Need help?


Search OutdoorKing-Forum by entering Key Words Below



Who's Online Now
0 members (), 7,760 guests, and 358 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Online Spare Parts


Online Store


Newest Topics
Yardking crank case
by Spreefarm - 28/09/25 09:00 AM
Yard King Mower Manuals
by - 23/09/25 01:12 PM
Victa Identification
by RayNewt - 19/09/25 09:28 PM
Mowcart 66
by Willo - 19/09/25 10:41 AM
Ride on rover mower
by Laurie mowing - 16/09/25 02:43 PM
Topic Replies
Yardking crank case
by Bruce - 28/09/25 12:06 PM
Contessa fan
by mice_elf - 26/09/25 08:58 PM
Yard King Mower Manuals
by Muzho68 - 24/09/25 02:02 PM
Victa Identification
by maxwestern - 20/09/25 10:05 PM
Mowcart 66
by NormK - 20/09/25 12:07 PM
Hello from Vic
by mice_elf - 19/09/25 10:37 PM
Weekend find
by NormK - 16/09/25 05:35 PM
Ride on rover mower
by Laurie mowing - 16/09/25 02:43 PM
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Hop To
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 98
Trainee
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

Hello all Im still feeling my way with this technology posting pictures etc.
Anyway here is my latest machine a vc sports with a g3 carburettor.
I have repainted it ( hopefully as close to the original as I could ). Colours used are heratige blue and grape gloss (the purple). The catcher I dont think it is original and its colour was black also. My question is are these mowers rare or common. Thankyou for a great forum.


Yesterday is history
Tommorrow is a mystery
Today is a gift
That is why it is called the present.
Portal Box 6
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 8,085
Likes: 220
SENIOR TECHNICIAN
I have one of those purple things, but it has a Briggs motor on it, I always thought somebody had done a number on it with the horrible colour, but the purple hub caps had me thinking it might have been a factory colour

Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,842
Likes: 14
Moderator
Originally Posted by NormK
I have one of those purple things, but it has a Briggs motor on it, I always thought somebody had done a number on it with the horrible colour, but the purple hub caps had me thinking it might have been a factory colour
It was! When we first unpacked one of these, the old man's comment was 'the Italians will go for this one' [in Cobram, Vic, which had and still has a large community of Italian descent].



Cheers,
Gadge

"ODK Mods can explain it to you, but they can't understand it for you..."

"Crazy can be medicated, ignorance can be educated - but there is no cure for stupid..."
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 8,085
Likes: 220
SENIOR TECHNICIAN
Gadge, I heard years ago, not sure if it is true but with houses owned by Italians and something was painted purple out the front it meant the house was paid for, might be an old wives tale

Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 6,938
Likes: 304
Forum Historian
G'day all

This is the far-less-common colour, the most popular
being the red and white ones. Using racing drivers
certainly helped the perception, I guess, that the red
ones were faster.

But they also used the camp and colourful 'actor' Noel Brophy,
so I guess Victa had a balanced range. I love the rare blue and
purple jobs, because they were so bold!

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=62200

Quote
It was! When we first unpacked one of these, the old man's comment was 'the Italians will go for this one'
I had a similar experience Gadge.
I guess, at the Disco era - with flairs, wide belts, platform shoes,
and vibrant colours, this was the machine that would stand out on the
dance floor. I'm sure Al Grassby had one. grin

-----------------
Jack

Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 8,085
Likes: 220
SENIOR TECHNICIAN
Al Grasby, now there was somebody who had to be seen to be believed, very hard to keep a straight face when he was on TV, he would have fitted straight in at any circus as a performer.

[Linked Image]

Last edited by CyberJack; 02/01/17 11:40 PM. Reason: Add image for context and humour.
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,675
Likes: 165
SENIOR TECHNICIAN
Maybe any people of Levantine descent go for this psychedelic 70s purple number.
One time back in 88, I saw one such looking family using one with a faulty muffler with the engine surging well past the normal rev level!! It was as loud as an air raid siren. I was walking to the railway station which was another ten minutes away, and I could still hear it at the ticket office! Memories.
We knew one Italian family who had the similarly styled green VC 125. I found it so funny that people were mentioning Italians in this thread. laugh

Anyhow, what a grand resto we have here!! I love the use of self propelled rear wheels and the more modern thumb latch catcher. I have been lying in bed lately, wondering what that catcher would look like on this style of mower and here it is in PURPLE!! What a great start to 2017.
A couple of questions. Did you use plastic primer to paint the catcher?? And what is the exact brand of paint you used? Looks teriffic!!


Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,675
Likes: 165
SENIOR TECHNICIAN
PS: I would love to see a pic showing a 3/4 left side view from the rear and a closer look at what appears to be a model of a nice GM New Look bus (the same type used in the 1994 action flick Speed.


Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 6,938
Likes: 304
Forum Historian
G'day Mowerfreak
You make me smile - but not LOL, just SALTS. grin

I, like you, always look at the background 'noise' in photos.
For this reason it is best to have 'simple' backgrounds.

I saw the toy mower; you saw the toy bus ...
The office seat would appeal to the 'Greenfield Boys'
who would like to make their machines 'special' grin

Apologies to Hermosil...
It's just too much of a temptation:-

[Linked Image]

Cheers
-----------------
Jack



Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 98
Trainee
Thankyou all for your comments. The catcher was spray painted with Rustoleum 2x Ultracover Paint&primer Gloss Grape same as what I painted the mower with.
I wondered whether the rear wheels were original. Thanks for clearing that up.
The Bus in the background is very old I had it as a toy when I was about 5 years old same as the toy mower which I have since painted up as it is starting to rust.
Also did you see the model 12-2 villers engine and compressor in the background with the toy mower. I have set that up to drive an ancient small steam engine I got many years ago.


Yesterday is history
Tommorrow is a mystery
Today is a gift
That is why it is called the present.
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 98
Trainee
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
Further note here is a couple of pictures of that bus.


Yesterday is history
Tommorrow is a mystery
Today is a gift
That is why it is called the present.
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 6,938
Likes: 304
Forum Historian
G'day Hermosil
What a fantastic toy!
As a kid all I got was a [Censored] tractor.
Although I do remember a Buddy L milk truck...

You got me on the Villiers Mk12-2.
I simply just missed it. I'm ashamed.

------------------
Jack

Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,675
Likes: 165
SENIOR TECHNICIAN
Hermosil, thanks for showing us the coach. I can imagine the sound of a Detroit 6V71 2 stroke diesel turning fuel into noise from the rear! looks like it might be a collectors item as well as your other stuff!!


Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 4,291
Likes: 4
Master Technician
***
Hermosil That is in fact a 1973-1974 VC-Sport in the purple colour as you know.Victacode V137 a 160cc engine that run a G3 carby,with the plastic fuel bowl.No that catcher you have isn't the original catcher but you made it look awesome anyway.
Here is a couple of photos of mine.
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
Quote
My question is are these mowers rare or common.
To answer that question,No they were no near as popular as the orange and white ones.It is a little harder to find in the purple and even harder to find the correct colour matching catcher.Then a bit later they came out with another orange and white,as well as green and white.That later versions had the G4 carby. So I guess in the 2nd release Victa did away with the purple as it didn't prove to be very popular.
If you have a look at the back wheels (as already stated) being for an auto drive) you should see on the inside the teeth for the auto drive shouldn't be on it.It wasn't uncommon for Victa to put auto drive wheels on the VC-Sport,but they didn't have the teeth in them.
If it does it could well have been taken from an auto drive but not from the factory.
I hope this helps.


Here for a good time,not a long time.
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 98
Trainee
Thankyou Blumby for the excelent pictures of your mower. I can see that the catcher is more like one off a mustang. I got my lawnmower from a second hand shop mainly because of the colour of it. It was very faded and worn and the catcher was a black one. So I thought I would respray it Purple to match the colour of what it should have been. It runs well although the throttle is very touchy ie it runs flat out and with a very small movement it slows down and a little more movement it stops. my question is were this models throttle very touchy? Thanks everybody for your replies it is a very interesting forum which gives me an outlet to discuss this new hobby of mine. By the way I weakened and went back to Standfords and picked up a Aussie two stroke limited edition green mower today. Ill let you guys know how I get on with it.


Yesterday is history
Tommorrow is a mystery
Today is a gift
That is why it is called the present.
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 8,085
Likes: 220
SENIOR TECHNICIAN
Hermosil, Keep the box in pristine condition because one day it will be worth a lot more than the mower laugh

Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,675
Likes: 165
SENIOR TECHNICIAN
Usually it is stuff that people don't think to keep that becomes valuable. It's called rarity.
I can assure you nobody would have thought to keep a purple VC Sports pristine in the box . Just imagine what that would fetch now.


Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,675
Likes: 165
SENIOR TECHNICIAN
BTW, did they ever make a purple VC125 mkIII in disco purple?
Going by hermosil's work, you could always paint one up!!


Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 6,938
Likes: 304
Forum Historian
Quote
I can assure you nobody would have thought to keep a purple VC Sports pristine in the box . Just imagine what that would fetch now.
I guess so Mowerfreak, but similar Bermuda Triangle incidents have happened...

VC160 NOS

All very odd.
---------------------
Jack

Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,842
Likes: 14
Moderator
Originally Posted by Mowerfreak
Usually it is stuff that people don't think to keep that becomes valuable. It's called rarity.

Back when those purple VC Sports were current, they were not a model that was available to 'big box stores'.
Sold only by servicing dealers, and a very few hardware chains. So the shop would unpack and check over the mower before delivery, and dispose of the box and packing. Hence the buyer never even saw the box, in most cases.

I've taken many loads of boxes to the tip, back in the day...

And discovered that if you have a mower carton full of paper rubbish, and pour a few litres of petrol that's been used for parts cleaning inside it, you can get a really good fireball!
That's if you wait a couple of minutes before setting the nearby [not too close though] rubbish alight, back in the days when it was OK to burn off at tips.


Cheers,
Gadge

"ODK Mods can explain it to you, but they can't understand it for you..."

"Crazy can be medicated, ignorance can be educated - but there is no cure for stupid..."
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  Bruce, CyberJack 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Donation
These Outdoorking Forums have helped Thousands of people in finding answers to their equipment questions.

If you have received help, please consider making a donation to support the on-going running cost of these forums.

September
M T W T F S S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30
ShoutChat
Comment Guidelines: Do post respectful and insightful comments. Don't flame, hate, spam.
Newest Members
Panhead, Nappy12, Brodie410, Blake B, Camdawson
17,605 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums145
Topics12,999
Posts106,897
Members17,605
Most Online16,069
Sep 18th, 2025
OutdoorKing Showcase
20 Bucks from FB Marketplace
20 Bucks from FB Marketplace
by Return Rider, February 20
Victa Cortina 2 Shed Find
Victa Cortina 2 Shed Find
by Return Rider, January 25
My Rover Baron 45
My Rover Baron 45
by Maxwell_Rover_Baron, April 16
SHOWCASE - Precision Mowers - 2021
SHOWCASE - Precision Mowers - 2021
by CyberJack, April 14
SHOWCASE – Atco Rotary – Paul C - 2020
HOME |CONTACT US
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 8.0.0
(Release build 20240826)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 8.3.25 Page Time: 0.038s Queries: 56 (0.028s) Memory: 0.7367 MB (Peak: 0.8557 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2025-09-29 07:20:33 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS