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Hello ODK history lovers

Sydney’s Vincent Brothers Company [‘Vinco’] are best
remembered as marine engine makers. They also made
a name for themselves as boat builders, floor sander
manufacturers, and the makers of a very versatile piece
of garden machinery … the Vinco Blitz.

The Blitz Power Gardener was a multi-accessory
power unit that could do a hell of a lot of things: -
cultivate, saw, pump, edge, and mow. Via a PTO
shaft or pulleys, it could power a lot of other stuff –
for grinding or drilling or whatever …



The Blitz was a beautiful, clever machine;
and the company clearly hoped it would be
their post-war garden product success.

The Blitz was a timely product. It took
advantage of the post-war quarter-acre
block and the potential for a household
garden bed.

TO BE CONTINUED …

PART TWO – Early Vinco Blitz Brochure
The Vinco Blitz used a patent British drive
head as central to its design.

It is no historical secret that Australia followed
UK designs in making AUS domestic garden
tillers in the 1950s and 1960s. After-all, many
of the UK machines were sold and/or made
here post war: Farmfitters, Shay, Landmaster, etc.

The opportunity was afforded AUS manufacturers
because of two facts: post-war prosperity and the
Australian quarter acre plot. The Blitz must have
made city dwellers feel like rural market gardeners!

The Vincent Brothers used the J.E. Shay Limited
[of Basingstroke, UK] power head as the central
design feature. This gave the Blitz a two-speed
head to power the cultivator and its attachments.



This feature is recognised in the earliest
brochure that I have found. Not one of mine,
full credit must go to Geoff Nowak and his
brilliant Photostream [see Related Links].

Note that the Blitz offered the Vincent
Brothers own 2-stroke and a Kirby-Lauson
4 stroke engine.

PART THREE – Early 1960s Vinco Blitz Brochure
This brochure – also from Geoff Nowak – seems
to reflect mid-term production of the Blitz …
I guess it dates from about 1962.

The big change was not in the power unit; but in
the range and number of accessories ...
There were … fourteen!!!

PART FOUR (A) – Mid 1960s Vinco Blitz Promotion
It’s amazing this document survives.
Harris Scarfe was appointed State Distributor
of the Blitz in 1964.

The doc is promotion material for Harris Scarfe
and their agents. It introduces the new Model
– the Blitz 500 – for the mid 1960s.

An interesting read … it gives factual information
on the new Blitz, selling information [including hire
purchase], and a price list for the Blitz and its accessories.

PART FOUR (B) – Mid 1960s Vinco Blitz Brochure
This brochure is probably the last one printed for
the Vinco Blitz and it was included with the Harris Scarf
introduction booklet in Part A above.

The annoying thing is that this mint condition
brochure was cropped to fit the dimensions of
the booklet. Ridiculous!

In any case, the new Blitz 500 was restyled and
improved for the 1964 year. Vinco dropped their
2-stroke engine in favour of a governed Kirby
4-stroke. A new two-speed workhead [AUS built]
probably ended the involvement with the use of
the British Shay gear box.

Of particular note is the new ‘Movac’ mower
attachment with grass and leaf catcher!