OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Victa Lawn Mower Frames I'm Finally in the Victa Club !

Well I've finally gone and done it,.................................I've bought a childhood icon that was the first ever Lawn Mower that I pushed around both the front and rear gardens when I was a kid.

The Famous Victa VC-160 with the 70 Series Mk II engine, exactly the same as the one my Father purchased from Harris Scarfes in the city store here in Adelaide.

Even though our first ever Lawn Mower was the Red Sunbean twin blade flip handle which I've previously documented on this site, I was never allowed to operate that mower in fear of me running over the 240 vac Power Cable. So it wasn't until the Victa was purchased and brought home in the packing carton that I was allowed to use a power mower. I would've been around 12 years of age which would date it around 1974 if my memory serves me correct.

Anyway I got the opportunity to buy this beauty for $10 today. It's a one owner machine that has obviously been really well looked after in it's long and distinguished career and as such it will be hung from the roof inside of my garage (which is a tall one) as a memento of my youth and where it all began with Lawn Mowers.






So I guess I'm not one eyed any more.

Cheers,
BB.

Nice mower there.

Congratulations. Nicely photographed.

Excellent condition BB, good score.

Hi Norm, MF and H,

Thanks for all the kind words.

It's more of a trophy to me to be honest and probably will never be used as a mower again. It's amazing how items like this bring back great memories of one's childhood and thus play a major part in ones make up for later on in life. Ask the average person and a mower is just a necessary evil item in their life but to others it just does the opposite (brings you joy)

I've always seen these in the past and thought what a piece of mass produced garbage, but when I saw this one and in its condition, all the old memories came flooding back and I just had to have it. It cleaned up really nicely and now it will become a nice talking piece strung up in the garage at a nice viewing angle.

Anyway back to Scotty's I hear you all saying.

Cheers,
BB.

G'day all

I'm glad BB you get to relive childhood memories.

I am amazed at the condition of this VC160.
This one has been looked after.

The green plastics are all there - and look at that white plastic
handle lever!

The VCs were Victa's first move into high-arch mowers.
This one started the famous Zip-On-The-Doodah advertising campaign,
one of the most successful in AUS advertising.

$10 is really theft for this one
I wish I had it ... but I'm not jealous. Repeat: not jealous.

Good-bye Good buy, Mate!



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

Hi Jack,

I guess I might have been 11 and the mower was purchased in 1973 opposed to 74, that probably makes more sense thinking back.

All I recall was that it was a spaceship compared to anything else in the street at the time.

Funny enough I still had it on the back of my ute when I picked up my son from High School and his first comment was that's a strange looking Victa Vac, mmmmmmm I thought, maybe he's sorta right due to it's appearance. Strange how a different generation looks at things different to what we do.

Cheers,
BB.

Not only that, you have the physical evidence on hand to prove it.

I would have been sorely tempted by that machine for that price, too.

Though when I see something collectable for cheap in the mower line, I have to keep repeating to myself this mantra; "must not start collecting mowers - got too much junk already"!

Mate !!!!

You got that one right !

I'm just in the process of clearing out a whole heap of Scotty's to create some space and look what I've done.

Love it. awesome find in that condition.

Bonnar bloke you talking about having one of those lawn mowers when you were a kid reminded me of my first lawn mower that we had. It was a 2 stroke Simpson Pope that was white and gold which we swapped with our neibor for a qualcast commodore which I leant to use at a very early age. That victa you have looks in great condition and it was a very good buy!

Can't wait to see it displayed.

Very well done there BB as a VC-160 fan myself it is absolutely awesome to see one in such fantastic condition.Well done...and yes I am very jealous,and so it begins soon you'll have more Victa's.I started the other way.Only Victa's then I got my fist Scott Bonnar model 49 and now I collect both.
Great work there BB one to be very proud of.

Thanks Guys,

I'm certain that I'll appreciate this one, as you all are saying its in exceptional condition especially considering its age and the conditions these machines are meant to function in. Honestly I find it surprising that any machine of this calibar will survive this length of time, but then again it always depends on how one treats things I always say.

My issue is how I'm going to safely lift this machine into the air and hold it up they while I attach all the anchoring to it at the right angle so it looks good and also so I don't see too much of the underside, which is also very clean indeed.

BTW it must be VC-160 week in Adelaide.
There's another one for sale here in Adelaide but at a much higher price than what I paid for mine.

Here's the link,

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/c-1972-Victa-Lawnmower-2-Stroke-VC160-Mower-Fantastic-Orig-Collectable-Cond-/322433139454?hash=item4b128342fe:g:eaQAAOSwr~lYo5Li

Cheers,

VB.

That one is a Mark II yours is a Mark III.It's a little earlier.

well done BB....now all we have to do is show you the hand shake and you can come to our meetings now....

Well, Member 908 Bonnar Bloke

Squizzy has dropped a little secret there, but he has cleverly
concealed the INITIATION you must go though to join a Victa Club...
It requires a 'leap of faith'...

This is a simulation of what to expect ...
The video cleverly disguises 'Toe-cutter' initiation as 'Stone-cutter'...
That Matt Groening is so clever!

Note that Blumbly appears in the green hat, supported by Squizzy.
Also note that the 'Magic Eye' on your grass catcher was named for a specific purpose ...



I can't say any more ... here ... [Call me - use the code word 'Supreme']

[video][/video]
Source:

These Victa guys are thorough ... and secretive.
I've said too much.

Good luck
------------------
Jack

For me the significant part of this reveal of the mysterious and secretive ways of the Ancient Order of the Toe-Cutter is the last line by the Grand Master Toe-Cutter, "..............now let's all get drunk!"

On that basis I'm off to find me a Victa!

Hello to all the Funny Members,

Well I guess I couldn't expect any thing else could I ??

On a more sensible note this one is aimed at Blumbly, The difference between the Mk II & III is merely the height adjuster, the handle locks and the different Air Cleaner element used, am I correct on those points ?

Cheers,
BB.

Not sure about the air cleaner element,I thought they were the same.The height adjuster and bottom part of the handles yes indeed were different.The rear catcher flap was different as the Mark III had the hinged part on the bottom.Also the starter on yours has Zip Starter and the Mark II had Zip Start. The dress cowl also had a different edge around the starter it was more of a tapered edge.The casting of the bases where slightly different but i won't go into that.Some Mark III's also had the auto drive belt section cast into them.These I have found are a lot harder to find.See picture below.

As well as the bottom part of the crankcase was different.