OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Finding and Swapping For Sale Clean Vortex on Gumtree $50 Melbourne

Evening all

hopefully someone in melbourne might be interested in this one - no apparent cracks in covers, magic eye still in the correct catcher. Still looks like there is tread on the tyres.

Spare catcher apparently included

Victa Vortex looks like it says Marque on the side, might be a one of the later vortexes (vortices?)

Hi Tyler,
I thought about picking it up but I had so much trouble getting rid of the last one I had I don't think I would bother with it

Yellow is the best looking one imo. I put Victa TuffTrak wheels on my battered one, which lifted it's looks a lot.
The left hand edge of the base has a strip of 4mm metal bracing a crack and the cover is scratched up with plastic eaten away the edge by the pull cord.
The catcher has repairs on the side and I replaced the missing fill indicator worth a spare I pulled off another broken catcher.
This machine looks in great condition in comparison, though mine is perfectly functional and I don't have to worry about using it and getting more blemishes on it.

I am sure that the Vortex scared people off thinking it was going to be an expensive/difficult mower to maintain, I ended up pretty much giving the one I had to a mate who collects a lot of odd stuff and he was not planning on using it

If only people knew it essentially a tarted up version of the cheapest two stroke models that essentially performed the same work just as good as each other.

Hi wasn't the biggest feature of this lawnmower the fact that is was less noisy than the standard mowers?

The one in that ad looks just like the one in this web link below:

http://www.cube.net.au/Design_History_1_-_Victa_Vortex_Lawn_Mower_DEsign.html

Cheers!

No point talking about this one anymore as someone has already snapped it up and the listing's been deleted. Wow someone that actually deletes listings nowadays and stops teasing the hell out of all of us.

Cheers,
BB.

G'day all,
I do not think this is the case at all.

When Bob Hawke publically released the Vortex in 1983, the Vortex was
a radical new design.

As Converse has noted, the Vortex was special - with its new blade holder
[CSIRO] and low silhouette, raked design [Cube Industrial Design].

But folks seem to have forgotten that the Vortex also introduced a
radical new engine with this model ... The Powertorque!

The Powertorque would be used on other models the following season.

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

Not Sure if anyone has seen the speech he made at the release

Attached is the PDF, which is from University of SA

Oh when it comes to design, the Vortex STILL LOOKS IMPRESSIVE. It's simply an exquisite shape, especially when viewed in profile.
As well as introducing the Powertorque, it debuted the distinctive final thumb latch catcher design with the downward chute protruding on the RH side to direct exhaust gasses down and away from the user.
Note there is a tiny raise moulded along the top of the catcher which actually continues and aligns along the top of the Vortex cover!! The Vortex was supposed to represent a new era and is the most pure version of this era.

As for function though, it accomplished the same task as the cheapest powertorque models that cost considerably less if you didn't worry about impressing the neighbours. The only reason the Vortex could be considered quiet was it's supposed operation at lower revs for the same cutting performance as the regular mowers.

It could hardly be considered quiet if operated at mid to high revs, as my neighbour would attest when they close all their windows in response to the sight of it being brought out!

Couldn't agree more with you MF, they do look impressive but I was quite surprised at the difficulty selling mine. If you remember I did consider stripping it and putting the motor on a metal base and then seeing if I could flog the bits left but I didn't have the heart to wreck something that was in excellent working condition. I did have a bloke who wanted a mower and I had a pressed metal one and the Vortex for the same price but he looked at the Vortex and instantly said he wanted the pressed metal one. I know which one I would have taken.

Hi Guys,

Personally I pretty much feel the Vortex styling was an absolute design failure.

This is pretty much substantiated by how many were sold and also how many you still see today.

What Norm said about the guy that came around and looked at two machines in an AB comparison is exactly how the lawnmower buying public would've viewed the overall look of the concept and thus sales would've been poor compared to the other models Victa had on offer at the time.

Now we look back on it and say to ourselves, "isn't that a groovy lookin' thing" while back then it would've been seen as "isn't that a stupid lookin' thing".

I had one under the guise of a "Mustang GTS" and it was a great mower but nothing better than every other 2 stroke Victa in it's performance but had a few neighbours wonder what sort of brick is that ?

Cheers,
BB.

PS. If I recall the Mustang version didn't have the Vortex Blade disc fitted due to contractual arrangements with the CSIRO.

G'day everyone,

I was reading about these Victa Vortex mowers and it says that they also had set them up so they didn't rev as fast as other standard mowers. Maybe this was another feature to keep the noise levels down and also as it says that special cutting disc was designed to work at slower revs than other mowers.

I think the only way i'll be getting one of these mowers is with hard rubbish or at the tip..lol. Same goes for a Victa twin..lol

As for noise levels from mowers, on the 3 Victa 2 stroke mowers that I have running at the moment I can say that I think the quietest one of the lot would have to be the newer powertorque 2 engine mower, at idle this mower does get pretty quiet, although when it revs up that's when it barks and gets nice and noisy. It was also the cleanest burning when it comes to smoke emissions from the mower, there wasn't as much smoke when I used this mower compared to the older full cranks, and I used the exact same fuel mix on all 3 mowers when I ran them. The VC160 was probably in the middle of them. A bit louder than the powertorque and also a bit more smokier. But the Commando full crank I would have to say is the most dirtiest and loudest mower of the lot! LOL!

I don't know if it's because there is pretty much no engine covers around this engine at all, and also because it has been used alot more than the others that there might not be much left in the muffler in terms of sound deadening now. But seriously it's a beast! I also love the smoke plumes emitting from this mower, especially at idle speeds. I know which mower to bring out when I want to annoy the neighbours the most!

Cheers!

You should try my Withco edger with a 125 on it - absolutely sings with the little bun muffler

Tyler I just love those full cranks, such a pearler of a motor, I would have to say the ultimate in small engine design

I agree Norm, they are a beautiful engine - this one starts first or second go every time.
I thought I paid too much for it initially ($35 not running from the tip shop - 2 weeks before they put all edgers down to $15), but it runs great and its good to have a 125 in the collection

Same as him? Typical dead head ignorant carbon blob mower buyer.

I know what you mean by dead heads MF

I went to the petrol station a few hours ago - timing it so there wouldn't hold anyone up as i had 2 10L, and 2 5L jerry cans to fill up.

Anyway, get there, and a 1 car wait. Half way through filling up cans, and brand new Porche Cayenne (maybe Macan) pulls up behind me. So, I keep going at a good pace, finish the cans, and fill the car up (only took 24l so not long), went payed for fuel and on way back the porche driver puts his window down and says 'how about you move you fat f**king arse a bit f**king quicker you retarded c**t'.

I returned the blast - what a pr**k

Strewth mate that's a bit harsh, i've had some impatient people sometimes waiting behind my car at the servo, but I have never got a serve like that before! The problem these days is you don't know what drugs they are on, also what they are going through. Sometimes it's best to just leave them and hope that they bugger off and don't get out of their car and get more physical etc. You hear about it all the time on the news, road rage incidents etc. It's getting beyond the joke and sometimes it's best to just avoid any confrontation with these people.

There is quite a few times when i've been driving you get the occasional psychotic tail gater. I just switched lanes and luckily they zoomed past me, then sometimes you get the person swearing and cursing from behind even though sometimes you can't move anywhere or go any faster because of the speed limit. You will always get psycho's every now and then.

I actually now try to avoid busy servo's where I know people are going to line up behind me and they make you rush to put fuel and pay. One prime example of this are the Coles Express servo's where people line up in their cars most likely thinking they are getting cheaper fuel by using their 4c a litre off shop a docket..lol I went there once and as soon as I got out to start putting fuel in my car there was a car already behind me sitting there waiting with their engine idling for me to finish. That's when I said bugger this servo, plenty of others around here especially independents, that are usually quiet and also have slightly cheaper petrol.

Cheers!

I refuse to use the Shell / Coles Servos as their stupid 4 cent voucher generally only brings the price back to the same as all other servos, so it's a false economy of 4 cents off.

As far as filling and paying, if I have people waiting I'll jump back into the car after I've finished filling and move the car over to one of the parking bays. 9 times out of 10 you'll get a polite "thank you" from the guy behind and I'll wave back, but if it's a female they'll never say thanks. Don't quite know why they are so much more ignorant than males.

"Common courtesy" goes a long way, sadly it's just not that "common" these days.

Cheers,
BB.

Simple. They are a female dog.

Thanks guys
It was at a caltex where the 4c saving exists.

The guy was just this little idiot in a pinstripe suit and tie - obviously too important to wait 10 extra seconds.

I see people sitting for half an hour waiting for fuel - they burn more than they save. If you wait half an hour in line to save 4c per litre, you are effectively 'paying' (well saving) yourself $3 per hour.

I like the school mothers who park over the crest of blind hills in the BMW x series - asking for trouble

Hi Tyler,

When you get an idiot like this you then walk around the car and check the tyres, then wash the windscreen,adjust the mirrors, all legitimate tasks you need to perform for the safe operation of your vehicle. By this stage he will have reversed out and driven off. A lot of this depends on the vehicle you are in, I can guarantee he would not behave in this way if you were in a Landcruiser or truck. A neighbour of mine is a brickie, he has always had 4WD's but he ended up driving his sons BMW M3 for 12 months, nice car but he couldn't believe the attitude difference of other drivers on the road. Cars would pull out in front of him, cut him off ,on coming vehicles would squeeze him off the road, so he bought another Cruiser and no more of these problems

Hi Norm

I agree, they never do that when you are in a Cruiser or truck. Most of my mates drive 70 series Cruisers or 200 series or Patrols or Navaras. One had a tesla cut in infront of him dangerously close 6 months ago. Over the next bit of highway, he got infront and then away from the set of traffic lights he covered it in diesel soot.

Thats probably why no one messes with Cruiser drivers haha

However, if you drive a 2006 Hyundai Tuscon, you are fair game. And if you happen to be in a 1983 Camira, they physically go out of their way - like jumping in front and hitting brakes

I bet if you showed them the muzzle of a double barrel shotgun, you would get instant perfect behaviour like in this scene from The Beverly Hillbillies movie.

That's Gold !!!

but sadly it's getting more and more like this every day.

G'day everyone,

Haha that's a good one Mowerfreak!

Gees Tyler you don't see many old Camira's around here much now.

But that story about the diesel leaving soot all over the Tesla reminds of my mates old black XB coupe with the old twin exhaust out the back. If someone parked up too close in a car park. He was like ok this car is going to get sprayed with 2 black soot rings on their front bar. Started the beast up, a few good hard revs before driving off...lol Another good one was when he parked it with the back against a nice clean white carpark wall. Nice huge black soot rings left on the wall.

I once drove an old 1982 Mitsubishi Colt that always ran richer than it was meant to but it was great when you wanted to blast the car behind you with plumes of black unburnt fuel at the touch of the accelerator pedal...lol It was best doing this at night as the smoke plumes are hilarious and that thick that the car following too closely or tailgating has to slow down and back off because of the smoke and i'm assuming because of the smell...lol

I did it once to a tailgater going up a slight hill years ago, I thought ok you want to sit on my rear bumper, it's time for you to have some old school rich running carby foot to the floor smoke plume! I swear I looked in my rear vision mirror and all I could see was a massive cloudy smoke haze down the road and the car behind me backed right off and was going slowly probably trying to breath and also to see through the smoke!

Ah yes I love old school cars they are the best!

Cheers!

Don't forget the Maxwell Smart windscreen washer fluid to the car behind trick. When they're close enough and there is wind, they will receive it too.
One time a bully in a Landcruiser sat on my tail as we were diving into the Sydney Harbour Tunnel. I gave him a light show and put the flashers on and activated my reverse lamps a few times (before the gearbox could get into reverse for rea!). Man did this get a reaction. He swung around my left and stuck his head out blurting unintelligible obscenities before speeding off ahead of me well over the 80km/h limit I was sitting on. He didn't seem to realise that you are not required to move left in an 80km/h or under zone, unless there are signs saying so.

Ha good one Mowerfreak!

Here's a funny one I have been in traffic behind this tradie and his work ute 2 times down the road here and when I see these stickers on the rear tray it makes me laugh. He has both these stickers on the back of his ute. I wonder how those people that he mentions on those stickers feel when they are near him on the road? LOL!

I searched the net for these stickers tonight and I think I found the place where this guy bought them from! lol

Car Stickers

Cheers!

Hi Converse & MF

I will never forget the time I started the Camira (before I had it running right - various auto choke and mixture issues) and had to give it a slight rev on start up.

Only problem was Mum had her brand new Sheridan bed sheet hanging on the fence behind. Or smoking out the house when the choke stuck on. They made 84 odd thousand JB camiras, and there are 3 regulars getting around here.

A couple of years ago, a girl with her Mum in the car park knocked the bumper with her trolley. The mother told her not to worry since it is just 'some old piece of s**t'. I got in and gave it a rev whilst she was standing between the cars - gave her a fright.

Last month, I went for petrol and a clown in a late 90's Z3 BMW decided I wasn't fast enough off the lights - raced around on the inside just before form one lane. He's redlined in first... and missed the gear change - crunch grind.

And I get sick of telling auto parts store staff 'Camira, not Camry' - a mechanic once installed a camry thermostat into the housing with a sledge hammer.
Has much more power since I fixed that since the inlet manifold isn't full of 90 odd degree hot water