OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Collectors Corner Cylinder New Dog....old tricks..

Hi all...
i have been offered (and sent a pic of) a Ransome? reel mower

i have no other info

Keen to know/learn anything about this unit

Newlifemower (NLm)

Is there an ID plate on the other side of the machine?

I have a similar machine and also know almost nothing about it. Mine has a villiers engine that works great, your seems to have a Briggs engine, conversion maybe?

How wide is the reel, the catcher looks much better than mine, if nothing else.

Cheers

Havent seen the unit in person yet...the only other info i got was that it has a J.A.P 4/3 Motor on it with the foot crank start....

OK...Just pick up this beast....Man it's a biggun'

Details from Brass ID PLate;

Ransome Matador 24"
MK.1
Reg.No. 301337



Its all complete..including catcher

Looking at restoring the Motor Only...so might look at selling off everything else or swap for some bit 'n' pieces to help the resto??

Will update pics later...
J.A.P 4/3 Motor (with foot start)

I'd personally keep the mower as well as the engine as you have a device that you can use the engine with rather than just an engine running on a display peice, of course that is up to you...

That mower though was what the victa imperial was based off, I noticed that years back that they looked somewhat similar to the imperial and have had it confirmed from several sources that victa did indeed borrow and make their own design from ransomes.

I would kill for that rig. It's very wide.

Good to know that victa copied it

Sadly...i have not got the space..or the lawn to justify keeping it as a mower....its huge....

Hope someone can use the remainder for their own resto...

Wish i could work out the date this was made...not much info around ...

Ransomes "Matador Mk1 24" cut"
Need to find a more suitable fuel tank...the one thats on it is from a Rover Rancher...

good solid catcher & everything (non motor wise) seems to work...Huge machine...24" Cut!!

After a quick wash off...

Trying to make sense out of the numbers on the engine.. 4/3/P (model 4/3 1940??)
87556/52 (??)

So Far so Good :-)

Hi newlifemowers, and on your work so far....it looks great.....best of luck and good hunting for the bits that you need to complete it.

Cheers!

Loving it....very rewarding!

Hi newlifemowers and ODK members,

The Matador is still made today [http://www.jacobsen.com/matador.]
Your machine dates from the late 1950s (best guess).

You may enjoy this delightful video from The East Anglia Archive:-

Operation Matador - 1959

All very red rag at a bull.
------------------------------------------
JACK

From my (somewhat limited) understanding of that serial number, I would suggest this engine to be manufactured in 1956.

Thanks for the info

Have a look on the dress/cooling cool.You should find a diamond like shape on it. Within that shape you should see two numbers that should be the the date stamp.All of the J.A.P engines I have seen and played around with have that diamond stamp on them.

Blumbly, check the serial number photo, the diamond was often on the engine too, and can be faintly seen with a 56 in it below the serial number.

Well you've got better eyes than me cause I can't see it. Then again I'm only looking at it on my phone. Might be more visible on computer.

Well guys, I must be blind as well, because I can't see it either!