OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Collectors Corner Rotary Sunbeam Completed

Hello members

I managed to find the other bits to complete the Sunbeam, it's all original with no touch ups done other than a bit of gluing to cracks in plastic. I love it ! runs great and the colours make it, in my eyes, one of the most hansome mowers made ? It was a tedious job to remove the black paint that was spayed over the original handle bars at some point in the past but very happy the original patina was all there.

wce

The Sunbeams always looked a little more sleek than the Victas in low arch form. That looks stellar wce!

That looks marvelous wce. Lovely photos too. They are just such a solid mower.

The handles and rust on the cowl spoil mine at the moment, but you can tell how well made they are

I haven't really even mowed much with mine yet, even though its ready

Thanks for the kind words Gents

That's a nice looking unit Tyler, they don't have character without a few blemishes here or there !

Cheers
wce

Plus without blemishes you become too scared to use it None of mine sit on the shelf - they all mow the lawn - even only 2 times a year.

Regards

Both units look excellent and would/will outlast any of the current types of mowers 10 times over

Hello WCE, Mf ,Tyler and Norm,

Yes both are cool looking Sunbeam mowers and driving to the shops today I saw this one dumped at the side of the road,it
even came with the air cleaner and snorkel as they were siting on top of the mower when I grabbed it.

This Sunbeam below looks a little strange as the base and handle has a light coating of grey paint.

cheers
Max.

Not a bad score max. Looks like your plans to stop collecting is not working out well.

About as well as mine - I picked up another mower today

What was it this time Tyler? Tell us!

Without going too far from wce's original thread

In best James Bond voice
'Vantage. Victa Vantage'

Just a garden variety 2010 blue one with 450 briggs. On the plus side, it has a brand new plug in it. I am expecting some issues as the air filter wasn't oiled and the carby throat looks dusted.

I talked to the guy who put it out (he put it out 2 minutes before I picked it up) he said hard to start (split primer) smokes for a while (?) and is gutless - he didn't have lawn - just 2ft high weeds over gravel down the side of the house.

Also on the curbside colections today I picked up a bottle of GTX with 3l left in it for flushing oil, an unopened bottle of coolant, unopened dynabolts, shed locks, brand new caulk gun and other things

Unfortunately I think the days of finding mass 2 strokes are over.

Yes it's a problem Mf ,I've sold one mower lately but found a few more .

You boys are making me envious I haven't found anything for months but I guess that is because I don't/cant go outside my front gates anymore. Getting very tired of this lockdown thing.

NK you used to be the world champion (in the outdoorking world) at finding mowers and getting job lots for low prices.
Looks like you'll have no choice but to try and resurrect your dead pile.

Hi MF,
Times have changed, no idea how many mowers are here but a lot are junk and just need stripping for parts but at the moment that isn't much incentive because I can't even get rid of the scrap steel because all the tips are closed

I feel ya Norm. Hang in there mate. There has to be a silver lining somewhere.

Yes I'm having a run of bad luck ,went to the shops today and 7 mowers in a row ,I don't know what I was thinking but
grabbed them anyway .

Norm you should sell your scrap mowers instead of giving them to the tip ,I usually get at least $20 a trailer load.

A lot of useful parts. You even scored a VC. Some really bad luck. Poor you.
The high arch chute on the original VC is cavernous. Can easily handle wet lawns!

I can only dream of finding those these days Max. Good score

The last few years I haven't found many full crank Victa 2 strokes, mostly find 4 stroke or Powertorque mowers.

I haven't seen a lot of these orange base Sunbeam mowers either ,all the Sunbeam mowers are a little rare these
days.

I've never seen a store brand mid arch chassis Sunbeam before. That's a new one for me.

The only full cranks I have found in the last few years have been the SPFC, one alloy base Mustang and three steel base models.
You managed to find two cup starter full cranks in a matter of days.

I've never seen one either

2 spfc, 1 cup start, a few PT and plenty of Briggs

This was the cup start one - I should have put the Sunbeam in this shot but didn't

What an adorable Mayfair on the right. I like the chrome ended engine covers from this era. Much more substantial looking than their plastic replacements.

That poor old one has done a lot of work. Will probably re-ring it shortly even though it goes first kick. Came with the side chute as well

The old briggs (1979) goes first kick as well (the black soot is from running rich for years before I got it) but had some of the worst oil I have seen in it. It was like gear oil. Took 4 flushes before it even thought about being clear.

Good thing about sunbeam/Victa 2 strokes - no years of bad oil. Only problem is using poor quality oil

Much as I like the vertical Briggs, they just look so wrong on a Victa thumb latch base. They all seem to leave that sooty coating at the rear. I am not a fan of having to set the throttle and walk to the front to start it either. These are the sort of mower I want to move on if I find it.

Hi MF,
Yes those Briggs pumping the smoke onto the high arch is a pain and it takes a lot to remove it. I did one many years ago and I used a 1/2 inch M&F elbow and the turned the muffler out to the side, big improvement

Hahaha NormK I was thinking what about putting one of those lid exhausts you see on trucks but you came up with a realistic solution. If the blackening issue is resolved, I wouldn't mind them so much.

Hi all

Lots of interesting discussion here, yes Max the orange sunbeam is a lovely looking base, I got this one mainly for the wheels which are in great nic thinking I would put them on the Fastcut, this was the day I learn't that Victa Sunbeam and Sunbeam have different axle sizes so Ill put the wheels back onto this one.

Cheers
wce

Hi wce,
Now that base and Briggs combo I like!

Hi MF

The engine came off a SB, the sticker is still on the cowling. The engine doesn't look out of place on the base.