I had a good day yesterday when I got these 2 gems, I won the Victa for $52 (gave him $60 because I knew what he paid for it because he outbid me on it a few months ago). He sold it as not running but I put fuel in it and it started second pull. The Honda I paid $10 for as It was "only good for parts" only thing wrong was the pull start wasn't working, put fresh fuel in it, drill start it and it runs like a dream. It has a bit of damage to the front and no catcher so I will probably fit it to an Ariens self propelled I have here, or something else. My lucky day
That'd be a fantastic donor to the Honda that I've got here with a super smokey GVC-160 that's not really worth the time and effort opposed to a GXV-160. It's got an as new chassis and a catcher that's in much the same nick. This one I'm hanging on to as my Scalping machine over the Masports I'm currently using.
Cheers, BB.
I live a 24 Hour lifestyle, but every now and again I seem to fall asleep, well at least that's what my wife tells me.
You're a very savvy operator Norm. I particularly like the "only good for parts" Honda you grabbed. More like "only needs one part". There's a lot of ignorance out there to be exploited.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
I'm stoked with the Honda it is a beauty. All that was wrong with the pull starter was the fact somebody had obviously been bashing this mower into trees or something. The front skirt is broken and the tree branches had damaged the front of the cowl and this had pushed the cowl back about 3mm and this was enough to jamb the starter in the starter cup, was an easy fix. The slasher gave me a bit more grief because after I had it running after picking it up I couldn't get it to run again, I'm thinking that it has a failed crank seal. Swapped another motor on with new rings and it is almost ready to tackle the big jobs again once the sun starts shining again. Sorry BB, these Honda motors are hard to come bye and my Ariens needs a good motor on it, it has been sitting too long here.
I hadn't really looked too closely at the base, I just assumed it was Honda on a Honda base, and without a catcher the base was of little interest to me. If I can work out how to re-tread the wheels that will be a bonus.
Yes I'd say Max's observations are spot on correct as it displays the two holes where the Masport badge is usually fitted on the front.
Cheers, BB.
PS. been looking for something like this for ages, but reasonable GVX's are pretty thin on the ground and those that generally do come up are at the end of their lives, due to them having worked hard with a Contractor.
I live a 24 Hour lifestyle, but every now and again I seem to fall asleep, well at least that's what my wife tells me.
They don't come up often here either, I have a few in the spares pile with the Chondas just incase I ever need a part.I just saw this one on Gumtree not far from home and I didn't bother about it for a while and then I thought what the hell it is only $10 so worth the chance. I also have a near new electric start GXV 160 that I paid $50 for 6 months ago but for some reason it has the odd backfire and so I have left it there waiting for me to get back to look at it
I picked up an alloy base PT good wheels, good base and catcher for $10 last night, just checked it, bit of carbon on the plug cleaned that and it fired straight up. Some days are roses, some days are thorns
Good score. If it's a thumb latch catcher model, It's too nice to on sell. Such a fine machine should be reserved for the discerning customer you know will likely take care of it and the steel decks left to the "hoi polloi". How often do you get a buyer who straight fuels the machine after selling?
If it's a thumby could we see a pic? A good one with a PT is probably the best mower on Earth.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Saw it the other night whilst looking on gumtree and was going to send you a private message, but thought it might be a bit far from Hampton Park - around 30 mins each way I think - so I didn't sorry.
Nothing special about it MF except that it is an ally base. Obviously it has been cobbled together by somebody previously as it has an early snorkel, early flat top cowl and an early catcher. Motor runs fine except that it revs hard so needs the carby modified Hi Tyler, that was the Clarinda one, half hour each way is fine, the dogs love driving around after mowers. Sometimes I end up driving more than half an hour. MF, no thumblatch one, but this will do me just fine. As for customers straight fueling them from memory it has only been 3 which is pretty good considering the range of people with little English skills or understanding of what a 2 stroke is all about
Hi Tyler, I live in Melbourne, half hour travel is usually to the next suburb, advantage last night was he wanted me to pick it up after 8.00pm you beauty.
That's excellent NK. As Natural Necessity Surf Shop and Cafe in Gerringong NSW says in their slogan "definitely worth the drive". You're not kidding about the good wheels. That flat top cover really suits it. Who cares if it's not original spec, the eventual owner will end up with a ripper of a grass cutter. Should clean up nice and easy profit.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
I pulled a very ratty looking PT from the scrap bin at the tip yesterday, no front axle, blades virtually non existant , rear wheels trashed. This mower was obviously being used till the poor thing just fell apart. Got it home and thought I had wasted my time, pull start wouldn't move but blade carrier turned. Pulled the carby off and signs of water inside so I expected to see rust/water inside when I replaced the pull start. Put my test carby on and a new plug cap and it started second pull and runs like a good PT should. I also picked up a F/C last night for $10 and that had obviously been sitting under a tree for a long time. My wife asked me why I had paid $10 for that thing. Pull start was broken put the test carby on it and a plug cap, drill start it and it fired straight up. I am constantly amazed at the number of these mowers I pick up in terrible condition that have motors on them that are in excellent working condition
I guess that the Victa 2 Stroke engine was designed in a time where things were made to last.
That engine design pretty much remained unchanged while the bodies of the mowers became cheaper and the attitudes to Lawnmowers by the public at large was that they'd become a disposable item, which is largely true, but that engine design has stood the test of time and thus the donks are easily salvageable I guess, while all the rest had long fallen apart due to no care given whatsoever.
Cheers, BB.
I live a 24 Hour lifestyle, but every now and again I seem to fall asleep, well at least that's what my wife tells me.
Yes BB, the Victas are good, pity the Briggs aren't half as good. The bloke I got the F/C from also offered me a Masport with a Briggs on it but I declined, just can't be bothered messing with the Briggs anymore. If I got some in a job lot of mowers with some Briggs there I would look at them but I won't go out of my way to get them. At the moment I have at least 30 tested Victa motors sitting on the shelf and something the same in good repairable bodies so that is going to take me a long time to work my way through them so I don't want any Briggs cluttering up my workspace
