OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Collectors Corner Collectors General Discussion My Victa Mowers

What makes it an auto base? Is it the hole in the casting in pics 3 and 5 just forward of the height adjusting boss cast into the base?

The hook on the front of each height adjuster housing corresponds with a block that is part of the casting for the base. A rod which supports the front or rear flap is held in the mounting. I believe this mower to be an ex auto, at 130420 it must be one of the very last.

I thought they all had that hook, never really looked, I will have to check all the ones I have here

Thanks Paul. Can you clear up one other thing please whats the story with the side holes? Why are these such a point of interest? Does it just help determine the age?
Thanks
Danny

It's a Model 4 chassis for sure, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it was set up as a 'Model 4 Automatic' when it left the factory. Victa apparently assembled quite a few 'Model 4 Standard' units on this chassis, to use them up after the Automatic was discontinued. The highest ODK-confirmed Auto engine serial is in the 128,000's.

The main diagnostic telltales for Automatic originality will be: 1. If there is any visible wear on the chassis lugs, from the Predicta mechanism pivot rods; 2. How the second cable hole in the carby top is plugged - and if it's there.

That's on the mower as it stands; who knows what the box o' bits might reveal...

The ODK 'master thread' on the distinguishing characteristics and serialization of the Model 4's [and incidentally Model 5's too] is this one:
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=47929

'unkiemonk' has a bit of a checklist on Page 13 of that thread, for Automatic originality.

If you mean the side skirt mounting bolt holes and the associated casting bosses, yes the presence of these on the left hand side [from operator's POV] of the chassis, along with the RHS 'edger channel', is definitive for a Model 4 chassis.

Absence of these holes/bosses, on a chassis that has the edger channel, makes it an early 'Model 5 Special'; a Series 1 if it has the Predicta lugs on the axle mounts, Series 2 if the lugs are absent.

These 'Series' designations are just what ODK members have come up with, to define the major chassis feature variations which occurred during the production run of the Model 5, BTW.
They're not 'official' designations, but still very useful in working out where a given mower fits into the production sequence.

Thanks Gadge. It's a lot for a greenhorn to get his head around. I have been doing my homework around here but models and series and differences and build dates is all bit of a head scratcher. Thanks for the link I haven't gotten to the end yet.

Cleaned out the carby and fuel tank, new plug and a replacement coil

[video][/video]

:-)

And I think I have scored a replacement set of front wheels for my Turner 18"