Hi all Contributors,

It seems great headway is being made this year on H.G. Palmer.
Gizmo, this is the first VK30 Kirby version I have seen and I appreciate these
photos and video for the record.

I feel I can accurately date it. Earliest record from early 1964.
I believe this model was offered for the 1963-64 and 1964-65 season(s).
The big surprise is the use of the recoil starter. Every other VK I have seen from
the period had an Impulse starter. So the recoil design is original.

[Linked Image]

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Kirby 4st HK25, Jacks ad shows the 2St hi torque?
Mal, the Hurricane engine was also used on the early HG toe-cutter base.
This later design seems to use the same base but a quick-set height adjuster -
so I'm not sure whether it should be included in the engine count (5) for the earlier
base with rotary knob height [Villiers 7F, Kirby Hi-Torque, Victa Tiger, Hurricane, Briggs 4].

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Just curious, this is a Kirby 4st HK25
Mal the 'H' in HK designates a horizontal c/shaft Kirby. The HK 25s were used
on AUS reel mowers and the like.

It's such a shame Palmer's collapsed in such a spectacular fashion.
They were such an interesting, inventive company (in their accounting too).
I would have preferred if it had been another company [who I won't name ...
but it begins with 'Harvey'.]

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Jack