OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Collectors Corner Cylinder POPE WIMBLEDON - A Subtle Restoration

MY POPE WIMBLEDON STORY

This is the story of a very mild restoration of a Pope Wimbledon.
It was in amazing condition because it was only used to mow a couple of strips of grass and then was put
away for a few decades. The seller inherited the machine and could not help me with any further details of
its past. Here is the background:

I bought this Wimbledon in April of this year (2013) on eBay.
A Sydney machine, it was advertised as a 'push lawn mower'. I knew it was the less common seven blade
and that it was a late one dating from the 1970s. What caught my eye was its condition. It looked hardly used
with only surface rust one would expect for a forty-year-old machine. A helpful and friendly owner, Marc,
assisted me in getting it to Brisbane. Freight is always the killer.

When it arrived I realised it was in better condition that the photos revealed. I also noticed something
unusual that might explain its lack of use. The hint was in one photo used to advertise it.

I include that photo below. Have a look at it. Notice something wrong?
Something is missing and, most importantly, something is out of place.

To be continued . . .

Ha ha!! Jack, it has no bottom blade and the grass deflector is missing.....

If you noticed that the handles were attached to the wrong part of the frame, and that the
deflector plate is missing you'd be 100 percent correct. Deejay, your score - 50/100

But this is where the plot thickens...
It may be because of these factors that the machine was not used.

I asked the seller about the deflector and he said there was "some metal thing" but
he didn't know how to attach it. It was an un-used deflector plate. The deflector was never
used because the fasteners were assembled back to front! [see below].



That this arrangement was a feature of Patent 140704 [Applied for 24 December 1948] should
not be lost. the object of this invention was "to provide a positively mounted deflector plate which
is easy to remove but in which the tendency to become displaced when the mower is operating is removed."
[Maybe the original owner did not read the instructions]

Handle Placement
the incorrect handle placement is of some importance. The handle was not on its frame mounting spigots.
The original owner had mounted the handle some 100mm (about 4 inches) behind and below the correct
mounting points. Moreover, he/she had mounted the handle frame on the outside of the frame and on one of
the two crucial frame cross bars!

This potentially could have affected the reel set and the solidity of the frame.
It most probably would have made the machine more difficult to push as well.

On inspection I realised that the handle had never been placed in its correct position,
and I gather from these things that the original owner was not 'mechanically minded'
and certainly didn't read the assembly instructions.

In any case, I disassembled the machine and spent a few hours cleaning it up.
In the photos below, note the worn paint from the wrong handle placement. Also note
that the original paint still covered the bottom blade. The gear case was as fresh and
clean as it left the factory.

The Pope Wimbledon was one of the great Australian made hand-push reel mowers.
I'm glad this one is saved in its original condition. I might repaint the handle and
the catcher at some point in the future. Maybe ...

seems i have a very simillar machine here too . no catcher though a lady traded it on an old honda i had at the time . it seems to work well too still does a nice cut (when i have grass) . when i sort out this pc i'll show you its gold and handles mounted on lugs about halfway to top middle of chassis . but someones been around some if it with primer !

Hello vccomm,

It would be great to see a photo of your machine.
Catchers for Popes were sold as accessories (extra cost).

All very interesting
-----------------------------------
JACK

Would they be called a Canon??

All very Vatican City....

still trying , i know the pic's in here somewhere !!!!! damn new fangle @#%!*& haha hope its here soon and too hot now, off drinking

i have an old pope wimbledon.



and an even older one not sure what model it is?it has a slightly wider crossbar and a wooden roller.
maybe an older style wimbledon??

Hi Gizmo and ODK members,

Nice.
Pope made two model Wimbledons: the 5 blade and the 7 blade.
They were introduced in 1949 as the first Pope mowers.
They were followed by an electric version, the Centre Court, and then by
a petrol version, the Pope Power Mower.

Over about 3 decades in production, they changed very little.
The move from a wooden to a metal roller was one.

The original machines were a beautiful yellow-custard enamel.
Later they changed to a silver-gold colour like mine.
The Wimbledon was the last Australian manual push mower to be made.

I hope to write about the two patents Pope had on these machines (at some point).
So to answer your question, the wooden roller one is just an early Wimbledon.

All very interesting.
--------------------------------
JACK

sorry it took a while , pc keeps hiding stuff for some reason now but this is the one i have here . looks rough but still a nice cut when i get someone to use it .

cheers , Dave

any one around my area collects this type of machine ? there's this one and a webb i think its a 'witch' 8 blade reel so the best i can work out its an earlier model . pm me if your interested

Just picked up one of these for $20, almost identical to yours Jack. 7 blades, catcher and deflector all included, Anyone know the paint code for the silvery/ gold?, and replacement rubber tyres (am i dreaming) Jordan

Hi Millzy

The 7 blade is the fine lawn one.
I think evidence suggests the Wimbledon was the most successful post-war pushie.
It was designed in 1949 to accommodate 5 and 7 blade, and the electric variant
was the Centre Court.

These were great mowers from the modern age, using plate steel and alloy components.
They were introduced at a time when many folk could not afford the new power mowers.

I am surprised that the Wimbledon stayed in production for so long!
It moved from mainstream to a niche market - then it disappeared.

We have not recorded the colour scheme information, and that colour is a complex one.
I have never seen NOS tyres for the Wimbledon - and that is a pity.

Please let us know how you go.

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