OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums General Discussion Forum OutdoorKing Showcase SHOWCASE – Atco Rotary – Paul C - 2020

Hello ODK Showcase lovers
This Showcase pays tribute to a long-time collector
and restorer of vintage lawnmowers.

Brisbane’s Paul C has helped many folks in understanding the
complexity and techniques of restoration. He favours sensitive
restorations where possible, but what happens when you start
with an incomplete and rusty chassis? Rust is not patina!

Paul undertook a full restoration. A Vinco-powered Atco rotary
is super rare, with only two or three known to survive. This begs
the question: is it original? [see Part Two for my thoughts on that].

The Vincent Brothers of Sydney are well known to boat engine
collectors and enthusiasts, but documentation and recording
of their little air-cooled engines is scarce – to say the least.

Paul’s restoration story can be found here:

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/u...o-rotary-with-vinco-2-stroke-engine.html

PART TWO – Was there a Vinco powered Atco?
I have found no evidence linking Vinco engines with Atco rotaries –
except for three or so surviving mowers that have them.

Out of the two dozen or so illustrated newsprint ads I have, all depict
the 79cc Atco-Villiers engine with its distinctive slanted engine barrel
cooling fins. Ads date from late-1957 to mid- 1958.

It certainly makes sense that Atco would use their own engine –
an exclusive arrangement between Atco and Villiers UK – and use
it on both their small reels and rotaries.

However, incomplete digitisation of records is in issue.

We know Atco – surprisingly – moved away from Villiers with the
release of their new late-1959 domestic 4-stroke models. These used
Suffolk horizontal shaft engines and had plate steel (not tubular) handle
bars. The History Record shows a Vinco machine with bits of a plate steel
handlebar. Maybe ...

It is an enticing possibility that Atco (Australia) did use Vinco engines
for the 1958-59 season.

For now, the evidence is incomplete.

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

Good Evening CyberJack and ODK Members, Thanks very much for the kind words, definitely a labour of love to restore and preserve old lawn mowers. Just a thought about some evidence on the Vinco Atco match, I will check the bolt pattern on the Atco engine with my spare Vinco one. I have a feeling that the Atco engine does not have a square bolt pattern like the Vinco but 1 set of bolts are set narrower. All the best Paul Very humbled to be in the Showcase 🙂

Good morning ODK Members, I have checked the bolt pattern on the Atco motor and it in not square, two bolts are set narrower than the other two. The Vinco has a square bolt pattern, this means that the mower chassis was drilled or punched to suit the specific engine ie I could not have fitted the Atco or Villiers engine to a Vinco powered mower without redrilling the base holes to suit. Would be interesting to know why the Vinco was given a run and how many were fitted up, perhaps a shortage in supply. 🙂👍

G'day Paul

You know this is important information in authenticating
an Atco rotary with a Vinco engine.

You are saying that an Atco-Villiers engine does not have a square
bolt pattern, and therefore Atco Australia must have made a base
to suit an Australian Vinco engine.

I am now only looking for other evidence that links Atco to Vinco
in advertising or other records. Corroborative evidence is now the key.

Paul, this is great detective work!

Cheers
-------------------------
Jack