I brought out the yellow Vortex beater bomb with the intent to give the base a touch up of brown Rustoleum hammered finish paint but upon removal of the front wheels, discovered a crack forming at the top of the already very worn U point where the axle fits and decided it's just not worth keeping this base which already has two other cracks on the edges as well as a pushed in front skirt.
The mower has really has been through the wringer and I have another old GTS Mustang base with a better running engine on it. I'll paint that brown and turn it into a yellow Vortex with the cover I've got. The left edge is badly worn and there's a hole punched in the right side (which I've filled in with Selleys Knead It filler) but the front axle is firm as can be.
Front is also pushed in on that so I'll attempt to bash that out into a half decent shape.
May ditch that idea if that proves too difficult. Will see.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
| 
