Hello
Mod BBMany thanks for the kind words. It was a big project.
[I have transferred the money] I would like to say something about this manual.
It was part of a
Sunbeam Service Guide from
1967.
I knew that the
Kirby-Lauson Handbook could not date from that year.
I have no doubt, though, that it formed part of the Sunbeam publication.
The information was still current.
Kirby never had any association with the
Lauson company!
So, how is this explained ... ?
North American
Tecumseh acquired Lauson in
1956.
Tecumseh, in recognising the long-established Lauson brand,
continued marketing their 4-stroke designs for a strategic period as
Lausons. Here, this meant
Kirby-Lausons.
By late 1965 this could not continue; because Kirby started
manufacture of
2-strokes! These designs were
not of Lauson origin,
but the result of another strategic takeover - Tecumseh acquiring
Power Products in
1957.
So in Australia, Kirby changed its branding to reflect corporate reality.
Kirby engines were now more accurately branded as
Kirby-Tecumsehs.
The publications reflect this, and this is how I dated the Handbook
to no later than 1965. After 1965, we have
Kirby-Tecumseh engines[and Kirby-Tecumseh publications].
And good engines they were!
-----------------------------
Jack