OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Unusual Customisation Projects Victa 18 Special Coffee Table

Hi all just thought I would share this little story with you all.This is my Victa 18 special coffee table.Found this Victa on the tip many years ago,so it was bound to find itself in as landfill.I just couldn't bear to see that happen to it. So I took it home.

Anyway a friend and I decided that we were going to rebuild together.Anyway the poor thing had seized.Rock solid.So we try to un-seize it.It didn't quite work out the way we wanted it to, and some how I still don't understand we snapped the con-rod. My friend turned around to me and said 'what are you going to do with now?'So we left it for a couple of days to work out what I was going to do.
Then I thought hey if I fold the handle over make some bracket,put a piece of glass on it.Great a coffee table.So then I set to work and made a coffee table out of it.I just couldn't bear to see it go back to the tip.I'm not sure when it was completed but I know it was a fair few years ago.

It is painted in 2 pack sparkle green metallic.It has seen two pieces of glass break on it.Which is why it now 10mm thick glass.Hope you enjoy the story and pictures.I'm proud of it. I'm now thinking I should put a working motor on it.

Nice spray job! easy to move to vac the rugs, I wonder who will try that line on the wife, to justify a mower in the house!

Thank you FAST GRASS, if i make one of these, I think i might just try that line out for you!!

I must admit I have a very good wife in that regards. In fact she loves the coffee table.I guarantee if somebody tried to take it she be the one putting on the gloves and chasing them out the door.

No worries Ty, let me know how you get on!
I'm sure if you do such a Stirling effort as Blumbly has; you'll be resting the coffee mug over one in no time!

I was actually thinking about this the other day...... I would get shot by the otherhalf if she found out if I brought one in side

Just goes to show how lucky I must be.

Hi Blumbly, what a great idea! Who would ever think of a Victa 18 as a coffee table. Who knows, you may start a fad! on the paint job as well mate.

Well done Blumbly. I used to know a guy who had a restored Vincent Rapide on display beside his office desk, but it was just there for show (and to make the place a bit oily). You've done far more by making the display piece into a functional item of furniture. I'd have been a bit put off if you'd done something like that to a really rare model, but as it is you've struck a good balance.

Does the height adjuster work? Might save you reaching down quite so far for your glass ...

Good thoughts there Grumpy, I was just wondering if a piece of artificial grass could be used as the floor rug to put it on!

Funny you mentioned that Deejay I only said to the wife about a week ago that I should look for some artificial grass.She gave me a funny look.As for Grumpy question about the height adjusters.When I actually restored the mower to this, (coffee table)they were working,but I don't know why they have stopped working.Don't know if it has anything to do with the weight of the glass or not.Let's face it to get them working again could be a fairly time consuming job.If I go to the trouble of putting a working motor on it I will look at them then.Also have a leaf guard to go on it.Just have to paint it. Unfortunately to cold here at the moment to paint so that may have to wait till warmer weather.So could anybody give me there views to putting a work motor on it? Or should I just leave it as the work of art it is?

Hi Blumbly, If you plan to mow the lawn with it someday, I'd put a working motor on it, but obviously you're not, so I personally would leave it as is, as you say, a piece of art; maybe the only one in existence.
Also, IMO there is nothing so sad as a serviceable engine, that never gets to run.....
The coffee table, it just looks great...doesn't it!

I was being facetious with the comment about the height adjuster, Blumbly. That kind of height adjuster was lucky to work on a really good day, and certainly not with 20 kg of glass on top of it in addition to the mower's weight. Besides, you would reach down 2" further for an awful lot of beers before it took as much extra effort as trying to operate one of those awful early Victa height adjusters.

I wouldn't say they are awfull Grumpy, the one on my Special only takes a 20ft lever, pulled by a fleet of 13 elephants to move.

how much easier do you want it?

I had one back when they were just about new Ty, and it wasn't much better than that. It should have been described as "semi-adjustable height", in recognition of the fact that you set it up when you first bought the mower, then left it like that.

I must say, it does lead to consitency in cutting height, wether you damn well like it or not!

(And i do still take mine out for a mow every now and then, i like to rotate through the whole collection, giving them all a run every now wand then)

Thanks Deejay that's what I was thinking,but my son and a couple of friends have been telling that I should put a working motor on it.But as I said I don't want to mow with it, I just want to put my coffee on it.

...and what's wrong with the elephants? It would be the twenty foot lever that would be the problem.

Feeding them is a pain!

Yes I suppose it would.I've never actually tried.