Some more latest hard rubbish finds over the last few days here.
I found the Victa Commando V35 powertorque earlier in the week down the road. It was sheer luck that I saw it and even grabbed it. I think it was just placed outside not soon before I grabbed it. It was sitting on the nature strip complete with the original catcher attached and handles were up ready to be walked home.
I found the Victa Commando full crank last night again I almost missed it all I could see from far away was the handles sticking out near a dumped mattress which was sitting on top of it. I thought it was one of those el-cheapo mowers until I got closer and I could just see the 25-1 mixture decal from the back then I was wrapped it was some sort of Victa 2 stroke. Then even more happy when I removed the mattress covering it and it was an original full crank Commando. It's not perfect but it won't take much to get it working again.
The Masport President 3000 I got because it was near here and also it's all complete and a solid mower with the original catcher. From far away I thought it was one of those cheap 4 stroke mowers but as I got near it I thought ok it's a Masport these aren't that bad and it's clean and solid.
Cheers!
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
Great finds Converse. I agree with Norm, it can get out of hand.
I drew the line when I filled up one shed.
Then I built another haha.
My advice (although I probably not the best person to give it) is not to start getting any of the elcheapo 4 strokes and stick with good brands like Victa, Masport, Rover.
I am now (trying) to stick to Victa 2 strokes. It has now been 3 weeks since I bought a mower (2 stroke Pace), and I am beginning to get a nervous twitch haha.
Oh lord Converse, you ended up with three haha. That Massey will clean up real good and hopefully it's only minor stuff with the engine -looks like one of B&S higher tier units. You should be able to flog it off quite easily. Looks like you got a parts donor for your 82 Commando -shame a label isn't included.
The Powertorque in the middle looks very fresh indeed. Maybe it can be an update for your FC haha, just kidding.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Here's one i picked up at the tip shop today for $5. Brought it home, changed the jet, replaced the blade bolts, put fuel in it and away it went after about 5 pulls. Note, this is how i got it and the pic was taken after i mowed the lawn. How do you like the home made jet that was in it.
Hello bigted, I'm guessing it didn't come with a thumb latch catcher. Still, at $5.00, how can you go wrong? The Vortex style catcher will fit. I wish I could find that particular gold hammered finish paint.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Good score there BT, you must have a better tip shop than we do, I have only been to ours once, had one look at the piles of junk and the silly prices they had on them and I walked out. I would only go back if I needed to have a laugh. Love the jet somebody put a bit of effort into that.
Yes the other night was like there is mowers everywhere I can't get them all in time! LOL!
Yes the 2 Commando's both have rust holes in the similar area. It's weird how the rest of the deck looks clean and solid apart from that corner. That PT is a very clean tidy machine indeed, the wheel rubber also is like new. I even got the catcher with it and it also looks almost like new. The only thing they have done was to replace 2 of the handle bolts with some hardware store bolts.
Check out the electrical wire holding the handle together on the FC, that's exactly how I found it and pushed it home like that! LOL! That's also a bit of a bitsa it looks like the right rear wheel has been changed and has the later style tread on it. Anyway it's a great machine even if it's not going, it's gold as a parts machine for my original FC Commando.
That Masport at night from far away I thought was one of those el-cheapo jobs. When I got close to it I thought gees what a nice neat complete mower and it's a Masport! It even has the original catcher with it.
Hi Bigted, I can't believe they went to all that trouble to make a jet from that nylon screw..lol It's like they thought well you can't get parts for this anymore you just have to make your own...lol
Yes I am now starting to run out of space to store the machines..lol. I have plenty of outdoor space out the back of the sheds though...lol But I can see that also filling up in no time the way I am going...lol
Check out this council's photo on their website about hard rubbish collection. I must say that's a great image for some reason!
Yes, they did go to a bit of trouble to make the jet. lol MF, i've got a few of the thumb latch catchers here, but i would've paid another $5 for a catcher if they had it
Speaking of catchers, I did find about 4 Victa catchers on my latest hard rubbish travels, 2 are of the older square shape type and 2 are of the newer rounded plastic type. It's great I think I have enough catchers for the Victa's now..lol
Just want to mention something I picked up on my latest Commando full crank find and also on the one I purchased from Gumtree. I have noticed that the deck on both of these recent finds have a little difference when compared to my original Commando full crank deck.
I have taken photo's of the difference. I am now thinking that maybe the early first pressed steel decks from Victa were purely designed for the full crank as in what my original lawnmower has, and possibly the later pressed steel decks even though they were fitted with full crank engines, seem to have the same design features as the powertorque engine decks.
I have taken photo's of the differences, I am also thinking that maybe the really early pressed steel decks as my original Commando seems to have might have been better for not rusting out as badly as the later powertorque ready based steel decks?
1. There is no hole or raised lip section near the exhaust in the steel deck on my original Commando. On the other machines, they both have this hole and also a little raised lip pressed into the deck. (same as the powertorque decks of the era). 2. On my original Commando there is no raised bump in the deck near the carby. On the other 2 Commando's which I have, they both have this raised bump pressed into the deck which looks like it's the mounting bolt position for the powertorque engines.
So I now think that there was early and late full crank steel decks. Early must be like my original deck and later decks that were sort of powertorque ready steel decks?
I think Tyler and Mowerfreak you guys both have one of these Commando full crank mowers. It would be great when you have some time to just check out what your mowers look like to compare with the one's I have here.
I am also assuming that the early one's like mine might have had the earlier style wheels and the later had the powertorque style wheels. I think Tyler you said your Commando has older style wheels, and Mowerfreak yours had the newer style wheels? Both my recent finds with the powertorque ready bases have the newer style wheels. It would be great if you guys could reply back and let us know what you find with your mowers.
Cheers!
Last edited by Converse; 12/06/1910:08 PM.
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
1. There is no hole or raised lip section near the exhaust in the steel deck on my original Commando. On the other machines, they both have this hole and also a little raised lip pressed into the deck. (same as the powertorque decks of the era).
Hi Converse, just went down to take a look at the recent find with the older wheels and upon lifting the tarp, I could see there is no hole near the exhaust, nor any raise. I didn't want to lift any more off to check the side as it's abit of work recovering it securely so the wind won't blow it off. I would presume it would be the same story as your original Commando and have no raise under the carby. I haven't for access to my later one with the newer wheels and sloping engine cover at the moment so I checked a few pictures on my phone and could see that the hole is indeed present near the exhaust, but can't detect a raise in the picture. Upon checking shots showing the left side, I can just make out that raise under the carburettor but it's very dirty under there, so can't confirm for sure, but it does seem to almost certainly point out to at least two versions of the SPFC steel deck, indicated by the wheels it had. The later one must have been during the brief time when the PT was first introduced and they were offering the FC in the same lineup.
Last edited by Mowerfreak; 12/06/1910:45 PM.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Converse, my Commando with the old style wheels has no bump and no hole.
The old 1983-84 store brand parts machine that was originally called a 'MSAA Craftsman Standard' has the new style wheels, bump, front hole and points ignition
Thanks again for all the help. Well at least we have worked out that there was early and late steel decks that were fitted with the full crank engines.
How is the rust on those earlier style steel decks you guys have?
The weird thing is, they have that raised bump on the deck near the carby which is where the mounting bolt goes for the powertorque engine, but isn't the opening at the bottom for a powertorque engine alot larger than it is for a full crank? It's not like it was a universal deck where they could fit either engine on. I would think that the powertorque steel decks would have been pressed on a different machine with the larger opening and different bolt pattern?
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
The Commando has no rust at all - still has most of its original paint except down the left side where curbs get hit (although they don't since I bought it). The MSAA has a slightly thicker deck (tapped on it today) than the 1985 PT Commando, but doesn't appear as thick as the 1981 FC commando. Sounds tinnier.
The MSAA is absolutely riddled with surface rust - no paint left on it as it appears to have lived under a tree (the house I picked it up from just had a verge and weeds) - but no where has the rust penetrated the surface deeply.
It would have been universal, to allow for the briggs 4 stroke, which has the same bolt pattern as the powertorque
Hi Bigted, what I was saying was that these later style steel decks fitted with the full crank engines, have the same raised bump near the carby on the deck which is the mounting point for a powertorque engine. I was saying that I don't think you can choose to either fit a full crank or a powertorque on the same steel deck? It's a bit of a mystery why these decks have that raised bump for the powertorque engine mounting bolt.
I added photo's earlier in this thread of the differences on these steel decks that are both fitted with the same full crank engines.
Last edited by Converse; 14/06/1901:06 AM.
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
The Commando has no rust at all - still has most of its original paint except down the left side where curbs get hit (although they don't since I bought it). The MSAA has a slightly thicker deck (tapped on it today) than the 1985 PT Commando, but doesn't appear as thick as the 1981 FC commando. Sounds tinnier.
The MSAA is absolutely riddled with surface rust - no paint left on it as it appears to have lived under a tree (the house I picked it up from just had a verge and weeds) - but no where has the rust penetrated the surface deeply.
Thanks for that Tyler, just asking to see if the earlier first full crank steel decks had better quality steel and were less prone to major rust outs as we have noticed with the later style powertorque steel decks.
Cheers!
Last edited by Converse; 14/06/1901:26 AM.
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
I think it was probably so they could use the same pressings for both as they transitioned from the SPFC to the Powertorque. I can imagine all they had to do to fit the PT to the same stamped out base was to cut out the larger circle, effectively removing the smaller mounting pattern for the FC and then drill as required for the larger PT bolt pattern around this enlarged hole.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Just a question about one of these mowers here that Tyler has pictured earlier in this thread.
Can one of these alloy decks fitted with a Briggs 4 stroke like Tyler's be changed to a full crank? Does it bolt straight on or does the deck need to me modified for a full crank to be fitted?
I am only asking as I could be able to salvage one of these 4 stroke Victa's with what looks like not a bad alloy deck, the rest of the mower looks pretty trashed though. I think it's the same as the one that Tyler has but this is a green coloured deck with a white coloured Briggs 4 stroke on it.
Cheers!
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
I am only asking as I could be able to salvage one of these 4 stroke Victa's with what looks like not a bad alloy deck, the rest of the mower looks pretty trashed though. I think it's the same as the one that Tyler has but this is a green coloured deck with a white coloured Briggs 4 stroke on it.
Cheers!
Oh I think I know the one. It's the same style as the green VC Mustang. Unfortunately you can not bolt a FC onto it.Totally different bolt pattern. On later models from the PT era, you can swap four stroke and PT engine no problems.
Last edited by Mowerfreak; 30/06/1901:49 AM.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Hey Converse check this out. Is it too far away for you? https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Victa-Silverstreak-2-Stroke-Lawn-Mower-with-cast-base/133092911046?hash=item1efcf4a7c6:g:NCAAAOSw5wVdDF9B
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Just had a look at that link yes that's pretty far from here, almost out in the country far...lol
I remember as a kid me and my mate travelled on a train from Melbourne out to Pakenham. Anyway we thought that was the last station on that line and didn't know that the train would keep going along that line and it ended up going all the way out to Warragul.
That mower link you sent on ebay is located in Drouin which I think was a station on the way out to Warragul! lol
Anyway this happened on Christmas eve and I reckon it was probably around 1988 to 1990. Me and my mate got off at Warragul station and were thinking were in trouble now as we probably were meant to get off the train back at Pakenham station. So we let the people at the station know that we didn't know the train would keep going past Pakenham station. There was a great train driver who was driving the train all the way back into Melbourne later that day who let us sit in the front of the train next to where the driver sits for the train ride back into Melbourne.
I tell ya what, if trains still go out that way maybe I could bring it back by train? lol I don't think anyone would mind if I board a city bound train with a lawnmower...lol
Edit: Just checked and this mower is called a "Silver Streak". Wasn't that an old movie with a runaway train? lol Now that's weird...lol
Cheers!
Last edited by Converse; 30/06/1903:15 AM.
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
You will probably freak out when reading this you'd better get ready for this one! It really is unbelievable!
What do you think the chances would be of me actually finding one of this exact same model Victa lawnmower as the one you showed me last night on ebay? Seriously? What would the chances be?
Well I am still pinching myself and it doesn't seem real but there was one of these exact same lawnmowers sitting next to a pile of hard rubbish down the road today!!! No bull!!! I thought geees that top cowl looks very similar to the one that you showed me that was available on ebay out in the country. Anyway as I got closer I couldn't believe my eyes when it was the exact same mower! I looked at the Silver Streak decal on the cowl and i'm thinking can this be for real!!! Seriously!!! Well yep it's damn serious alright!!!
It even had the original black catcher sitting on the ground next to it, I just put the catcher on the back and walked it home.
I had a really weird feeling walking it home and i'm saying to myself, I can't believe I found the exact same mower that we saw here on ebay last night!!! This can't be happening!!! It's not real!!!
I swear if there is an Outdoorking record book or an Outdoorking Uncanny forum this story would have to go straight there!!!
It still seems like a dream and I can't believe I actually have that mower now sitting in my shed tonight! It's also the best condition alloy deck Victa that I have ever found with the original thumb latch catcher that I can actually use when I get it going! The top cowl has a few cracks and the catcher has a small crack on one side of the front lip but it's nothing much to worry about. Also it looks like they have replaced the handle bolts and plastic nuts with newer later style ones. But hey at the price I got it for who can complain! lol
If only I was this lucky when it comes to lotto i'd be a millionaire now! lol Maybe I should buy a lotto ticket this week!
I took a couple of photo's of it just before outside, it was dark but they seem ok for viewing!
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
