OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Collectors Corner Rotary Southern Cross KX-A with Villiers Torque-Major

I purchased this beautiful lump of "rusty metal" yesterday. Clearly it is a Southern Cross mower, but not one that I recognize. Can anyone tell me which model this one is, and the approximate year? Has this one got one of the notorious Ballarat-made engines that were known to be troublesome? I am not even sure if it is a 2-stroke or 4-stroke! The base is not tin. It is cast alloy material, just like on the KXD-2. It does not have gears.

Also can anyone tell me if the cut out piece midway along the bottom on one side is the result of breakage? The shape suggests it was original and perhaps some sort of reinforcing plate was fastened to this position? There is a larger reinforcing plate on the other side, which is still intact but extremely rusty.

Your mower is a KX-A with a 140cc Villiers 2 stroke engine which is said to be reliable
Year?? the KX-A last made in the late 1960s
Ian

Hi Vintmow,
It was the 4 stroke Villiers that was said to be troublesome, this model takes a rear catcher as well as being a side discharge if you remove the plate.

Hello vint-mow, Ian and Paul

These are pretty rare mowers.
The only rear-catcher SC made, and they were probably quite good.

The 140cc Torque-Major was used extensively on AUS lawnmowers.
It's a pity the catcher was no where to be found.

Notice the earlier version (below) with engine-mounted air-cleaner.
I'm guessing that the snorkel was fitted to the later machines.
Also note the muffler was mounted RH-side.



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

Many thanks for the responses to my post. I wonder why the company chose to go from "D" series backwards to ""A" as you go through time?

Jack, the snorkels may have been optional, or just dependent on what the Foundry had in stock at the time perhaps? There are also photos of KXD series mowers that show a snorkel, while other photos show them without. Of course the plastic air filter canister on the one in my photos is not original.

Hi Jack the catchers are out there
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SouthernCrossEngines/
Ian

G'day Ian
I see that now. Amazing.
I note here a difference in the side and rear discharge rotary mowers
of the 1960s: side-catchers were always optional; rear catchers were
standard. That makes sense.



I will say something about that vint_mow, as it is a great observation.
My best argument is that the snorkel became a standard fitment ...
because snorkels were quickly becoming ubiquitous at that time.

This is the 140 Deluxe Torque-Major:-
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=59887

The 'Big Players' that used the Deluxe 140 in the 1960s were
Scott Bonnar, Rover, Supa-Swift and Turner. They all used snorkels
by the mid 1960s. It was a great marketing feature of Victas,
who I believe were the first maker to use them [with the Model 1].

The second point (against snorkels being options) is that the
180 degree spin on the engine cylinder would have been a non-
standard specification done at Ballarat.

The reason: I believe SC did not want the snorkel on the same
side [LH] as the height-adjuster lever [for obvious reasons].

It will be interesting if any date stampings will be found
on the engine.

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

Ian Matthews tells me the mower probably dates from 1969. There is no certainty as Southern Cross had evidently stopped stamping and badging their mowers with unique numbers by that time.

Did the Torque Major Deluxe 140 have a British equivalent, or was it an Australian design? I can't find any reference to it on UK sites.

Hi Sue,
I have not looked into the full history of the Torque Major 140 in the UK.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VILLIERS...m4b54709b5c:g:EScAAOSwzPFZ46m7:rk:3:pf:0

eBay UK has a ENGINE OPERATING & SPARES MANUAL for the Torque Major 140 so they must have this motor in the UK.

Cheers
Max.