OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Victa Walk-Behind Rotary Mowers Look at what I found!

Hello ODK Members and Friends.
After giving up on having one of these for my own in a 'round about way this beauty came across my path. Just in time for Australia day!
Happy happy happy!
And after pulling the carburettor apart and cleaning all the gritty crap out of the float chamber it runs!
Only thing, it won't take full throttle. It idles fine and is okay up until about 3/4 throttle. Somewhere between 3/4 and dish out the beans and it will die until you close up the throttle and it will fire up again.
Any suggestions of things I should check on?
Just need a early 60's Holden ute to carry it in now.



Got a few other questions regarding these too...

Can you still get new pistons for the 125cc engine?
What measurement are the bolts and nut on these (AF/SAE?)

Replacement parts - can you get repro...
Air intake snorkels
Wheels
Brass fuel taps

I'm sure ill have heaps of other Q's soon

Thanks in advance to All!
cheers
Uni

Hello Unimog74

This is great news! This is the one to have for the proud Aussie Barbie Boys.
In many ways, your new Victa represents the Australian icon of ... 'lawnmower'.

This one seems unmolested and I wonder if you know of its history?
I know some members would like a close-up of the serial numbers on the crankcase.

With respect to your specific questions, I will have to default to the
Victa experts on these forums. To follow this one through will be good for the record.

Congratulations on this find. It presents as original in very good condition.

Hey it's Victa time ...
-----------------------------------------
JACK.

Well done Uni! Hope you got a bargain...

Patina appears original, The red may have been touched up. Bars and tank look light or touched but may be the Image. Also appears to be showing remnants of the original plating on the axles.

A tidy little Model 5 Series 1.

New repro,
Tap...No...Ebay or private. ..Your looking for a CC branding. Price 10-25 depending on cond.
Wheels...No, but may occasionally be bought of ebay for high prices. 150-200 a set.
Snorkel...Yes and No...Some places list for later 60s Models and are close, but good Sh ones can also be bought of ebay 15-30 range
Pistons and rings all gaskets seals and bearings are available here on the ODK online store and competetive prices.

An Engine number if correct will determine age and accuracy.

Also a pull start will be a nice addition as will a special badge and groove cover If yow want to Max it out.

Std recoil Pull start cost 20-45 on condition.
badge 50-100 depending on cond...80 should get you a tidy crack free minimum chip/marks.

Carby should also be Victa stamped with CC behind the primer pin.

3/4 Throttle issues are very common,
Incorrect cable positioning, It may be running full, but has slack left. Can be adjusted at carb.
If its backfiring when 3/4 is reached its taking to much air. Block the snorkel partially while its at 3/4 and see if it smooths out as you slowly choke it.
otherwise strip the carb and check float clearance as it may be starving at hig speed messing up the air fuel ratio.
also check needle and main jet for previous damage or jet damage.

The Mower uses Whitworth and AF. Ill check on all the sizes you need but 1/4 and 5/16 w are the most common with 1/2 AF Another. Ill get you allbthe spanner and tapping thread sizes.

Anyways have fun with your new toy, shes going to come up a treat.

Any questions you Have please post away!!!

Cant see you air filter assy for accuracy.

hi Blue,
The air filter is the black and beige one which you can switch from start / run with a gauze inside it.
The flash seems to have drowned some of the colour out of the image. Its very tidy and I don't think ill touch it much at all.
The handle bars were brush retouched - I feel like respraying them the original Brunswick green but leaving the rest alone.
Yes the axles are still a slivery colour.
The red seems blurred I think due to the camera setting I used. low res for forums.

I did also get the toe guard ring for the base.
Its currently having its rust converted and will be resprayed tomorrow in Avocado hammertone thanks to I think the last spray can of Galmet in the colour in the known universe.

Perfect! Was going to say leave it original...

Good you have the correct choke:)

Definately paint the bars, ive done a few and it doesnt look out of place...

Agreed that will be one of the last...A couple of restores still have some, but they are scarce. but who knows how good it will be, as it does have a shelf life.

Btw, Factory Victa toe guards are Victa/Brunswick green only.

But thats your choice:)

Spanners are 1/4 w/bsw and 5/16w/bsw for most stuff. 1/2 and 9/16 occasionally on some...open end 1/4 on barrel to case nuts will be best.

Taps dies,

Crank 1/2 16 BSF

Crankcase studs 5/16 22 BSF

1/4 5/16 UNC on most other bolts nuts.

3/16 W 24 for small stuff.

Looks like your in a good place:) Shes gonna look great.

If your keeping the pulley, try find a tidier cast. This has a very late one. The original has a very prominent centre piece and rough cast...They just look nicer. Just a thought.

Oh and do you mind sharing the serial?

Hi Blue,
engine serial is
269308
6

What does this tell us?
cheers,
Uni

That tells us its the correct serial for your Mower, and almost certainly the original Engine. Its nearing the final stages of the Series 1 run. And should fall in the 58 range....

You picked up a really nice original mate...After a tidy up and parts correction, it will be one of the better original examples

So i've got to find a replacement fuel tap that doesn't leak and respray the handle.

OK, this is another project ive started.
Due to a real lack of Avocado hammertone in a rattle can I have to think of something else to paint it with. As I don't have the experience nor the equipment to spray with a gun I'm limited.
Ive chosen this colour scheme.
I do have some green avocado in a rattle can but it is past its useby date im sure, as it is difficult to get a good finish with this particular can.
See for yourselves and let me know what you think.
That is about all I think ill be painting in avocado green.
anyways stay tuned. Im currently experimenting with colours for something else i'll post up shortly.
uni.

Doesnt look too bad a finish, nice hammer patina..Ive seen a lot worse with new paint!

Is it Alpine ,green on the cowl and bars, looks like a White Knight colour. The toe ring looks like it was in good nick to, cant see any pitting.

Your not going Deep brunswick on the bars and brackets? Are these the bars off your series 1 or another Project? I find personally 2 dif hammer finishes clash. I do like the Alpine green though, it looks good on late utilities:)

Anyways looks like your having fun...addictive isn't it!

Whats the other mower? A VC? Or the 720?

Also that painted late model cowl....Whats this one off? Did you get another Special or marine?

The green is a Galmet Jade Green hammer finish. I really liked this light green hammer finish and seeing I had some Avocado available but not enough for an entire base, I thought I'd use what I had as a throwback to their original colour. It may not be everyone's cup of tea but I'm doing this for me and it makes me smile - objective achieved!
This is the other mower - I have two toe cutters. The original one and now this one.
This one was so badly neglected, engine has near zero compression but the main thing was it was complete with nothing missing... well some more compression would have been nice. I do have a spare engine here which needs pulling down and the two looked side by side to work out the better one to reco.
Once I get them apart ill put some pictures up of their internals.
I cant wait to finish this restoration and get a "family photo" to put up.
Would be great!

congrats mog on finally getting an 18 well done

Just a quick progress report on the 18. Please note that this is not the original as seen in the first picture of this thread. This is another chassis that I found that was in dire need of some help.
Anyways this base was all stripped back by hand using super cheap degreaser, a wire brush, Diggers paint stripper, a paint brush, a mag wheel cleaning brush, Diggers wax & grease remover, an old flannel bed sheet, air compressor, some etch primer and hammer top coat both in rattle cans.
I'm pretty happy with the results.
anyways enjoy!

looking good Uni.

This is where im at ATM.
Believe it or not there is avocado green and Brunswick green in there.

Hi J, can you post a pic of your completed mower when you get to your new digs :-)

Hello all,
after a long absence from the forum I thought I'd better show all what ive done.
Theme is a Victa 18 Custom. Some may not like it. It wasn't done up to be yet another restoration. It was done up to be pleasing to behold as it sits in my living room.
Anyway I hope you like it. Photos are only VGA resolution to speed up uploads etc and the colours are a bit off too.

i like it

Great Work Uni,loving the carby mod and K/L filter.... Well done

Those Wheels look Genuine NOS not AM...or are they Painted? Great score if they are gen.

Very nice, very crisp ! Thanks for the pics.