Picked up this Victa, Excellent base and pretty good overall, would like your thoughts on model / age. I'm presuming it's an earlier model having an impulse starter, metal fuel tank, metal cowling and brass fuel tap. Engine number is 368012601. The base has an opening under the engine as per picture, not sure what the purpose is and looks an overkill for a fuel run off from the carby after priming. I have another couple of mowers with a very similar bases and colour but they are all different.
I should have put a smiley face thing on my post but was busy having giggle at myself and Max's post. Wound her up yesterday afternoon after draining the old fuel and started fine but goes straight to fairly high revs. I'll check the carby linkages/springs but suspect it may have a minor air leak. Probably won't go too far with it as it's a bitsa. Lots of good parts and the grub screw out of the fuel tap will be going onto the Corvette which is a part i have been after for a while.
Wce, being a g3 carby , you may need to lift the governor vane upwards and turn it. There may be a clip to remove
There is a set of teeth on the bottom of the vane that mesh on a set on the throttle linkage (best way I can describe) and if someone bumps the vane upwards and around (eg when cleaning) it will either rev harder or wont rev at all.
In a word no but could it be opposed v's ? The wheels look original enough to me and the wear and tear is consistent on all wheels, all 4 wheels have the same cap. I posted the picture as it looked different from the other Victa wheel caps iv'e seen but as I have already displayed my eye for detail on vintage mowers has been a bit out of focus but should deteriorate nicely with age.
Hi Tyler Thanks for the tips on this carby, sounds like you have had a deal of experience with them. It is a good strong engine, maybe that's why it got parked in the shed in the first place ?
Had a little bit of experience with them, but I do more with G4/LM carbies. I have 2 mowers with G3 - 1973 ish Monaro and a 1972 Sunbeam.
I read a lot of different workshop manuals - I effectively never read a fiction book, but have always liked reading gregory's manuals, service manuals, and other car/small engine or home repair related literature.
Just bought an old readers digest book with a big section about mowers - everything from changing oil to renewing the clutch in a SB45. Has a page on the G3, so I will scan that in and add it on the weekend
Wce, being a g3 carby , you may need to lift the governor vane upwards and turn it. There may be a clip to remove
There is a set of teeth on the bottom of the vane that mesh on a set on the throttle linkage (best way I can describe) and if someone bumps the vane upwards and around (eg when cleaning) it will either rev harder or wont rev at all.
It doesn't quite work that way; it shouldn't be possible to move the vane very far vertically.
The part that moves to adjust the governed speed is actually the lower governor spring seat, #25 'Tension applicator', in the exploded diagram on Page 7 of the repair manual excerpt. That's the bit with the teeth, that engage with corresponding teeth on #26.
The clip Tyler mentions, #35, locks that seat to #26, the throttle connector, when installed - so it's best to replace it after adjustment.
One thing to check on these carbies [they're not very prone to air leaks, unless the butterfly shaft is a very sloppy fit in the carby body] is the timing of the governor bevel gears. They can slip, and throw the governed speed out of whack. The correct setup is described on Page 8 of the doco. Need to have the carby off the mower, to check this.
Looks like the carburettor is a probably a G2 (3-260). It has a large metal flag and a slightly different governor arrangement, but the same governor vane gear and pinion as the G3. If you do remove it from the mower I'd be keen to see a photo, especially of the governor spring.
Given the engine date and the G2, it does seem to correspond with a Mayfair 68-69 Deluxe 2 Model 559 (V76). The chassis base CH81648A (8-1648) does have a slot (drain?) towards the rear, as per your photo.
Here are some more pictures and pictures of the carby, the other carby picture is a complete unit that came with a few spares when I picked up some mowers a while back, which model carby is this one ?. The problem with the lack of throttle control was the nut directly above the bowl primer holding the linkages in place was slightly loose allowing everything to tilt when throttle is applied so it would not return to idle, I relocated the linkages, tightened the nut and the throttle control is now much better. Some adjustments of the Governor spring have been made in the past by the look of it and am not sure which hole it should be located in. What wasn't evident until I gave it a wash this morning is that there is a fuel drain hole in the base below the fuel bowl. The other 2 mayfair looking mowers i have both have the box type mufflers with the outlet via the slot in the left side of the base. The interesting thing about the base slot in this mower is that it is in the centre rear of the base and the left side of it is higher than the right so when looking at it on an angle as per picture 4 in the above post you can see clearly through it. For want of a better description it resembles a horizontal letter box opening. You couldn't place anything in it vertically unless it was curved at the end. The slot is at least, by my estimation 90 to 100 mm in length. A couple of other things with this mower is that you cannot remove the end from the air filter housing and on the rear flap there is riveted a spring steel plate i presume to give some tension to keep the catcher in place when installed. The other 2 mowers have the spring system.
Hi Mowerfreak After doing some homework the answer to your question regarding the logo on the wheel caps is that it is the Mayfair logo, same as what is evident on the front of the base of some models. I could be wrong but it looks identical.
With this Mayfair with the slot in the base ,I have a 1969 Victa Corvette with the slot so (the slot under the cylinder) I was thinking if the mower has a late build date in 1968 it would be the same as a 1969 model Mayfair.
My 1967 has no slot and the 1970 has no slot but 1969 does with the Corvette bases.
The Mayfair bases I checked all had no slot but I may not have a 1969 model.
Checked a 1968/1969 Cortina base and that had the slot.
Just saying it's likely that the engine for that base is original.
On the rear flap there is a riveted spring steel plate / that holds the flap open when not using a catcher.
The double arrow hub caps are probably as hard to find as Pace caps.
MarkN's comments are interesting, is the carby a G2 and would it be the correct one for that engine year ? In March last year carnut posted pictures of his machine under Victa Mayfair identification. This was the only other picture i have seen of a mower with the same gold metal cowling, front sticker, handle bars, air filter/throttle control body and spring steel plate on the rear flap. The base looks the same but is green and a shame no picture of the underside is there to check if the slot is visible. In the comments on that thread it is mentioned that the original G2 carby has been replaced with a G3 as they were more reliable ? I wouldn't know. Mine came with a plastic catcher bit it appears a metal one would have been the original type. The indication from that thread was that carnuts machine was a Mayfair deluxe 2. https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/.../victa-mayfair-identification.html.
I can't really add any more to my previous post and what others have said, but can confirm again, from my records, your serial number and photos it is a Mayfair 68-69 Deluxe 2 Model 559 (Victacode V76), it does have the correct chassis base and a G2 Carburettor.The catcher is listed as a model 15 and is plastic.
Although, I would be interested to know where the white extension cable goes? I'm not familiar with this model, but it looks like a cut out switch lead (for magneto earthing), others may wish to comment on this.
This was Victa's first governed 2-stroke, and I guess it was more complex - and expensive to make and assemble - than need have been...
It is as though Victa knew this. The remote wire and cut-out (linked to throttle) required more parts and longer assembly time. The metal flag gov vane may have been less responsive (but I have no info there).
What is true, is that the next year (and decade) ushered in the G3 carby, a much loved,compact and reliable design (when set to specification).
More plastics were used, the now plastic gov vane was adjustable, (not by a spring but a clever rotary tooth gear) and cut-out was brought onboard the carby itself.
looking at Victa publications, it is as though Victa wanted the G2 to disappear... A bit like the Predicta from the previous decade ...
I'm sure the experts will have an opinion on the quick change - from G2 to G3...
One problem with the G2 carby was the lack of adequate sealing of the butterfly spindle in contaminated air conditions.
The G2 Carby doesn't have both sides of the butterfly spindle sealed off to the outside contaminated air.
The G3 superseded this design flaw by sealing off both ends of the butterfly spindle (the G2 only had one end sealed)
The red circle shows the spindle plug for the updated G3 carby in the image below.
The G3 patent was lodged on the 31st of March 1970 so the G2 was used for more than 12 months.
I would say the throttle control was improved with the G3 carby looking at the two different designs.
Not sure why there was scant reference to the G2 carby in the 68/69 manual.
Every mower I've had that should have a G2 was retrofitted with the G3 so I can't report on other bad characteristics other than the ones I have mentioned.
A few Inventors names listed on the below patents.
There are a few asked questions to cover here, so I'll address them in posted order.
WCE, as has been said, the fitted carby on your Mayfair is indeed a rare G2 [well spotted, MarkN], and the spare is a complete G3 assembly [carby, cable and throttle control]. The non-serviceable air filter unit was a short-lived Victa idea of that time, and was usually replaced by the serviceable AF07381A short filter unit when a machine came in for service. The non-serviceable unit was a PITA, as there was no simple way of checking the element condition. The only external difference in the housings, is that the AF07381A has a tab on the cap, making it easy to pop off.
MarkN, the white cable is indeed the cutout switch lead. These G2 models were the first series of 2-stroke Victas to have this feature. The lead runs from the magneto to the throttle control on the handle, within a plastic sleeve that also covers the throttle cable. At the top end, the cutout lead connects to a brass terminal strip riveted to the plastic filter housing, and the steel throttle lever performs the switch function.
CyberJack, maybe Victa just didn't think that the governed engine made that much difference, to the operator of the machine! And yes, the G2 was very short-lived; the 1969 season for sure, and maybe part/all of the 1970 one.
Maxwestern, the other major issue I recall seeing in G2's, was wear in the bore that the stem of the relatively heavy metal governor vane passes through. Once that was worn, the governor gears would slip a tooth or two, and throw out the governor adjustment.
It wasn't worth rebuilding a G2 with a worn body even back in the day; the swap to a new G3 and G3 throttle cable was cheaper and much easier. The stop switch lead just needed shortening a bit [allowing for a loose turn around the 'flag pole' to reduce flexing] , and crimping on a female spade terminal.
It's important to restore a G2 back to operating condition even if it's like keeping a British Leyland built car on the road, for historic purposes (and the challenge). NormK had been modifying his LM cut out switch to operate similar to the troublesome but interesting G2 setup.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Yes MF, and I am very happy with the cut out switch wire up inside the snorkel, little bit time consuming but once set up works perfectly and never gives any problems, probably done 20 of them that way now and not one problem
Thanks Gadge for the G2 info. that makes sense that the governor flag spindle wears the bore then strips out the gears as I collected a couple of G2 carbies and both are very worn and the gears don't engage.
Many thank's for the great post's, the learning curve is heading North. MarkN Picture confirms the other expert comments, white wire inside the plastic sheath to throttle control. I'm warming to this machine and I think it may have had a kind life. The base is in great order and is one of only 2 or 3 mowers of any type and age that i have come across that has no mulched on grass cuttings under the base. I guess the real interest for me now is the purpose of the letter box slot in the base. Was there any issues with fuel vaporization in the carby known in the previous models ? as this slot faces directly at the carby or could it be the reason they mostly got changed to the G3 carbys as they didn't surcumbe to dust, sand, etc wearing out the spindle.
