OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Victa Walk-Behind Rotary Mowers My Victa Rotomos - Some Thoughts

I definitely agree there Agro, that is an awesome score, and my to you Jonesy.That mower is in terrific condition for its age and all complete...Wow!

Thanks fellas, yep got the feelers out now for a badge in original condition to go on it now to complete it, getting dearer now these badges

Well Been looking for a badge with the right patina to suit the mower and got this off Ebay and have some original rivets that I have ground off from the back that I hope to be able to re-use.





I have not done anything to the old girl yet as have been working on my lathe (so I can turn up axles etc) and getting my parts out of the molassas tubs and cleaning up of the parts to the old Myers pump, all this is about to come to a stand still as I am taking holidays to get the stormwater and water run to the shed and a shitload of concreteing to do, any way all needs to be done before winter gets here, also hope to get enough bases/handles & tanks painted also, so I can make some real progress this year with some resto's.

Yayyy you got your badge finally
just curious about your use of rivets? Original rotomo fittment for the badge should be a 1/2 inch 3/16 straight slot dome head machine screw and hex nut and std spring washer.
Screw should be
1/2 inch long
3/16
3/8 dome head dia.
Unless of course im wrong....lmao. Anyways i use old weathered rivets sometimes cause i dont have enough old screws this size...
And btw mowers are more important than drains and concreting.....hahahahha.

When did Victa start using rivets mine is also riveted on and was told it was wrong should the screws as above. This is not the only mower with rivets, I have seen others. It just seams strange that someone would use rivets in different parts of the country and not replace the screws with screws if one had come out
Ian

As far as Im aware Ian NO victa prior to mid rotomo model 2 used rivets. As ive seen and owned too many original examples with the same screws. After mid rotomo 2 im unsure as ive not researched this. As far as im aware no rivets where used anywhere on any victa well up to sheerline...shops or owners may have replaced them accordinlgy. perhaps someone may know otherwise,but fan mk1 and 2 roto 1 and early roto 2 Definately used screws. the majority of riveted badges ive seen have been on late model roto 2s and 3s and utilities. either way screw or rivet,personally i dont mind either .

My M1 rotomo definately has screws, its right in the back of the shed at the moment too hard to get at for pics but they can be just be seen in this

Mine model 2 number 60435 has rivets does that mean is 'mid rotomo model 2'
I have other model 2s maybe a model 1 can't get to them to check the numbers as everything is in lock down as we just had 300+mm of rain over night
Ian

Ah, well I was just asuming rivets were correct, I did not know, just the last badges I removed had rivets (one M2 & one M12) the steel ones on the mod 12 looked very original and neat, the mod 2 ones were copper and not as neat or original now I have had a better look, both types were just the peened over rivets not like the ones put in with a rivet gun, some pics.

Mower base (Mod 2) bought off Ebay. has the copper rivets.






This is the revamped Mod 12 badge with the steel rivets, and maybe these could have been original being a later mower???




Blue have you got a good pic of the head of one of the original bolts so I will know what to keep my eye out for? thanks every one.

Yup....ill do a pic tomorrow. The style is the same as the throttle control screws just in unc not fine...all the other 3/16 screws on victas are cheese head.

Picked this up today, what caught my eye was the split pin axles and tin wheels with good tyres and the circlip carb, these are the pics from Gumtree.




so I went for a look, apart from the obvious of having the wrong engine fitted, every thing pointed to could be a M1 base etc in really good condition. I will post more pics when my phone charges up.







as you can see it has the right fuel cap in the last lot of photos, in the second photo you can see a utility tank and a M5 tank & a blade plate, got them thrown in and the corrrect fuel cap was on the M5 tank, I am a bit disapointed after measuring between the front axel struts as they measure 280mm not 290mm so I figue it a M2 mower with M1 axels, Blue mentioned the M1 rear axel being longer than an M2, does anyone know the length of M1 rear axels as from what I can figure only some were longer?? thanks for any help or opinions you guys.

I think It was Unkie who mentioned the measurements,they are somewhere in this thread. but ill check tommorow for you. I think its 280 1 and 290 2 from memory.

And how do you switch over to the reserve tank??? Lmao!

The other way to tell is check and see if there is a groove for the circlip on the rear axle just inside the axle mount. The 1 doesnt usually have one and were often welded over time.

Anyways You OFFICIALLY SUCK! Another rotomo and possibly a model 1 grrr...I Cant see the front axles properly. What is the engine no anyways? running a heat shield probably off an M5 S2.

Good score hope you got it cheap. love the original rotomo and oil sticker remnats. Find an engine and this will make an awesome original.

Anyways im sure youve got a spare engine,if not I bet in a week youll come on and post youve found one! LMAO

Really is good pickin in Tassie,guess its got something going for it afterall! Hahahahaha.

Already checked it's M1 290 & M2 280, you swap over to reserve quickly lol, cant see any circlip groove in rear axel but is welded, there are no circlip grooves at the split pin ends, and no spare M1 engines laying round LoL, the engine No is one that I know nothing about, the story goes his grandad used it to mow the lawns with and his grandmother used to follow him up with a mower with a catcher LOL. some more pics.

Just keep it aside until you do:) The rear axle looks like its been replaced,no pitting at all? The engine is an M5 S3,there is another in my wanted forum ICAA00000. And from those images the front axles are model 2 not 1.....They are bent,So id say its a Model 2 Chassis,Since youve already measured the rear axle and came up with Model 2,id say thats correct:) And im sure you have a spare engine or two now....lols.

Just To reconfirm,Ive rechecked my two model 1's and they are exactly 290mm between front axle mounts. So with all our other info its a definate.

Now something else to consider Ive also checked my early Model 1/2 thats the Model 2 with the Model 1 Parts and it appears its also running a Model 1 Base At 290mm,With front and rear axles both in model 2 circlip styles.

4 Rotomo 2s came in at 280 mm and 1 at 285 which is just a minor discrepency and id say,no issues. So again also reconfirmed as accurate.

Rear axle on the model 1's is Exactly 16" or 406mm. Full floating axle with NO inner circlip stays and holes in the ends for the split pins.

Model 2 is also at 16" Predominantly Steel wheels and ALL plastic Wheel models have Circlip ends + Inner circlip axle retainer.....Although some early model 2's having split pin axles is not uncommon.

Havnt checked plastic wheel rotomos for rear axle length yet,but not anticipating any difference.

So Im assuming unless its had axles changed...Your chassis is a very early Model 2 Version and would look nice kept original....What are your thoughts Jonesy? So time to start finding a nice early serial??? The Give it to me! lmao....

I may as well chime in on this lol. My two Model 2's are as follows:

#17,000 - 290mm, circlip axles (transitional?!)
#54,000 - 280mm, circlip axles

Re the topic of rivets or bolts on the badge, my 17,000 with a Model 1 badge came with one side alloy riveted and the other with a brass dome nut. Still not 100% sure which is correct, but I'm leaning towards the rivet based on this image from the March 1957 ad:

Yeah your 17,000 circlip is correct since it is a Model 2,So you have to go on the Majority and accuracy of that Model,Not so much what part variants carried on from the Model 1 to the 2,valid as they are. But in all reality the real transition happened when the serial changed. So yeah your 290 mm is a model 1 base carry over as well and since its 17,000 im not surprised...So we both have early model 2 examples with model 1 bases.

Ive stated my opinion on the Screws a few times,that they all came with 2x 3'16 Machine screws and nuts,so ill wait for more evidence,especially since this Ad shows a Model 1 With Plastic Wheels! And Id expect to see solid steel or alloy Rivets,NOT pop/blind rivets for this period as the Ad is showing....But yeah a couple more Images might give a clearer picture,and we do have a few original examples in the Roto forum using Identical screws. But Ill stick With Screws for Now....Why? Cause your going alloy and we cant have fun debating if I go quietly along with you! LMFAO...Naaa we will sort it out soon! muffles under my breath...Screws...Screws....shhhhhh

Lol,exactly! I play devil's advocate all the time just to make things interesting. Speaking of, wasn't this your favorite ad Blue? It's the retouched one we battled over regarding the intro of plastic wheels remember?

03 Oct 1956






20 Mar 1957

I sure do, thats why i said it....so youd put it up...Lmao! lazy tight asses...cutting costs by retouching ADS! ha ha.

But yeah unkie it really is a credible Image,but im just not convvinced yet. So many examples running the screws,same thread same length same domed head size and chamfered nuts. both my original 1's have them and so does half my collection. especially the original ones... The most often I see rivets is on Restored,wrecked models and beat up examples. I guess another Image would help if possible,but I dont recall many clear ads showing enough to tell if they are screws or not . Ok as this is Important,ill try and find some more factual documented proof as I think I have enough Model proof. Also noticed the Fans and billy carts also running these screws. Other theories besides the image proof was that they used both, used them at certain periods,eg low stock of one for example,or the artist had worked his whole life in a rivet factory and had never seen a screw before? lols. I guess as ive said before,I really dont mind either way as so many restorers seem to use both...BUT ultimately we need to find out which/either are Accurate.

This topic contains much speculation on the details of early
Victa Rotomos. Nonetheless, it remains an important discussion
on mowers made over half a century ago.

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/images/jack/icon_locked.jpg

This topic has good historical discussion on early Victa Rotomos.
For this reason I have locked this topic.

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ODK