OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Finding and Swapping Idle Chatter Here's a few from the US

Forum Historian

Thought I'd do a bit of digging into the lawnmowers of old in the US, here's some interesting pictures I have found.

[Linked Image]

Cheers
Ty

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Mr Davis #34551 10/03/12 10:45 AM

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Deejay

Administrator - Master Technician

Hi Ty, thanks for posting the pics mate...quite a few unusual machines there; quite a few ugly ones as well! lol

Please do not PM me asking for support. Please post your questions in the appropriate forums, as the replies it may receive may help all members, not just the individual member.
Kindest Regards, Darryl

Mr Davis #34560 10/03/12 12:00 PM

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Forum Historian

Ugly is definitely in the mix!

What also get's me, is the fact that so many company's over there have struggled with the idea of 4-wheels.

No wonder Victa took off so well, seems that everyone else wants it a little too complex!

Mr Davis #34562 10/03/12 12:08 PM

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Melbourne, Australia

grumpy

Pushrod Honda preferrer

That one with the powered trailer-seat would have to be American, the British always had footmen to push their trailer seats for them when they wanted to mow the lawn themselves. All in all I think footmen are a more reliable source of propulsion, but I suppose 4 stroke engines are less prone to revolting. (2 stroke engines are always revolting, of course.)

grumpy #34567 10/03/12 12:25 PM

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Deejay

Administrator - Master Technician

"Yes, we'll have once more round the garden Jeeves, then we'll have gin and tonns served in the conservatory....Come on Jeeves....chop chop!! lol

Deejay #34598 11/03/12 09:30 AM

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Deejay

Administrator - Master Technician

Hi All, did you notice that the trailer unit has an Iron Horse the same as Pete's fitted....

The whole package looks a bit like "Tenants Improvements" doesn't it.

Mr Davis #34600 11/03/12 10:07 AM

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Melbourne, Australia

grumpy

Pushrod Honda preferrer

Looks as if the Iron Horse on the mower itself has its carburetor and reed valve missing, so it's a posed pic I think. There may be some kind of subtle steering system in play there, but I haven't figured out how it works. By the look of the huge tyres on his powerseat, either he was rather a big lad, or he goes up some steep hills with that rig. I think there is some serious ingenuity involved in the design, Deejay, not a typical tenant job. Maybe a prototype for a project that never happened.

Mr Davis #34640 13/03/12 12:48 PM

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Forum Historian

Here is some more detail on that one, It's from an eBay listing in the US.
[Linked Image]

Quote

Ok people, what a rare odd piece for the collector. I don't know much about it, I had both engines running a couple years ago and rode it around the yard with the mower and the front wheel attachment on it. Varible speed disc drive, forward and reverse. I always thought it would be cool piece to ride around on at the tractor shows. I have had it a couple years now and just sitting there so time for someone else to enjoy. You can see where some repairs were made on the bars connecting the two together, I think that was a problem area on them all. Mower deck comes off and wheels go on in less than a minute. Both engine turn over fine, I haven't had running for couple years now, tanks are empty. Mower recoil is a little sticky, rope takes a little while to wind back in. Back engine the little plastic handle on the recoil rope has broke off the rope, still very easy to pull over the little 2-cycle engine like this. Both engines are 2 cycle so you have to mix oil in the gas. You get ALL in the pictures, it has grass catcher attachment, front wheel attachment to take deck off and you get the handle for the mower also in case you want to mow with out riding?? OR, the wife can push the mower and mow while you ride around watching..... Buyer MUST pick item up in Bucyrus, OH 44820 or make and pay for all shipping arrangements. I can store this unit for free for 90 days after auction end to make it easier for pickup or I can load it for you if you send a truck. Item must be paid in full withing 10 days of auction end. Any questions please ask. I won't end any of my auctions early and if it is a "buy it now" it will be stated that way. Be sure to check my other auctions for more hard to find items. DON'T FORGET TO CHECK MY EBAY STORE!

Mr Davis #34641 13/03/12 12:51 PM

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Forum Historian

Here's a few more pics from the listing: [Linked Image]

And a close up of the air filter on the mower, I can't see any sign the carby is missing??
[Linked Image]

Mr Davis #34644 13/03/12 02:07 PM

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Melbourne, Australia

grumpy

Pushrod Honda preferrer

My error, Ty. The carburetor of the Lawn Boy attaches to the reed valve and the whole assembly mounts on the bottom of the crankcase, opposite the cylinder. I don't recall ever seeing a modern mower with such an inadequate air filter before: I thought the opening was the crankcase port, with the carburetor and valve removed. It's quite clear when you blow up the picture that it is the little air filter, not the port, as you say.

grumpy #34645 13/03/12 03:48 PM

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Deejay

Administrator - Master Technician

Unusual piece of kit, that's for sure!

Mr Davis #35136 21/03/12 06:40 AM

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Posts: 414

Not Australia, USA

K-balm

Professional Tinkerer

that crazy contraption with the two engines is a lawnboy loafer!

also those machines with like 3 or like 5 wheels were just experements most of the old lawnmowers in the us looked like this http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/Old_lawnmower.JPG

also you say complex? have you ever looked under the hood of a lawnboy? they are about as bare bones as it gets...they just have fancy covers on them....

kori

Mr Davis #35265 22/03/12 05:20 AM

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Forum Historian

When I said complex I was really referencing the various ideas on where to put wheels, as opposed to the engines.

In reality though, it happened over here too, well, at least the wheel behind chute did, I've got an early Rover set up like that with a simplex engine.

I have actually been working on an OMC engine (the ones used by lawnboy i believe) recently, on a masport 460, it's an interesting engine, It's unusual over here to see a fully throttle governed 2-stroke lawnmower, we have plenty of running governed ones, but to have absolutely no throttle setting, just on and off, is unusual for a mower here in my experience!

Mr Davis #35334 22/03/12 11:09 PM

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Brisbane QLD Australia

Blumbly

Master Technician

They do have some odd looking mowers.Although there are some that if I could get my hands on I'd certainly hang on to them.

Here for a good time,not a long time.

Mr Davis #35335 23/03/12 12:39 AM

Joined: Mar 2012

Posts: 414

Not Australia, USA

K-balm

Professional Tinkerer

the strange thing about over here is that almost NONE of our mowers have a throttle....or a primer for that matter like this one that has ready start

Click HERE

also to most folks a victa would be very difrent over here....

kori

Last edited by Deejay; 23/03/12 07:26 AM. Reason: Fixed the link

Mr Davis #35355 23/03/12 04:12 PM

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