

I am also getting a 5 litre Masport can posted to me that should arrive very soon! I am heading to my grandma's house today and she has kept every letter she has ever gotten, I wonder if any mowers companies ever sent her a letter?

Thanks For Reading!
Kye.

You could try a little cutting compound on that Castrol sign in one corner say and see if the oxidation can be taken off without destroying the paint. If it comes up, a coat of clear to stabilise it and it should look pretty good.

alot of the paint is gone Trev, it has become flaky and just touching it makes more fall off. It is sitting inside now and I hope to hang it on my wall very soon. The coke sign isn't as bad on the side pictured but on the other side it is even worst.

Just as an update about my grandma's house. I have now got a bunch of old bottles from the early 1900's or even earlier and some old pens that were owned by my grandfather and great grandfather, maybe even earlier!

if that's your backyard mate....i'm SUPER envious!!

Thanks Squizzy, it used to be just bush until my dad cut down all the trees, looks great now!

G'day Kye & Squizzy

I guess the '70s signs have nice patina then...

I have a soft spot for the Rover Super 4 21.
Introduced in the 1960s, these were the type of machines that built
Rover's reputation for strong, dependable lawnmowers.

I think your machine is a early 1970s job, and I would be interested to
know the Model, type and Code. I think it is a 100902 Briggs,
but what date? The mower is a Model 32 and it was self-propelled.
Is the ID plate still there Kye?

A nicely composed photo there - recording the 'trophy hunt' for the weekend!

Cheers
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Jack

Thanks Jack!
The signs do have a nice patina, but I wish there was more paint left on the Castrol sign though.
I am at my grandma's house at the moment Jack so I can't get the engine numbers for you but I remember the first numbers in the dating part said 73 so I would say it is a 1973 Rover. Now I have a 1973, 1974 and 1975 Rover! I will try to find the ID plates once I am home.

Thanks Jack, We just need that 1 tree in the middle of the picture to be cut down!

Thanks For Reading!
Kye.

Thanks Kye.

Now, this is how you cut down the tree and get in the local paper...
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=52097

Victa cuttings.
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Jack

I still don't own a Rotomo yet though!

You should do some research if they are old fountain pens as some of the earlier ones are worth a fortune to collectors. Perhaps you can stabilise the Castrol sign by spraying with some matt finish clear without destroying the look of it. Use an airbrush to apply with out blasting the paint away.

I will have to try that Trev!
I am back from my grandma's house, I have lots of bottles that my father found a long time ago, my great great grandfathers tackle box, my great grandma's Birko travel iron (which was never used and is still in its original rapper), my great grandfathers toy gun and a fountain pen which my great grandfather got on his birthday in 1920, along with his pen from the 50s which is made from rolled gold. Theres some more stuff there as well.
I also got some tins from someone on Facebook, I was very happy with them, I only had room for one on my shelf so I had to resort it haha!


Thanks For Reading!
Kye.

Hi Kye
That's a great photo of the eclectic menagerie!
So great Grandmas never ironed on holidays ey?

p.s. That broom was a real score

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Jack

Best score ever Jack!
My great grandma was meant to use it on any over seas trip which was canceled due to her husband getting sick.
I just took the cover off the Utility to find this.... someone has put a second spark plug into the spot the de-compressor is meant to be and has cut the de-compressor hose.


Double Power??? haha!

Thanks For Reading!
Kye.

Ahh, the Alfa Romeo twin spark version.
Gadge or Norm or other members should be able to tell you about those.

G'day Kye
The 'tenant improvement' is fine - but the recoil starter would wear out.
The 1960's AUS lawnmower scene was defined by the rewind starter
because decompressor 2-strokes were not yet available.

The Victa 70 Series MK2 introduced the decompressor, enabling
the recoil starter to make its triumphant return.

Don't get me started.
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Jack

I need to get a Victa Twin magneto and use it for both the spark plugs!
I'm not a fan of the Zip starters, the plastic brakes too easy, seams cheap, doesn't look as nice as the wind up starters or the early re-coil starters, and you can't go past the early style manual pull start!

G'day Kye,

The use of the old spark plug to replace the decompressor is a 'bodge' technique to get a mower running after the decompressor unit has failed, as the deco mounting hole has the same thread. I doubt that the 'previous tenant' cut the hose; probably just pulled it off the connector.

Should have plugged the free end of the hose too; the mower will run lean if it wasn't.

Part of the reason that Victa went the decompressor valve route, was that most of the Zip recoil starter parts [and dress cowls] could then be made cheaply of plastic, rather than the all-metal construction of the older recoil and impulse starters. As CyberJack says, the Zip starters aren't designed to handle a motor with full compression.

The 'long type' deco valve for this engine is no longer available new, so you'd have to find a rebuildable one [with the 3 spring clips around the diaphragm chamber] from another engine. Rebuild kits are available from the ODK Shop.