From memory, it's similar to the 1980s Yellow Vortex dark brown, charcoal grey hammered finish. I believe Rustoleum have a colour like it on their range at Bunnings.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
This is really uncharted territory. I have always been curious about the Sunbeam colours of this period. I think these mower colours are unique to the Australian sunbeam ... Perhaps, somewhat indigenous (day brown earth and orange evening sunset)
But Mowerfreak offers a possibility ... I think, though, the Vortex was closer to grey than brown. It certainly had less a hammer-tone effect, I think.
It may be that you will help other members here. I do not know of any attempt to copy these sunbeam colours.
A VC based super premium grade Sunbeam mower would have looked grand with a bright orange dress cowl/ tan base combination. A self propel version too. Sunbeam had an exclusive chassis and catcher model. THAT would be collectable. Is this what you have MarkN?
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
I have a Sunbeam here somewhere, buried under the catcher pile I believe. From memory base is in reasonable condition with a catcher but the bloke I got it from said it had bearing noise so I never bothered with it. It is the brown and orange, is that the only colour they came in?
The Sunbeam Lawnkeeper 160 I use is a 74 with light green low profile deck, the dark (Brunswick?) green metal cowl and the matching ST12418A style zip starter.
The one I'm fiddling with, and trying to colour match, has a 71 engine with the brown/chocolate deck and the (Chevy?) orange metal cowl with matching ST12518A style starter.
I have seen a number of photos on ODK and elsewhere of Sunbeams with the "orange" plastic cowl and "usual" ST12506A (Sunbeam VM27665) zip. The starter housing or assembly part numbers may be their Victa, they seem to vary depending on the model and date, even though they look the same.
Both have a colour matched? (Victa Model 15) Sunbeam LM027-U-8 ? catcher.
I don't know their VictaCode or equivalents.
My attempts, so far, to colour match have yielded some similarity to Colorbond Loft or Monument, but as I am somewhat fussy, I will keep looking.
Have you tried taking it to a specialist auto paint shop and getting it matched there? Most can either use the scanner or actually hand mix a tin to match.
Last edited by Vmow; 22/05/1805:41 PM.
Victa schmicta, It's a Boundy Lawn Patrol for me....or maybe a Cox!
Problem is getting paint mixed will head towards $100, best results I have had are to use a spray can of close colour and then a couple of coats of 2pak clear and you get an excellent result, better than the original factory finish and it is tough and petrol proof
Hi MF it is the way you can get a brilliant finish with a deep gloss. I use a cheap touch up spray gun and get a liter of clear and hardener from an auto paint supplier. Costs a bit of money for the clear and hardener but it will do a lot of mowers.Most of the work goes into getting the spray can finish good, then the clear just turns them into a showpiece.
I was at Bunnings yesterday evening and took a pic of what I think may be a close enough match to the Sunbeam hammered finish colour. It's called burnished amber.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
