OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Collectors Corner Rotary SUPA-SWIFT: Some Models

Is this any use to you gizmo?

HI DAMO

WHAT A COOL EDGER, SO WELL MADE MATE. MUST KEEP MY EYES OPEN FOR ONE.

THANKS FOR THE PICTURES MATE

CHEERS

CHRIS

Thought I'd pop in and share this one with the thread

thanks Lennyb
finally someone has the same model as me.
and i did just recently acquire an identical catcher as per your pic.
saves me having to dig my mower out of the shed to test it for fit.now i know its the correct one.
cheers

I know the post is getting a bit old but here's my Supa Swift edger � cousin of Dodgey's one I think

Paint is still mint, I've a video of it running on my YouTube channel.

.......heres my recently acquired Supa Swift edger... i need check the motor number but I'm guessing newer than yours Geoff and that blade!

So SS had their own disco purple mower. I wonder if it was in response to Victa's VC Sportz?

G'day Mowerfreak
I think ... highly likely.
The disco 1970's encouraged vibrant colours ... flairs.

This was the finale decade in exciting rotary lawnmower design.


Maybe not ... the '80s was the last hurrah with Victa, who still
produced exciting lawnmowers the mid-eighties.

After this ... oh well ...

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

Hiiii CyberJack.
It's a shame no one had GM technology to develop purple buffalo grass and the resultant disco purple clippings.
I'm surprised if Rover didn't release a purple base with sky blue 3.5hp B&S vertical start. Just imagine the female attention that would bring.

Hi Mowerfreak
It's an interesting question - about 1970s mower colours.

I would have to say Rover was quite conservative, but Victa and
Supa-Swift certainly got the mirror ball above the dance floor.

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

Hey Cyber-boogie-Jack,
John Travolta may not have felt the need to escape to the dance floor if the hardware store of his vocation sold mirror ball purple Victa and Super Swift machines would he!!

They don't make them like they use to, which is very sad. I've got a near new SupaSwift mower sitting in the shed if anyone wants it? Going cheap. One problem with it (and one problem only): The belt keeps running off. No matter what you do or how many times you replace it, go three rounds of your front lawn and without fail the belt runs off.

VM, have you thought about making up a guide to keep the belt from running off?

Hi Norm, I tried that. It still seems to find a way to jump off. The little plastic jockey pulley is too weak for the task and warps as soon as the belt comes under tension. A mate of mine reckoned he could fix it by putting a cast pulley on it the same size as the plastic one. When I took the mower to him, and he saw the tiny space into which the pulley fits, he was suddenly no longer interested.

Hi all SupaSwift and Pope interested people.

I have now added this SS Pope to my collection.

Cheers
Max.

G;day Max
I think you first raised evidence for Supa-Swift Popes.

It now appears that when Simpson-Pope ceased production
of lawnmowers in the mid-1970s, they entered some agreement with Supa-Swift
to brand Supa-Swift machines as Popes.

Your machine must be quite rare: given that Supa-Swift would, itself,
fall into new hands.

So much is unclear about this.

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

p.s. I have just posted this brochure that may date the Pope-SS ...
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/u...supa-swift-brochure-c1975.html#Post93134

Gidday Jack
Yes I found an ad for a SupaSwift Pope (1974) but had not seen any surviving mowers.

The brochure you have Jack I would date , 1970-1971. I have looked at that brochure many times, thanks for
uploading better quality images of that document.( I'm sure you have seen the date on the document
before and forgot it was there, it's in the right hand top text.)

Cheers
Max.

Hi Max
What was I thinking?

Many thanks for the correction!

Today I found another piece of the puzzle ...

Cheers
Jack

Gidday Jack
Many thanks for finding that news article 1974.

The news article confirms your point,
not many SS Pope mowers were made because Simpson-Pope ceased production
of lawnmowers in the mid-1970s ,quite rare.

A few more SS mowers for the records.

Cheers
Max.

G'day Max

Many thanks for the gallery records.
I think you were the first to record the Jensen and Morwell machines.
I had never heard of them.

There is so much we are not likely to know about Swift foundries.

There are some things I don't get.
It's more likely Pope acquired the Swift foundry for other manufacturing purposes -
not necessarily the manufacture of lawnmowers.

That Pope decal on the Supa-Swift presents as a rushed job.
The Pope-SS's must be rare.

Great research Max!

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

Gidday Jack

Your information about Pope taking over SupaSwift would mean Pope started with an alloy base mower
and ended production with a Pope alloy base.

This ad for SupaSwift in September 1974 makes more sense now because it advertises SupaSwift and Pope together.

I was hoping the Pope name on the base would be a casting instead of a decal.

With the Vulcan SupaSwift the name is cast on the base.

I have yet to see a surviving Whirlwind SupaSwift , the model with the rear catcher,this advert below is from vintagemowers.net.

Another one for the records is this first model Vulcan SupaSwift (first model Big Bob early 1960 s)
it's mostly still in one piece.

Cheers
Max.

Hi Max

Yes, your brochure image makes a lot more sense now.

I would like to draw your attention to the other company Pope
took over at the time and mentioned in the Jan 1974 report ...
The Lawrence Group of garden hardware makers.

I wonder if this was Lawrence Brothers of Sydney ...?

Note the Lawrence Super 4 - a sort of Supa-Swift side throw with
a Pope catcher - a bit like the final Lawn Patrol.

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/u...oundy-lawn-patrol-final-model-c1961.html

Cheers
Jack

Gidday Jack

Possibly there is a connection between the Lawrence Group of garden hardware makers and the Lawrence Brothers.
I have not seen any detailed information about them or the Swift Brothers.

The Lawrence Super 4 looks like the same base casting as the last Lawn Patrol.

It looks more than likely the Swift Foundry made Lawn Patrol bases.

I was just trying to find out what BMS stood for with Lawn Patrol, I think
it 's Boundy Manufacturing Systems.

Regards
Max.

Hi Max

Yep, that's my thinking too!
Max, I have an answer to that - from Robin Boundy.
He said this in early 2018:-

I would like to add some information regarding the Boundy mower forum, firstly Jack
(Francis John) Boundy passed away Jan 3rd 1995 not in the 60's. BMS stood for
Boundy Mower Series by memory and the name Lawn Patrol was taken from his
time as a fighter pilot on the Dawn Patrol.

That story has more to tell.

Cheers
Jack

Gidday Jack

Thanks for the interesting information about Boundy Mower Series and Lawn Patrol.

Cheers
Max.

Another low arch, rear discharge, SS with catcher.

Cheers
Max.

G'day Max

I wonder what your thoughts are on whether this is Supa-Swifts
first rear catcher model?

Note the gate lever that is lifted upwards in conjunction with the
height lever to change height adjustment.

Yes, the ad (below) advertises 10 positions.
Your image shows six?

My thinking is that the the first SS rear catcher was as per
your image. A fantastic find!

Also, this makes me thing SS rear catchers were introduced in late 1964,
for the 1965 season [or even earlier]. This is speculation.

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

Gidday Jack

Yes I think it is the first rear discharge SS,when I called this mower a low arch ,I think it is really a no arch,it's base is
flat like the side discharge SS.

I think you have the date right .

"Yes, the ad (below) advertises 10 positions."
"Your image shows six?"

Just to explain that ,in the image that shows the height adjuster you can see six positions but behind those serrations are
another set of serrations the other set of serrations line up so the adjuster locks in between the outside serrations.

So there are two flat steel brackets both with serrations but in the image you only notice the outside steel bracket ,
you just can't see the second set of serrations in the image.

Cheers
Max.

12 slots for adjustment but 2 end slots overlap the other bracket so you get 10 positions.

G'day Max
You've solved another mystery.
This two-tiered system is most unusual.

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