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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 510 Likes: 1
Qualified Senior
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As you can see, I will by anything. The bonus is, the mower is registered. Engine turned out to have good compression. ![[Linked Image]](https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/uploads/usergals/2012/10/full-4730-8235-registered.jpg)
Happy is he who penetrates the mystery of things.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 6,926 Likes: 10
Pushrod Honda preferrer
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That Briggs looks like a 92508 from long, long ago. A decent engine if in good condition, but I can't understand why you'd buy it, since much better mowers seem to be available on nearby nature strips for nothing, from time to time. Someone half a dozen houses away from me abandoned a fairly modern Victa Powertorque a few months ago, all clean and nice-looking, kindly leaving the mower repairer's tag on it saying that the starter was broken. It looked to me as if the cup was slipping, which should have been a 5 minute fix. The little old lady concerned was taken for a ride by a dealer who wanted to sell her a new mower, it seems. I left it right there on the nature strip of course (2 strokes appeal to me about as much as fresh dog droppings) and it sat there for about 36 hours. There are frequent patrols by people picking up such treasures, usually they get them on the first morning they are out there.
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 523 Likes: 1
Qualified Senior
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 510 Likes: 1
Qualified Senior
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Grumpy, how could you pass up a new Victa 2 stroke.  I have got a few from the side of the road, but I normally get junkers from the tip shop for 5 or 10 bucks. Other people might be after newer ones, but not me.
Happy is he who penetrates the mystery of things.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 6,926 Likes: 10
Pushrod Honda preferrer
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So far as passing up a good, free Victa 2 stroke (it was a late pre-China one as far as I could tell) goes, why would I take home something I disliked just because it was free? Usually fresh piles of doggie-do are free also.
As far as the broader question of acquiring interesting mowers is concerned, it isn't a question of age, Mark - I like classic mowers too - but in the end you have to get them up to scratch, and that costs money as well as time. Example: you'll have to get a catcher for your HRU195, and those are in moderately short supply (contractors seem to trash them, from beating them against things to clean them out, and from them falling off the top of the trailer at speed), therefore expensive. I needed a replacement idle jet for my 1980s HR194: $18, for a tiny bit of moulded plastic. A 30 year old hessian-bag Honda catcher: $50. And so it goes, a whole bunch of small expenditures, until you finally have it in decent shape. At that point it's worth a couple of hundred dollars, but it's cost you that much. Of course you wouldn't do it unless you planned to keep the mower and enjoy it, but how many mowers can you enjoy? I've tried one mower, and I've tried two mowers. One is better (just ask my wife). So, I'll get rid of either my classic early HR194, or my 2009 HRU195, sooner or later. It will be painful, whichever one goes, but one of life's hardest lessons is that it takes constant work to keep from accumulating too much stuff.
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 510 Likes: 1
Qualified Senior
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G'day Grumpy, I have a term for doggie-doo (I call them barkers nests), anyway I try not to get caught up with this brand or that, I have never been a holden or ford man, with me I like to get them to start easily, sing sweetly and cuts the grass well, that is the challenge. I very rarely buy many parts, my outlay at the tip shop is not great. I do spend alot of time fixing them though, not too worried about that, it is a hobbie for me (must admit it is growing) Yes I am constantly going through and getting rid of parts or bits I may not use, I agree got to keep that under control. The joy for me is being resourceful and making something useful from something that has been thrown out. Cheers hey.
Happy is he who penetrates the mystery of things.
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,819 Likes: 6
Junior Technician
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Cant believe you went past a mower like that.
Nothing worng with that rover if the price is right.
Rear door, front wheels, handles. Easy worth $20. If the motor is good.
I dont bother with comp tests any more. On those old ones I just rip the head straight off. And the valve chest cover. Could have oil in it or whatever that can boost the compression results. Or it might just have one gouge in the bore right at the bottom.
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