OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Other Walk-Behind Rotary Mowers Sunbeam Lawnkeeper 2

Hi all

Picked up 3 mowers yesterday, been sitting under a chaps house for many a year, 2 Victa's and a Sunbeam 2. Found Jacks brilliant information on the Sunbeams and it appears that this may be a first of the model series. Has the KAV74 2 stroke. spec number 6613 ( specification ? ) serial 8705. Can a manufacture date be determined from these numbers ? Although she's pretty rough it does look to be fairly complete, motor has compression and won't be surprised at all if it starts, wound the impulse starter which seems to be fine but made and unpleasant sound when released, sounded like the flywheel teeth are in a bad way. They are a big, heavy mower and the base is really thick so I was surprised that there was a hole on the upper side of the base. Catcher has a few cracks and feels a bit brittle but I thought it was a bonus it was there.

Cheers
wce

nice find

Looks to be a pair of 125s behind going by the standard handles.
Fascinating Sunbeam there with Kirby motor. Does this mean Victa had nothing to studio with it?

G'day wce, Gizmo, Mowerfreak and all
This is such a complex topic and I have attempted to piece
together some understanding in recent years.

Many thanks to wce for saving this one.
Yes, the first model Sunbeam rear-discharge lawnmower.

I regret the answer is NO.
No Kirby production records appear to have survived.

I am compelled to say something here:-

I do not feel the Sunbeam story has been told and I do not confess
to understand all but the basics...

Sunbeam made its name here in the wool industry - hair clippers that
made sheep look aggressively heavy metal.

But post WWII, Sunbeam AUS - Through Sunbeam USA designs - made a massive
contribution to domestic appliances - hair/beard clippers (for humans) fry pans, and etc.
Just like in the USA, Sunbeam became an electric appliance maker.
Remember the Sunbeam 'Vertical Grill'?

Out of this came the Sunbeam electric lawnmowers of the 1960 and beyond.
These were made here, and Sunbeam AUS saw the opportunity.

The first Sunbeam petrol mowers were the Fastcuts.
Heard of them ...? I am still to write about them. These were a ridiculous
USA design - with off-set wheels - but with an AUS single one-point
height adjuster. Who did this? No one knows. ..

A USA pressed steel base - with off-set wheels - but with a complex
single-point height lever. I have suspicions...

Then came the Sunbeam 'blue' rear-discharge lawnmowers of the
late 1960s. Thee are the contentious ones, and I have asserted that
Victa designed these, but with USA Sunbeam touches - like a bar blade!

When Sunbeam acquired Victa in 1970 the cat was out of the bag.
We see the same chassis, but with Victa engine and that beautiful orange/brown scheme.

Sorry for long rant.
----------------------------------------
Jack

That funny wce, I just picked up a Sunbeam Lawnkeeper 160 (of a roughly 1972 vintage) on Sunday from the tip.

Looks like a deceased estate - like it was used regularly and cared for, then sat for a year or 2 before being thrown out by the family. Other than the decompressor in need of a rebuild, and needing a air filter housing, it started easily without touching the carby or points (will be done next). Hope your ones are as easy to get going.

I was wheeling it through the tip car park, and it didn't rattle or jitter, just sounded near silent and rolled perfectly smoothly. It was when I went to lift it into the car that I worked out why - it is made of bloody thick alloy and weighs a tonne.

Another guy was loading a 10 year old steel deck Victa with a 375 Sprint Briggs, and he picked it up easily because it weighed nothing.

They certainly made them better back then

Sounds like Victa's 1970s answer to their high arch rear catcher Victa pro from the 80s and 90s with the super beefed up cast alloy chassis.

Hi all
Thanks for the responses. Jack, the only rant's you do are gold medal ones so rant away !
I haven't identified the 2 Victa's yet but put a little fuel in the far one in picture and it started 3rd pull, no smoke at all and sounded great. Unbelievable how good the Victa 2 strokes are !

As Bonnar_Bloke pointed out recently, 2 strokes are the diesels of mower motors, provided they haven't been straight fueled. It's the chassis that usually wears out first.