I'm not to sure but I think they recently re-listed a 2 stroke Commando mower on the Victa website. I don't think it was there when I checked a while ago. Looks a bit different to the one this guy has on gumtree.
Edit: I: just checked the photo of the Victa boxes that guy has listed on Gumtree, and it has the same description as the one on the Victa website? Victa part number "CMS462 Commando". The one on the Victa site looks different to the one that guy is showing in the shop? Interesting. If he is showing boxes of them then it looks like you could be right, B&S have slashed the price to possibly get rid of them.
Cheers for the heads up mate, I think there is a Victa gold dealer down the road here i'll have to check out the local ones to see if they are also having run out sales on these Victa 2 strokes. That's not a bad price for a brand new Victa 2 stroke mower, I might even try and get one.
Cheers!
Last edited by Converse; 08/03/1912:24 PM.
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
Well I went to my local Victa dealer here and no they don't have a sale on them. They still have a couple of Victa 2 strokes there and he checked out what price they are.
I think they were shocked and happy that someone walked in and asked if they still sold Victa 2 stroke mowers...lol
He said yes we still have a couple of them, and that they no longer make them anymore.
He told me it's $550 for the one here. It looks the same as the one that shop is selling on Gumtree. Only thing I noticed is the one down here has a sticker on the top side groove on the steel deck which says "Aussie 2 Stroke". But this is the one on the shop floor for advertising.
So anyway if you are anywhere near this store in Queensland and you want a really cheap brand new Victa 2 stroke, i'd get one as soon as you can.
Cheers!
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
And hopefully may grass never grow long ever again. The world will be awash with billions of Chondas that will only last a couple of years before they need replacing again
Yes, as Paul_c said, it will be illegal for a retailer to sell any 2 stroke, which is not emission compliant, from the 1st july onwards. There are threats of hefty fines. What will most probably happen, is that any unsold stock will end up on ebay or gumtree for sale under a private users account as ex demos, or floor stock at heavily discounted prices. This guy in QLD is smart, he's getting in early to liquidate excess stock before he gets "stuck" with it.
Hi Mowerfreak there was a news article from last year saying that the ban won't apply to existing 2 stroke machines only to any new ones being sold. Also that some machines will be allowed if they pass the emissions test.
That being said I don't trust or believe a news article or any politician! LOL! Here's the news link:
Hi NormK, I think you will still see many brush cutters and chainsaws that are 2 stroke simply because they are simple and light engines. But yes I think the bigger old Victa 2 stroke lawnmowers days are numbered sadly.
Is it too early to start stocking up on 2 stroke oil from now?
Anyway i'd like to see them try and stop people from using their existing 2 strokes. It's a bit like they got rid of leaded petrol but you still see many old leaded cars driving around with either additives in the fuel or rebuilt engines to suit unleaded petrol.
I think the 2 stroke will live on, one way or another.
Cheers!
Last edited by Converse; 09/03/1911:05 AM.
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
I'm just on my way to pick up another 24 with a PT motor because people still have bigger areas with grass that grows long. I'm fighting hard to save as many 2 strokes as I can. The average person doesn't give a [Censored] about it being a 2 stroke, all they want is a cheap reliable mower to cut their grass, and many arte sick of buying the cheap Chondas that fail so easily. Very few on the people who get mowers from me could never justify buying a Honda just to mow their lawns, many are up to their eyeballs in debt with big mortgages forced on them by stinking grubberments allowing 40 people an hour to flood into Melb pushing housing to unaffordable levels
Cheers NormK and i'm with ya, I wish I could save more of them also. Hold onto as many 2 stroke parts as you can as it won't be long before they stop selling new spares for them also. If they still allow spares to be sold for Victa 2 strokes they will all be aftermarket parts in the future.
I don't want to think how many good 2 strokes are dumped in scrap yards and tips everyday. But we can at least try the best we can and save what we can. Like the one I found a few weeks ago in a scrap yard. I can't believe how people can just scrap something in such good condition.
I now do a weekly run past the scrap yard trying to salvage anything Victa 2 stroke. I went past yesterday and there was nothing there this week.
Cheers!
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
Back to the original topic of brand new Victa 2 strokes, when was the last time anyone here saw a brand new Victa 2 stroke being sold in a major retailer like Bunnings?
I can't remember the last time I saw a 2 stroke in there but it must be many years ago now. See even those big retailers were not helping the struggling sales of the good old Victa 2 stroke before these emissions standards ever came into effect. I think also it's alot to do with the current owners B&S wanting to sell their own 4 stroke engines over the aussie 2 strokes that's for sure.
Look at the motor car industry, Ford and Holden and others shut up shop here. But now look at all the imported American Ford Mustangs and the soon to be imported Chevrolet Camaro's etc. Aren't these big heavy gas guzzlers? They seem to be selling pretty well here. Weird huh? Our 2 stroke will end up like our motor car industry. Only difference is we won't be getting any imports of any new 2 stroke mowers from anywhere. There was nothing like our good old aussie Victa 2 stroke lawnmower.
I reckon soon they won't even assemble the new Victa lawnmowers here with the B&S 4 stroke engines. It will be assembled overseas it's only a matter of time.
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
I guess the supply of 2 strokes will start to dry up, I have noticed that this year there has been less kicking about so I guess my hobby will start to taper off over the next year or so, then I will give it up, I can't be bothered with the 4 strokes, I have only been doing those because I end up with them when I am hunting around after the 2 strokes
I was just browsing through Gumtree and Ebay, and I found a seller that is selling the exact same Victa 2 stroke lawnmower that I saw in my local Victa Gold Dealer, with the "Aussie 2 Stroke" decal on the top side groove on the deck. Just thought i'd post a picture of it and a link to the seller on ebay. It looks like he has sold 7 of them in the last few months at $599. So there you go there are people out there paying that much for them. My local dealer though gave me a slightly better price at $550. I will add the picture here of what will most likely be the last ever Victa 2 stroke lawnmower that's available for sale brand new from Victa Gold Dealers.
One thing I noticed at least on these last ones the deck looks to be a bit more solid than those earlier "Tornado" style decks that looked a bit more rounded and possibly thinner as we have talked about on here.
Looks like the standard steel 18 inch deck to me, they wouldn't have made a new deck pressing because they knew it was the end of the line coming soon. I assume they will just keep pressing this deck for the 4 strokes, although there is a number off different decks/mowers with Victa labels on them kicking around now, all just cashing in on the iconic name, but that is the corporate world
Best method would be to remove the powdercoat from the underneath and fish oil it and give it a clean and fish oil it again every few years. I'm cleaning my spouting out around the house at the moment and painting them again with fish oil. I have 6 cypress pines and a silky oak hard against my fence that never stop filling the cutters 24/7. The gutters are 39 years old and I hope they last another 20 years and then they won't be my problem. Last time I fish oiled them was probably 15 years ago and it is really only the side where these trees are that is showing signs of not being too happy. Every mower I repair, apart from alloy decks gets cleaned and fish oiled in the areas that are known to suffer from rust, I don't paint the entire underside because fish oil is expensive and at the end of the day the only one who cares about these mowers is me, most owners would not give two hoots about how much time and effort I put into their mowers, all they want it to do is cut grass. I had a bloke come here today with his father because his father wanted a mower as the son had bought one from me a couple of years ago. When I asked him what mower it was all he could tell me was that it was green, as then asked him if it was a 2 stroke or a 4 stroke and all he could tell me was that he thought it was a 4 stroke
what would you do with a brand new one that you intended to keep for life, to prevent the deck from rotting?
Propper care and maintenance goes a long way.
1. Replace steel bolts. One of the most painful things I've encountered is having a seized bolt in a mower, be it alloy or steel based. It might seem like a lot of work, but if you ever need to take that component off again in the future, hopefully, it won't have rusted and you won't break a bolt and have to drill it out (I know I've had to). 2. Where possible, mow a dry lawn 3. When you're finished mowing, clean out the underside of the mower 4. Run the mower at full speed for 2-3 minutes with the catcher off to circulate air under the mower and dry it out 5. If you're a bit more pedantic, you can dry the underside with a rag. If you notice any rust or unpainted spots, wipe a layer of protecting oil on it. WD40 will work in a pinch. 6. Pay attention to other steel components, like the muffler, bolts, and springs/hinges for the catcher flap. Do not oil the muffler, you'll find out why the next time you start the mower haha. But you could use some heat resistant paint to spray the outside of the muffler once cleaned and dried, along with the retaining clips. This also helps keep the new look of your mower. 7. Do not leave the catcher attached during storage. In warm or slightly humid storage locations, the moisture from the grass in the catcher can have an effect on the steel. 8. Store the mower out of direct sunlight, in a cool dry place where possible, preferably sheltered (Like a shed or garage). If the storage location isn't watertight or is prone to moisture buildup, you may want to put some moisture absorbing crystals in there to absorb the moisture from the air. 9. Again, if you're pedantic, you can coat the plastic components in a UV resistant coating. This will help to prevent fading of the plastic if the mower is exposed to the sun for extended periods of time, again keeping your mower looking newer.
Originally Posted by NormK
I had a bloke come here today with his father because his father wanted a mower as the son had bought one from me a couple of years ago. When I asked him what mower it was all he could tell me was that it was green, as then asked him if it was a 2 stroke or a 4 stroke and all he could tell me was that he thought it was a 4 stroke
Thanks for all those tips Norm K and pau 13z. I have a shed that bloody leaks water all over the floor from the sides and pools up after a downpour. I have to vacuum it out each time. Whoever put in the cement slab put too much excess on the sides I think. I have put silicone sealant all around to no avail. Not good for preserving my mower I want buried with me.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Do you have any means of at least raising it off the ground so it doesn't get wet? Where the water pools, can you grind a groove into the cement that the water can channel out of the shed?
If it's leaking from the sides (I'm assuming you have fence pailings or something?) have you considered just putting up some fibro board or using marine grade ply sheeting or something?
Hi pau 13z, It's a colorbond steel 2m x 2m shed on a cement slab just above the ground, on a rental property so I don't think they'll take too kindly to me carving a channel into the slab. The slab protrudes about 10 cm beyond each side and I think that is at least partly the cause. Rain falls on the exposed slab ledges and seeps under the steel sides. Problem is the interior gets very humid from the trapped water on the floor which has nowhere to evaporate outside the shed. When you go in on a sunny day after a downpour, there is trapped condensation all over the underside of the roof. I hate it and I'm afraid of my tools getting rusty because of the hot wet air inside. I'm out of room in the garage which is nice and dry.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
I used to install those sheds in a past life and you can't seal those sitting like that on a slab. If somebody wanted one that would keep most of the water out I had to put the shed up and pour the slab inside so the concrete was at least up to the top of the bottom channel/rail. You can try silicone around the bottom on the inside but usually water will find its way in. Bottom rail corners are a problem as well
You could put a whirlybird on top if they would let you, or you could just cover the entire shed with a tarp which tucks in under the edge of the slab. The only problem is that you could still end up with humidity in there with the tarp idea. Tough call. You could always explain the issue to the owner and ask if they'll let you grind a groove around the outside edge just before the sheet metal that runs to the edge, so any rain that falls will go into that channel and run off before entering the shed. Either way, its a bit sucky, sorry mate.
I've got some of my collection in the shed and the blade discs seem to have scale on them, though I am not sure that's totally to blame, as the handles aren't all covered in rust. At least it does keep the rain and uv rays off them, but still wouldn't want to put a brand new one in those conditions.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
I have just finished a 3x3 shed which I layed on 600x600x35 mm concrete slabs - 25 of them (26 including the one I dropped and cracked haha). I slopped them away from each wall to hopefully flow water out. I put the whirley bird sprinkler on the roof after I finished, and only water that got in was at each corner and it ran straight out of the slabs.
Only winter will tell the real situation
With regards to extending the life of the deck, Do the large nature strip last, which is very slightly sandy - tends to get a lot of the grass off. After I drain the fuel, I tip the mower on its side, sweep and wipe the grass out, then use the leaf blower and blow over it and through it. Empty the catcher, blow that out as well. The catcher either ends up on the shelf, or ontop of the mower (handle bars up so the snorkel isn't buggered). They are now stored in a (hopefully) well draining shed that gets morning and afternoon sun, day shade, and reasonable ventilation.
I am like Ted Bulpitt and his Kingswood.
The Victa, your not taking the Victa, I just ajaxed the hubcaps
Gees you guys are a bit harsh, you going to store a brand new Victa out in the shed? LOL! I am sure I can find a spot for the Victa somewhere in the house! Haha!
That might solve your humidity and outside leaky shed issues..lol. Just joking but seriously if you have some spare space or a room why not?
I am talking about storing a brand new one in the box in a spare room, I wouldn't go storing one you use in the house, unless you like the smell of 2 stroke fuel around the home...lol
Seriously though, I hope that this isn't the last ever Victa 2 stroke and somehow they get exempted from the tough new emissions standards on the 1st July this year and they keep making and selling them.
I did send a nice email to Victa (Briggs And Stratton) the other day asking if they have any footage of the last Victa 2 stroke being assembled at the factory, and if they did could they please make it public, or if not could they please save something on video for Australian lawnmowing history if they are still assembling them.
Well just like last time I have received no reply from them, but I am sure someone there must read these emails, then again maybe they don't?
If anyone here knows someone personally or has better connections to someone within this company, it would be great if you could help us out and try and ask them also.
Cheers!
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
Well I went to my local Victa Gold Dealer yesterday to get some parts for my mowers. Anyway I started chatting to most of the guys in there about what's happening with the Victa 2 strokes they have for sale, and is anything happening to them after the 1st of July this year. Here's the official news below:
Sadly the Victa 2 stroke lawnmower will not be available for sale legally from the 1st of July 2019 from all retailers in Australia.
This is now a fact, I was in this Victa Gold Dealer for a long time chatting about this.
Sadly it will be goodbye to any new Victa 2 stroke lawnmowers from this date.
As usual I never got a reply back from Victa (Briggs And Stratton) about any news or saving any footage of the last one made. I do hope someone there read it and they have saved something at least for Australian lawnmowing history and archives. No doubt we will see news reports on the 1st of July this year showing the lovely history of our beloved legendary aussie Victa 2 stroke lawnmowers, which will be no longer be made or sold here in Australia.
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
