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

Hi to All, The coffee table project is underway at last!

Well, have just completed the strip down of the chassis, not as easy as I thought due to some corrosion between the alloy and steel bolts....but with the help of WD40 and plenty of patience, I got there in the end.
Here is a 'before' pic...

Here's a few after dis-assembly...
The base in great overall condition, no holes or cracks

Below; base, cowling and recoil starter....that needs the 'T' handle

Below; axles, exhaust plate and engine with head removed.

Worn axles...will need work



Engine...Light surface rust in bore, no lip, no piston movement or scoring...looks good!!

Box of assorted parts for cleaning...

Below; severe corrosion of left hand front axle clamp...cracking evident and the 'U' moulding is fused inside...

Well that's it so far....Off to the blasters to get the base, handles, cowling and recoil done...

Oh....I almost forgot...for Ty's and others Victa Serial Number records...the engine number is: AA14992 with the lower crankcase number: 6.... Victa 125. But....it has been fitted new with an earlier engine.
It has some parts left over from the Model 4 Automatic; (axle housing extensions) this makes it a Model 5, Series 1 machine.

When I first got it, I couldn't work out why it would only turn over so far before stopping, somehow for whatever reason someone had put a 1/4 inch socket in through the spark plug hole and left it there. the bore was worse than that before, I cleaned it up a little and hosed it down pretty thoroughly with WD 40.

After that, I put it up the back for a good 8 months or so and now Darryl has it!

Yeah Joe, the bore looks good now Joe, but for now it will be a non-runner....and serve as a coffee table...
Di has christened it "Mervyn"

Maybe you should just have it like my coffee table. Mine doesn't even have a piston in it, as it has a snapped conrod. Also it's not like it needs to mow any lawns at all. Grass doesn't grow inside the house.

Hi Jeffrey, yes mate you're right there, it will just be a coffee table for now...but it's nice to know that down the track it could be put in working order if needs be...I will lightly lubricate it all thoroughly before I mothball it.

Yeah I suppose that would be good.I've never had to worry about that as I know my coffee table engine is dead.

I know what you mean, I have the barrel and head off for cleaning and find that the fly wheel appears almost fused to the shaft....I won't even try to get it off....so it looks like this one is dead as well!!
RIP!!
Anyone for coffee??

If in doubt get a bigger hammer. lol

I have a puller made for it I will call you and come over for a few drinkies in the next week or so and get R done

Hi Deejay , don't give up on the flywheel , they come off easy with a puller , just put a few drops of Penetrene on the thread and let soak 'til Joe comes over, sometimes they come off with a bit of leverage (screwdrivers) on each side.

Hi Joe, you are a legend...looking forward to that!!

Hi Alan, thanks mate for that....I have got it soaking with WD40, did that yesterday....I haven't got Penetrene...will WD do the same job? The engine has quite a bit of built up crud around it...if I can get it all apart, I think it will make cleaning a lot easier.

BTW....there is a PM there for you.

I tend to find penetrene much more effective than WD, but it can be tricky to find stockists.

Theres one mob I found in Canberra with it, If you like, when I do this VIC trip soon, i can stop by and visit on the return, and give you a can you can try out for yourself.

You could call it a Christmas present

You can get Penetrene from Repco. There may be other chains that sell it. (I like it too, but I resent the price.)

I did not realise repco had it, do they sell the liquid packs, or just the aerosol cans.

I find the liquid packs more cost effective, you just need to get a decent refillable spray bottle.

I've only ever used liquid packs, Ty. That's what I've bought from Repco.

Sorry I wouldn't buy anything from Repco to [Censored] expensive.After all we all know what Repco stands for.Don't ask if you don't know I wouldn't be able to type it on here,it does contain some strong language.

Hi Ty, and thanks for the offer mate. I have got it soaking with a 3 in one oil....I states that it oils, cleans and penetrates...I won't attempt to remove the flywheel till Joe arrives with the puller....
If you can grab me some Penetrene, just let me know and I'll send you some cash by direct debit...
Thanks again Ty...

Just an update... I just scored some hubcaps and a fuel tank sticker from fleaBay, just saving some pennies for some wheels for it, from the online store....

Hi to All,
Just an update, with many thanks to Bruce, I now have new wheels. A big thanks to Joe Carroll who came over from Leeton with his flywheel puller and the flywheel came off without a hitch. We removed the electrics (all surprisingly in good shape) the bottom plate and then disassembled the crankcase.

Now the cleaning has started; the base, handles, brackets, cowling and tank are at the blasters and will be primed as soon as the blasting is complete.
I have commenced cleaning of the alloy parts with the crankcase first on the agenda.
I gave them a good soaking in Kenco degreaser, which did a good job...for aluminium and alloys, it has to be diluted 1 part degreaser to 2 parts water.
Plenty more parts to do....Here's some pics...


Ahh well, back to it!!

Looks like the Victoria trip might not be till Australia day, if you want what I have here for you before then, PM me, and I will arrange a trip so you can keep moving with this one Darryl!

Hi Ty, no probs mate, I have just had the chassis, cowling, tank, handles and sundry fittings blasted and are now ready to be primed....I am busy on the alloy work at present.

Have now got a new rubber rectangular spark plug grommet, plug lead and pristine Victa 'smiley-face' fuel cap. I also have got a complete set of new gaskets, and have ground off the welds and removed the 4 worn stub axles, from the front and rear axles. I will now have to get a length of 12.7mm mild bright steel and fabricate some new stubs for them, and get 'em welded in place.

Just an update, here are a couple of pics with the completed flywheel and coil plate, fuel cap, HT lead and gasket set....all coming along slowly.

Thanks for looking,

I have seen that way of packing before on the gasket set, your probably using one of my suppliers

Hi Joe, I don't know mate, I got them from the Online Store right here.....
Here's what I've been up to over the weekend.

I thought this was an early machine, it's got the threaded hole blanked off for the cable to the top of the carby that would have been for the "Predicta" set up for the model 4 Automatic....here's more finished....the barrel needs its coat of gloss black!






Thanks for looking!!

Update...cleaned all brassware for the carby and re-assembled, fuel tap refurbished and completed and gloss black on the barrel, throttle polished...Here's some pics...





Just the little fiddly bits to go now, and back together it goes!!
Thanks for looking.

It looks like you are doing the thing no-holds-barred, Deejay, it should end up a real work of art. Who is going to get the job of dusting it and polishing the brass regularly?

Many years ago I knew a guy with an old Invicta, possibly 1930s. He had occasion to remove the headlining at one point and found that the aluminium hardware that held the roof down had all been hand-buffed when the car was built, so it would look nice for the occasional motor-trimmer who restored the head-lining when the car eventually needed it. I can't help thinking your fine finish on the internal float-bowl parts is a similar sort of concept.

Hi grumpy and thanks for your comments..re: the brassware...all external brass will have a clear coat applied so polishing will be not required for a few years, and the internals will be ready if ever the machine needs to run again. I guess I will have to dust it now and again, as per all furniture, and the glass top cleaned regularly.

Re: cleaning the brassware....I found a great method on the net that works....In a suitable large glass bottle place 3 tablespoons of salt and 2-3 cups of brown vinegar...shake well to dissolve the salt and place the brass into the solution. Swill the parts around in the solution and leave overnight....Result clean brass!!
If a polished surface is required, "Brasso" is the go!

Hi Darryl , looking good , all shiny .
Just a couple of questions , are all those silver engine and carby parts polished or painted ?
Is that fuel tap the correct one ?
Keep up the good work , will be nice to see it finished , how is the frame coming along ?
Cheers Al