hopefully someone in melbourne might be interested in this one - no apparent cracks in covers, magic eye still in the correct catcher. Still looks like there is tread on the tyres.
Spare catcher apparently included
Victa Vortex looks like it says Marque on the side, might be a one of the later vortexes (vortices?)
Yellow is the best looking one imo. I put Victa TuffTrak wheels on my battered one, which lifted it's looks a lot. The left hand edge of the base has a strip of 4mm metal bracing a crack and the cover is scratched up with plastic eaten away the edge by the pull cord. The catcher has repairs on the side and I replaced the missing fill indicator worth a spare I pulled off another broken catcher. This machine looks in great condition in comparison, though mine is perfectly functional and I don't have to worry about using it and getting more blemishes on it.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
I am sure that the Vortex scared people off thinking it was going to be an expensive/difficult mower to maintain, I ended up pretty much giving the one I had to a mate who collects a lot of odd stuff and he was not planning on using it
If only people knew it essentially a tarted up version of the cheapest two stroke models that essentially performed the same work just as good as each other.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
No point talking about this one anymore as someone has already snapped it up and the listing's been deleted. Wow someone that actually deletes listings nowadays and stops teasing the hell out of all of us.
Cheers, BB.
I live a 24 Hour lifestyle, but every now and again I seem to fall asleep, well at least that's what my wife tells me.
If only people knew it essentially a tarted up version of the cheapest two stroke models that essentially performed the same work just as good as each other.
G'day all, I do not think this is the case at all.
When Bob Hawke publically released the Vortex in 1983, the Vortex was a radical new design.
As Converse has noted, the Vortex was special - with its new blade holder [CSIRO] and low silhouette, raked design [Cube Industrial Design].
But folks seem to have forgotten that the Vortex also introduced a radical new engine with this model ... The Powertorque!
The Powertorque would be used on other models the following season.
Oh when it comes to design, the Vortex STILL LOOKS IMPRESSIVE. It's simply an exquisite shape, especially when viewed in profile. As well as introducing the Powertorque, it debuted the distinctive final thumb latch catcher design with the downward chute protruding on the RH side to direct exhaust gasses down and away from the user. Note there is a tiny raise moulded along the top of the catcher which actually continues and aligns along the top of the Vortex cover!! The Vortex was supposed to represent a new era and is the most pure version of this era.
As for function though, it accomplished the same task as the cheapest powertorque models that cost considerably less if you didn't worry about impressing the neighbours. The only reason the Vortex could be considered quiet was it's supposed operation at lower revs for the same cutting performance as the regular mowers.
It could hardly be considered quiet if operated at mid to high revs, as my neighbour would attest when they close all their windows in response to the sight of it being brought out!
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Couldn't agree more with you MF, they do look impressive but I was quite surprised at the difficulty selling mine. If you remember I did consider stripping it and putting the motor on a metal base and then seeing if I could flog the bits left but I didn't have the heart to wreck something that was in excellent working condition. I did have a bloke who wanted a mower and I had a pressed metal one and the Vortex for the same price but he looked at the Vortex and instantly said he wanted the pressed metal one. I know which one I would have taken.
Personally I pretty much feel the Vortex styling was an absolute design failure.
This is pretty much substantiated by how many were sold and also how many you still see today.
What Norm said about the guy that came around and looked at two machines in an AB comparison is exactly how the lawnmower buying public would've viewed the overall look of the concept and thus sales would've been poor compared to the other models Victa had on offer at the time.
Now we look back on it and say to ourselves, "isn't that a groovy lookin' thing" while back then it would've been seen as "isn't that a stupid lookin' thing".
I had one under the guise of a "Mustang GTS" and it was a great mower but nothing better than every other 2 stroke Victa in it's performance but had a few neighbours wonder what sort of brick is that ?
Cheers, BB.
PS. If I recall the Mustang version didn't have the Vortex Blade disc fitted due to contractual arrangements with the CSIRO.
I live a 24 Hour lifestyle, but every now and again I seem to fall asleep, well at least that's what my wife tells me.
I was reading about these Victa Vortex mowers and it says that they also had set them up so they didn't rev as fast as other standard mowers. Maybe this was another feature to keep the noise levels down and also as it says that special cutting disc was designed to work at slower revs than other mowers.
I think the only way i'll be getting one of these mowers is with hard rubbish or at the tip..lol. Same goes for a Victa twin..lol
As for noise levels from mowers, on the 3 Victa 2 stroke mowers that I have running at the moment I can say that I think the quietest one of the lot would have to be the newer powertorque 2 engine mower, at idle this mower does get pretty quiet, although when it revs up that's when it barks and gets nice and noisy. It was also the cleanest burning when it comes to smoke emissions from the mower, there wasn't as much smoke when I used this mower compared to the older full cranks, and I used the exact same fuel mix on all 3 mowers when I ran them. The VC160 was probably in the middle of them. A bit louder than the powertorque and also a bit more smokier. But the Commando full crank I would have to say is the most dirtiest and loudest mower of the lot! LOL!
I don't know if it's because there is pretty much no engine covers around this engine at all, and also because it has been used alot more than the others that there might not be much left in the muffler in terms of sound deadening now. But seriously it's a beast! I also love the smoke plumes emitting from this mower, especially at idle speeds. I know which mower to bring out when I want to annoy the neighbours the most!
Cheers!
Last edited by Converse; 27/05/1911:56 AM.
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
I agree Norm, they are a beautiful engine - this one starts first or second go every time. I thought I paid too much for it initially ($35 not running from the tip shop - 2 weeks before they put all edgers down to $15), but it runs great and its good to have a 125 in the collection
I did have a bloke who wanted a mower and I had a pressed metal one and the Vortex for the same price but he looked at the Vortex and instantly said he wanted the pressed metal one. I know which one I would have taken.
Same as him? Typical dead head ignorant carbon blob mower buyer.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
I went to the petrol station a few hours ago - timing it so there wouldn't hold anyone up as i had 2 10L, and 2 5L jerry cans to fill up.
Anyway, get there, and a 1 car wait. Half way through filling up cans, and brand new Porche Cayenne (maybe Macan) pulls up behind me. So, I keep going at a good pace, finish the cans, and fill the car up (only took 24l so not long), went payed for fuel and on way back the porche driver puts his window down and says 'how about you move you fat f**king arse a bit f**king quicker you retarded c**t'.
I went to the petrol station a few hours ago - timing it so there wouldn't hold anyone up as i had 2 10L, and 2 5L jerry cans to fill up.
Anyway, get there, and a 1 car wait. Half way through filling up cans, and brand new Porche Cayenne (maybe Macan) pulls up behind me. So, I keep going at a good pace, finish the cans, and fill the car up (only took 24l so not long), went payed for fuel and on way back the porche driver puts his window down and says 'how about you move you fat f**king arse a bit f**king quicker you retarded c**t'.
I returned the blast - what a pr**k
Strewth mate that's a bit harsh, i've had some impatient people sometimes waiting behind my car at the servo, but I have never got a serve like that before! The problem these days is you don't know what drugs they are on, also what they are going through. Sometimes it's best to just leave them and hope that they bugger off and don't get out of their car and get more physical etc. You hear about it all the time on the news, road rage incidents etc. It's getting beyond the joke and sometimes it's best to just avoid any confrontation with these people.
There is quite a few times when i've been driving you get the occasional psychotic tail gater. I just switched lanes and luckily they zoomed past me, then sometimes you get the person swearing and cursing from behind even though sometimes you can't move anywhere or go any faster because of the speed limit. You will always get psycho's every now and then.
I actually now try to avoid busy servo's where I know people are going to line up behind me and they make you rush to put fuel and pay. One prime example of this are the Coles Express servo's where people line up in their cars most likely thinking they are getting cheaper fuel by using their 4c a litre off shop a docket..lol I went there once and as soon as I got out to start putting fuel in my car there was a car already behind me sitting there waiting with their engine idling for me to finish. That's when I said bugger this servo, plenty of others around here especially independents, that are usually quiet and also have slightly cheaper petrol.
Cheers!
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
I refuse to use the Shell / Coles Servos as their stupid 4 cent voucher generally only brings the price back to the same as all other servos, so it's a false economy of 4 cents off.
As far as filling and paying, if I have people waiting I'll jump back into the car after I've finished filling and move the car over to one of the parking bays. 9 times out of 10 you'll get a polite "thank you" from the guy behind and I'll wave back, but if it's a female they'll never say thanks. Don't quite know why they are so much more ignorant than males.
"Common courtesy" goes a long way, sadly it's just not that "common" these days.
Cheers, BB.
I live a 24 Hour lifestyle, but every now and again I seem to fall asleep, well at least that's what my wife tells me.
Typical dead head ignorant carbon blob mower buyer.
