OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Victa Lawn Mower Frames Victa Hammertone Paint Drama, Early 80s Model.

Hi MF,

That's such a great colour isn't it ? it just pops out big time.

I always say there's such great satisfaction in doing this sort of stuff and then sitting back and admiring it not wanting to ever use it.

Know what I mean ?




Cheers,
BB.

Hey MF,

Great resto and great thread. I'm in a similar place now with my VC Auto Drive. I've decided to give the deck a good repaint, seeing as it is back to bare aluminium. I'm worried though that any Hammertone paint out of a can will not be properly fuel and oil resistant unless cured in an oven. I'm looking at the silver direct to metal by Hammerite.

The other curve ball is that I don't have a lot of room for painting.

Any advice you can give? Otherwise I will try to take it to perhaps an auto shop and get them to do it.

Hi Mystyler and others,
advice I have been given is to use etch primer on aluminium first before applying your colour.
If you are concerned about petrol, test your paint with some on another object. For instance, Rustoleum 2x had proven resistant to petrol on speedies refurbishments of various mowers he has shown here but they are flat colours, not hammered finish.
It won't be a concern to me as I don't intend to use mine when it's finished, but some Scott Bonnar 45 restorers have been using the same hamnered paint as mine, so it is likely suitable.
Also, let the paint cure as long as possible, two weeks at least, before fitting parts back on as it can appear cured, but is still soft underneath, at least with my Ultra-color brand.

Thanks for the kind words as well Bigted, Tyler and NormK, this paint is very forgiving -at least while it sprays!

B_B that's exactly the thrill I experienced with each milestone of the build. I highly recommend it!
The Victa label compliments that shade of gold perfectly. I made the right choice.
Nudge nudge wink wink indeed!

Hi MF,

I'll have to say that the Ultra-Colour paint is really beautiful on the eyes indeed but as we've both worked out the curing process is rather painful and long drawn out to say the least, especially in this current cold climate as well.

I would very much suggest that it should be baked thoroughly and a whole complete mower base just isn't possible in a domestic oven. The issue with taking it to a crash shop is that it would have to go into a baking over that is being used at the same time to spray a vehicle which would probably end up having some overspray settle on the mower chassis which isn't what one wants.

Also a major point is that this Hammertone requires much longer in an oven compared to a vehicle where they use a 2 Pack paint which has a catalyst hardner within and plays a major part of the curing process, while Hammertone doesn't and just requires heat and time to properly cure out hard, rememberrng it contains silicone which also plays a major part in the "slowing down" of the curing process.

It's a bit of an issue to solve. Just remembering when I did the Phoenix 45 it was a Series 1 machine where the chassis can be separated into individual components and thus I could use our domestic oven for the whole lot, now if it was a Series 2 then I would've been in strife here in Adelaide where its much colder than ......say Queensland.

Cheers,
BB.

Hey MF
i have one of these as my daily mower and i was not particularly fond of it till this thread

Hey Gizmo,
My base was worse as far as the left side extremity.
I grew up using a Waltons store brand mid arch with an orange top and similar coloured green base and wished it was a high arch like yours. I would have loved that back then!
I'm glad you have a new found appreciation of your mower now. A very capable machine with the 160. Mine has the 125.

PS: if you fit a set of 7" ball bearing wheels at the back and 6" at the front, it will be a much nicer mower to use until you decide to restore it!

But doesn't adding larger wheels reduce the height it can get down to ?

B_B no change to wheel diameter.
I recently swapped the rear axle on another so I could upgrade it to 8" rear ball bearing wheels.
Much better mower to push around.

Hi MF,

Ok yep I get it. I must admit that once you get used to pushing a Honda mower around and then you get behind a Victa or Masport with the small front wheels you feel like you're playing with a babies plastic toy mower.

Cheers,
BB.

BB,
During the lockdown if you want a real workout, try pushing one of those useless under designed Honda self propelled with the self propelled not working. Then you can really appreciate how good a Masport or Vica can be to push around. No need for any gym equipment if you have one of those.

I don't think there will be much chance of that Norm. I would guess he'd rather be behind a Greenfield! Those big Hondas are like trucks.

Yes Norm you are correct that those self propelled Honda's are without the drive engaged are a huge lump of shite. I've had a couple but moved them on pretty quickly as they are way too big and cumbersome. I'll stick with the HRU19 that I worked so much on to get it to the stage of it being a good reliable machine that starts first pull every time, yes the one you helped me on is a keeper that's for sure.

And MS, "you're still feelin' it" with the Greenfield I gather ? as my mate loves his to bits.

Cheers,
BB.

BB, I am. The only complaint is that the catcher worked itself loose. I suspect that one of the lugs may have been bent during shipping. I attempted to bend it to keep the catcher on, and snapped a bolt! No matter, I got another from the fixings shop, a little bit more gentle bending and it seems right.

I'd kill for a poly catcher, but I've had no success in chasing one up.

Oh, the only other thing is the engine. It's a soulless new Briggs. Works well enough, when I haven't managed to tip oil into the cylinder, but just very appliance like. It's the only mower motor I have that isn't a start-on-the-first-pull job.

Regardless, I'm not giving it up!! Best "mower" I've ever pushed around. I know it sounds silly, but Theo just got the handling "right" on this one.

Still waiting for more parts for the VC. It's also been raining here and looks like it will be for the foreseeable future. Not great painting weather. Just gives me more time to decide what I'm going to use on it. From what I've read, the Hammerite stuff is no primer required...

I fitted the lower cross member bit back onto the chassis after wirebrushing decades of grime and grunge as well as some rust then applying satin clear to protect from recurring rust.
The air powered rivet gun is handy but it's jumpy as it pulls out the stem and damaged the paint as it rebounded and knocked the paint each side, leaving marks, so I artist brush painted the marks out with some paint left in the can. Barely detectable, especially when the wheels go on.

MF, you have an air riveter, I still use my old lazy tongs that I have had for more years than I care to remember.

Hi NormK, is that the one you operate with two hands and has a criss cross expanding section? I have a simple hand riveter I use only for smaller aluminium rivets as it hurts the knuckles to use on tougher rivets.
My air one needs an oiling and greasing of the bore. It's taking two pulls of the trigger to complete the job.

Hi MF,
yes the lazy tongs are the criss cross section , they do require a lot of room to operate though.

Yes Norm I was thinking that re working room. They're very good though.
The air one is fantastic, especially if you have several to do. I got it half price clearance from $160 to $80 at Super Cheap Auto years ago.

Axles and height rod and spring fitted today. I recommend using a piece of rag as protection where possible eg: knocking down the locking washer that retains the spring end onto the base. I burnished the metal with the socket I used. A layer of rag would have saved that.