OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Collectors Corner Collectables VICTA - Magazine Advertisement - 1955

Hello ODK Collectors
In April, 1955, Ads started appearing in newspapers about the impending arrival
of the new Victa Rotomo - a model so important to Victa's future that it would be
named the Model One.

This advert appeared in A.M. Magazine of April; 26, 1955, as an official factory
advertisement, with beautiful artwork and images. This one, from my collection,
is in great condition, and appears to be quite rare. This would be the first model
that the very first Victa Dealerships would sell.



DETAIL IMAGES

PART TWO - Comment
There a few things worth note and some things I will have missed.

The first is that the carby appears to have a side clamp, rather than the
brass nut type. That is a bit of a mystery then ...?

The second is the copy that says, "Trade enquiries on engine invited".
Isn't that amazing! It shows Mervyn's clear and early desire to sell his
engine for other purposes (including other mower makers). This is exactly
what did happen - with un-stamped Victa engines appearing on lawnmowers ...
like the Colda and the Collect-O-Matic. Maybe this was Merv's payback for
the critical shortage of engines that is said to have initiated Victa's
bold decision to produce their own engine in the first place? Who knows?

The third point goes to safety and is amusing. The new Victa was 'Safe'
even in rain - no leads to cut or short". This was a swipe at the first
Australian electric mowers and the few fatalities given bad press publicity
in the early 1950s. The Victa skirt-less base, of course, would gain the
name 'toe-cutter' in the future. It was much less safe than the skirted
electric mower bases! Quite the irony then - less fatalities, but many more
injuries.

The rest is history.
---------------------------------------
Jack

The carburettor fitted to the mower in the brochure looks very much like a Villiers Junior unit without the choke plate fitted. Perhaps left over from the fan motor model mower.

Hello Paul

I guess the explanation is something like that.
It does look like a Villiers design ...

In this detail from a Victa engine brochure (from a later date)
the detail shows the known brass nut arrangement. The illustrations
look to be from the same artist.



My best guess is that the newsprint ad had a mock-up for
the artist to work with. I say that because the printad makes
specific reference to the carby being:

"VICTA single lever dustproof carburettor," and that the engine
was, "Wholly designed and manufactured in Australia by Australians..."

Well, we know that didn't include, at that time, recognised
ancillaries like magnetos. If the carby was designed here, it appears
to have been rushed - without sufficient testing.

Perhaps this is indicative of the tight schedule Victa placed
itself under - wanting to release their Model 1 out-of-season.

I hope it is fair to say that Victa moved from a proven design
to a brass-nut-and-flange system that has proved to be a poor design.

The rest is history.
----------------------------
Jack