OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum The Old Soap Box Victa Prototype Peach Tin Motor

Does anyone have any info on where the actual motor used on the victa prototype (peach tin) came from or what it is, tried looking everywhere for it but can't seem to come up with any real definitive answers or even find a thread that discusses it in any deep lengths.
Scared I'm going to have some stuff thrown at me so I'll go duck and hide for a bit and come back later to see the mess!!
Thanks guys!!
Lenny!

Maybe the Power House museum would have some info. He was selling a Qualcast 16" in 1951, perhaps thats the type of mower it came off.


His 14" cylinder mower also had the Villiers engine, it may have just been a spare engine that he got imported in with the other engines he got.

Cheers Kye!
Spent the best part of last night trying to rip apart Google and everything it offered up regarding the subject, tried looking through everything I could see that may be remotely related in odk, best that most would give out was that it was made from scrap steel, Billy cart wheels and a villiers engine, may be wrong and have muddled everything up as far as where stuff came from as I've read too much now to make any sense of it, that's what I've taken from it all so far though, Billy cart wheels, villiers engine and the scrap steel, may have read somewhere that it was a mk2 villiers? Again though I've lost where that came from and can't find it now, for all I know may have just been a part of one of the threads I read that I thought may have held the answers

Hello Lennyb and Kye

The prototype used the Villiers Midget Mk2.
Merv had these engines for his first mower, the 14" reel mower
that I have written about:-

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=37288

Good resolution photos here:
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=158738

Hope this helps.
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Jack

Hi jack!!
And a big thanks again! You always seem to sending me straight!!!

G'day LennyB

You're welcome.
Those Powerhouse photos are really good aren't they.

Of course they confirmed that Victa always used the swing-back
blade, but mounted on a bar blade holder, rather than a disc.
I guess the disc was introduced with the Model 1.

The other interesting point is the cumbersome intake manifold.
When Merv turned the engine on its side to create a vertical
shaft I guess he had to fabricate the new manifold. (Or maybe
it was a simple case of just turning around the carby 90 degrees?)

Another point (that I just noticed) is the exhaust has twin outlets -
just like the one on the 14" Victa reel:-

Sorry I missed the next post here Jack!
Still trying to work out how forums work

It's definitely an interesting part of the Aussie mower history, looking at those two pics that you've posted there though Jack it definitely seems more certain that the parts were taken from his reel mower, certainly looks to be the same muffler used on both the 14" and the proto, a bit weird that the fuel tank seems to be all sorted on the 14" yet the "peach tin" was used instead, I guess it's just another one of those little stories that keeps us all interested in chasing the full story

And then the fuel tank comes back on the Billy cart...

Hello Lenny & Kye

I do believe the 'peach tin' thing; in that Mervyn was
probably keen to test the new vertical shaft Villiers.
I guess he temporarily used a tin that once contained ... peaches.

The prototype, as it survives, has a more 'finished' fuel tank.
It certainly didn't hold peaches - at any time.

Peaches & cream!
----------------------
Jack

Ah well I'm just going to take the back row seat on this one and hopefully someone finds this thread one day and sets the story straight, till then I guess I'll just admire the pics
Cheers very much lads! Always a pleasure

Hi Lenny

I will say something here.

No need to take a back-row seat mate.
The protagonists to this story are - like Monty Python's parrot -
gone to meet their maker. They are no more... They are ...

Unless other period information comes forward, you, like me, may
speculate - but with reason and evidence.

The most important secondary evidence - from John Mason - tells
his understanding of the Peach Tin. I have no doubt that this was
conveyed to him by Merv at some point after his employment (in 1956).

Of interest to me is not the fuel tank, but the 'business end'
of the prototype. Mason suggests it had a single bar blade. I think
that is highly likely. But, it does not accord with the prototype
as donated by Victa to the Powerhouse Museum.

-----------------
Jack

Ah that's awesome Jack!

Thanks heaps for that! That is probably the most detailed description I've read so far.
You're right about the blade description though, it doesn't really ring true with the images of the mower, definitely reads as a different description!

Pretty much answers my question on where he got the engine from though!

Thanks again Jack! Always a gentleman!

Very interesting read Jack!