I have seen plenty of 125s with the G4 plastic carburettor, introduced in 1975. How long until all full cranks were 160? I'm guessing not long after the introduction of the super start series 160 in 1980.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Well, I have a "store brand in disguise" with the second tier thumb latch high arch chassis simply "badged" as Victa on the base with a dress cowl label that says 2 Stroke in large and high arch in smaller print below, along with basic handles and non ball bearing wheels. There is an important clue with this mower. It came with the label that says cold start primer press once only. I believe that is only used for the LM carburettor with the integrated primer bulb on the face and this mower came with an LM like this. I should know, I have one that I'm doing up at the moment and a neighbour of mine years ago had this exact mower and I recall those features on his. So I think store brands must have been available with the 125 at least well into 1978.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
You would have thought they would have phased out the 125 fairly quickly but they may have had a stockpile of motor parts coming in. They would have needed new barrels cast that would take the adapter for the G4 carb. I guess they could also have used it as a selling point, probably the 125 was cheaper but you could get the more powerful 160 for a few extra dollars so it gave the seller /buyer another option
No stockpile scenario here. I believe Victa worked to a deliberate marketing plan.
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How long until all full cranks were 160?
Recent research I conducted seems to indicate this:-
The demise of the 125cc occurred in 1977 prior to the 1977-78 range year.
The evidence and the logic support this. Victa's 2-stroke range would have included 5 variants without the demise of the 125cc.
In late 1977 (for the 1978 year) Victa introduced a new small engine - the 85cc 'half-twin' used on the Lightweight and Compact lawnmowers. The line-up would be: 160cc Power Torque, 160cc full-crank, 170cc Twin cylinder, and 85cc single. The 125cc had to go; given that Victa would concentrate upon just one engine - the 160cc half-crank - within just a couple of years.
Also note that the imperial reel mower were dropped in 1977, a user of the 125cc.
The 125cc - Victa's original engine - would be no more.
The rest is history. ------------------------------------- Jack
How do you explain the LM carby on one of mine? It was released in 78, not 77. Did Victa use up it's last remaining inventory of 125s with G4 barrel in 78, fitted with LMs?
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
I must say I best respond when I receive a salutation - as I always give to others. I love friendly conversation and courtesy.
I can't explain what you ask without evidence. Happy to respond when you explain your findings. What makes you think you have a 1978 125cc Victa lawnmower?
Hi CyberJack, I read somewhere here that the G4 based LM plastic carburettor was released in 78 and this featured the primer bulb built in to the white cap. I have a 125 mower with this primer cap along with the label pointing to it. Was this label put on as part of the service bulletin to retrofit the primer bulb cap in place of the plain grey primer-less G4 cap? I have seen two 125s with what appears to be an LM carburettor with the white cap with the black label pointing toward the primer bulb, which suggests a probable factory fitment of the LM version of the plastic carby to the 125. one of them is mine and the other I saw was a neighbour's. If the label was only fitted by the factory, then this points to the 125 mower being built in 78.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
I read somewhere here that the G4 based LM plastic carburettor was released in 78 and this featured the primer bulb built in to the white cap.
Hi Mowerfreak Yep, that's what the evidence says ... but for the 1979 model year ... meaning The LM was introduced in September 1978 and was fitted across the range. Best guess.
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I have a 125 mower with this primer cap along with the label pointing to it. Was this label put on as part of the service bulletin to retrofit the primer bulb cap in place of the plain grey primer-less G4 cap?
This one is probably for Gadge and others, but primer carbs appear to have been retrofitted as service kits, or maybe just in-the-field by local repairers? I don't know.
My best view is that a 125cc with an LM must be a retrofit.
Wow Jack, looking at the prices comparing it with wages of the time they were still an expensive item, but they had reduced from the heady days of the introduction of the Toecutters in the fifties at 54 pounds which at that time was several weeks wages and even at that they were still able to sell 1000 a day which is still hard to comprehend even in this day and age
G'day Norm Yes, that's a good observation there. Lawnmowers did come down in price relative to wages, but still remained an expensive household item last century.
This century, I feel there has been a concerted move to make the domestic lawnmower less a durable, repairable garden product, and more a throw-away household appliance.
Lawnmowers have never been cheaper ... but, like pizza, you get what you pay for.
I read somewhere here that the G4 based LM plastic carburettor was released in 78 and this featured the primer bulb built in to the white cap.
Hi Mowerfreak Yep, that's what the evidence says ... but for the 1979 model year ... meaning The LM was introduced in September 1978 and was fitted across the range. Best guess.
I have a 125 mower with this primer cap along with the label pointing to it. Was this label put on as part of the service bulletin to retrofit the primer bulb cap in place of the plain grey primer-less G4 cap?
This one is probably for Gadge and others, but primer carbs appear to have been retrofitted as service kits, or maybe just in-the-field by local repairers? I don't know.
Well, primer cap conversion did not necessarily require a complete carby replacement; the new CR03501A primer cap could be retrofitted to the G4 carby, if the G4 type CR03420A 'spray tube' was used, along with the original G4 main jet. Dunno about the label.
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My best view is that a 125cc with an LM must be a retrofit.
Maybe! It's actually not at all easy to distinguish between the G4 and LM carbies [at least, without pulling the main jet], as many of the parts will interchange. The major part that differs visibly is the main jet, as described in Bulletin issue M86 in the above linked thread.
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..."
Howdy folks. Thanks everyone for providing clues to this as yet unattainable answer the exact time the 125 ceased to be. So I'm going to put down to 1977 some time, until confirmation otherwise. All I do know is it was a pearler of an engine, according to a backyard mower fixer I met decades ago. He claimed that Victa stopped making it because it was a better engine than the 160 and they didn't want it people to choose it over the much touted 160, something like that. I have to say, I, personally have found the limited 125s I have been exposed to, sound consistently smoother and more balanced sounding than the 160. Not to say I haven't come across the odd 160 that sounds just as good and smooth as the best of 125s, but there is just something well adjusted about the 125s I have come across. I did have a 160 that was so smooth the handles didn't vibrate at all on idle. It had the G3 and it was on a VC -160 from the early 70s and it sounded more like a motorbike engine, than a mower...and I had to sell it!!
Last edited by Mowerfreak; 21/05/1802:14 AM.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
We'll really have to wait for one of our 'mowernalia' collectors to come up with the range brochures, or the Victa dial-type 'quick parts finders', for the years in question, to get the answer to this one.
For the full crank engines, as far as the 125 being a 'better engine', it was of course not as powerful as the 160, but it was more durable.
A 125 could usually have several replacement sets of piston rings before needing a rebore. The 160 bores tended to wear oval, so if the rings were gone, it would almost always need a rebore.
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..."
For the full crank engines, as far as the 125 being a 'better engine', it was of course not as powerful as the 160, but it was more durable.
A 125 could usually have several replacement sets of piston rings before needing a rebore. The 160 bores tended to wear oval, so if the rings were gone, it would almost always need a rebore.
G'day Gadge, yep, that is what he must have been getting at, I think, although he seemed to also imply they were better all round too. It was too good for a limited lifespan for future sales. It was quite a fascinating thing to hear, considering they were positioned for the entry level models. One of the mowers that captured my imagination was the 73-74 VC 125 mark III for it's sound and styling. I also liked that lip it had in the black cowl to accommodate the decompression valve inside. P.S Does the powertorque fare better with it's bore? At least it has (slightly) extra grunt on offer over both full cranks, but has it's half crank design to jeopardise durability.
Last edited by Mowerfreak; 22/05/1808:39 PM. Reason: Add another question.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
I have seen a few ads that show the 1980 Victa 125cc Utility.
The problem is Yes ads lie.
(EXAMPLE) Two ad images of the same Vulcan mower one ad says the mower is a Vulcan Gold 4 ,the other says Vulcan Silver 4,the Silver 4 is correct.
That type of 2 stroke configuration (starter ,fuel tank,plate that holds the fuel tank in.) I have only seen as 160cc mowers ,I have not checked many of that type because I thought they were all 160cc.
You would need to find a few original mowers from 1980 with 125cc engines to prove 125cc mowers were sold in 1980.
Finding original 125cc mowers from 1980 should not be too difficult if they exist.
So if anyone sees a 125cc Victa from 1980 post pics here..
Beautiful old catalogue there maxwestern showing pricing points of well known models. A bit cheeky there hiding the non comfort grip handles in the highlighted Corvette 2. The cheaper Commodore features them along with larger ball bearing wheels. I can only put it down to points ignition.
Ironic how sellers on Ebay now ask for higher prices for utilities than most rear catcher models, like they are exotic and rare.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
