The 2-inch shaft length depends on the motor used on the base. As you know, if you use a 2-inch shaft on an old Victa base with a Sprint motor (Briggs), the petrol tank can hit the discharge ramp on the base. This is why older mowers had the motors turned with the exhaust facing the operator—so the tank wouldn’t interfere with the base. Otherwise, you would need a longer crank and a spacer to lift the motor, then rotate it so the tank is on the right side.
I forgot I picked up a Tornado 4 stroke the other day ,it's 70 mm the crank length.
They didn't need to lift the engine on a Tornado for the tank to clear the discharge ramp, as the discharge ramp is lower on the Tornado compared to other Victa bases. This provided enough clearance for the tank when using the Sprint-type motor.
