OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Reel Lawn Mowers, Atco & Villiers etc. Webb Mowers

Evening Gents, can anyone give me the low down on Webb reel mowers? I've just started restoring an 18 inch machine with a 1962 Briggs. Despite the engine brand the mower is finished to a really high standard.....seems on par with the likes of ATCO to me....

Cheers,

Craig

Best I could find on google in a 2 minute search was Webb was/is qualcast which appears to be a english breed of mower..

Cheers Joe, bit of a curious one this...some really solid Brittish engineering on display. The grass-deflector is cast-iron, the reel divided into four segments and the split roller has ratchet mechanisms at each side. Also, there are some dual race type bearings that I've not come across before....oh yeah and there's also a Briggs 3.5....heheheh

Craig

Hi Craig, Good old British engineering and then they go and put a Briggs on it....Ye gads...what is the world coming to.....hehe
But seriously mate, if it is part of the Qualcast/Suffolk group, they are a very sturdy well engineered breed of mower, and come with a pretty strong pedigree.
Can you please post some pics, as we all love to see 'em.
BTW..I am pretty sure that the original Model 1450 ATCO cylinder reel bearings were double race also.

Hi Craig, I have found out some interesting info for you.
In 1984 Webb (mowers & cycles) was acquired by Atco. You can see the history of ATCO HERE
It must have been well made and very sturdy for ATCO to be interested in a take-over.

Here you go Deejay, the webb of intrigue unfolds..... I've taken a little artistic license with this resto, as I think the machine may have been blue originally with a white coloured Briggs?

Wow, thast looks great!

Hi Craig, my as well, top job mate!!

Did you ever clarify the year of manufacture of your mower? I have a couple of old vertical crankshaft Briggs: the 1976 one is white, and the 1982 one is black, so they probably changed over in between those two dates. The white one was IMO a much more desirable engine: still Pulsajet, where the black one was Vacujet, and still 3.5 hp/3600 rpm where the black one was less than 3 hp and less than 3000 rpm (Briggs was coy about the exact speed and output). The difference is not just paint colour.

Hey Grumpy, thanks for your response. The engine is definately from the white stable. I'm quite sure the 1962 blower housing is original, and the lack of plastic along with a kill switch at the sparkplug makes me think she's got few hours on the clock

Craig

Seems to me you are making your machine look less-desirable by painting the engine black instead of white, but it's all a matter of personal choice.

I don't know if it's old enough to have a cast-iron bore, but if so it might have a lot of hours left in it (depending on whether it's always had oil in it, of course).

Hello Grumpy, less desirable??? heheheh... c'mon we're talking about a dime a dozen 802 Briggs here. The colour is basically a result of my lack of knowledge rather than "personal choice". Maybe hot-pink would look better?

Craig, my comment was based on my guess of what produces the best market value. You have a restored classic mower, and I think those are most valuable when they are entirely original (i.e. original paint in good condition). The second most valuable presentation is when they are authentically returned to original condition and appearance. All of the 'owner's improvements' reduce the value, they don't increase it. If your mower is in really good condition and nearly all the parts are genuine originals, one day somebody will probably repaint it in the original colours, then sell it for much more than he or she pays you for it.

In other words, my comment was economic, not aesthetic. Even so, a hot pink classic Briggs wouldn't float my personal boat.

Though originally the mower itself was not green either so originality is out the door, still I would rather a nicely painted machine like this over a faded original machine.

Hey Grumpy, thanks for your input. I know what you're saying regarding original specs, it's just value doesn't enter the equation for me as I could never part with any of my machines. I spend a ridiculous, and I mean a RIDICULOUS amount of time on these projects and enjoy every moment of it. I never alter or 'improve' mowers....just fix them up...from re-spraying to handmaking cork seals for fuel taps and caps. My Bonmow, ATCO and Webb machines are all pushing 50, but likely to go another 50 now because I've spent time on them...regardless of colour

Hey Guys, this conversation has now got me intrigued...has anybody got a pic of the original Webb colour for this model?

here is another one http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Webb-Cylinde..._Gardening_Equipment?hash=item3eface852d

Seems like it was probably a hammertone paint in a colour halfway between blue and green, with a silver 2 hp Briggs engine. Then I guess it got some rust areas, and somebody blew half of it over with some red oxide primer. Looks to be in decent shape for an original mower that's about 50 years old - surprisingly good in fact. Maybe it wouldn't look so good on closer inspection? Life's full of disappointments.

Hi grumpy, to me the paint on the chassis seems to be a solid colour, rather than hammertone, and more greenish than aqua, sort of a darker version of the original Scott Bonnar Model 40 colour, which was also a solid colour. The Briggs is silver metallic.
Overall, IMO, I think it would make a great restoration; if it could be purchased at the right price and location... (pick-up only)

No doubt you're right, Darryl. Wouldn't it be nice if whoever buys it takes a few decent-quality pictures of it as-is, and posts them here? Including a couple of near-match paint sample cards in the same pictures, with the colour codes visible, would be even better. Dimensions and colour picture of that big Webb decal might be helpful too.

The location is only about 40 minutes' drive from me, but I have no use for the mower unfortunately.