That's amazing Converse, what an amazing example of the uncanny, and a excellent FC silverstreak.
I found a 2010 Masport Lawn Marshall this morning - in quite immaculate condition. Haven't started it yet, but plenty of (dark black) oil, and only a buggered throttle control and primer looks to be preventing starting.
Howdy Tyler and Converse, That's just weird. I was in slight doubt about posting the link because of the price but it was in Victoria and I thought you wouldn't mind adding a SPFC with that particular top to your collection, only for you to trash pick the exact same mower the following day??!!
This has made my day and night! To be honest, it was the catcher that grabbed my attention initially. That particular moulding is hard to find without damage of some sort. Despite the lack of a second grip handle at the rear, it is probably my favourite thumb latch shape behind the powertorque one and the Twin/SPFC Mustang shape.
It is advisable to drill a 2 or 3mm hole at the very end of the crack to put the brakes on spreading before patching it if you deem it necessary. They all seem to get damage easily.
I'll second what Tyler said, that's amazing and AWESOME!!!!
Last edited by Mowerfreak; 01/07/1912:49 AM.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Cheers guys yes it's awesome and so weird at the same time! It's a great clean mower that Silver Streak. I don't think it will be an everyday use and abuse mower though, it's in too good condition for that. Also as we know if I hit a rock or something it will most likely punch a crack or hole in that alloy deck. I'll leave the use and abuse mowing to the good old steel deck full crank Commando's or the powertorque steel deck mowers...lol
Ok I found another mower today, this time it wasn't a hard rubbish find but a scrap yard find. I saw a Victa Commando full crank dumped there and as soon as I saw the old style wheels on the side like my original one has I grabbed it straight away. I paid $20 for it, it's probably a bit much but as you know this one is a true identical twin to my original one. It has the same early deck with no hole or bump like the later ones. It's also got a very clean deck with no major rust outs. I am now thinking that these early steel decks were a better quality steel than the later one's. The front wheels are pointing slightly outwards though and it really needs a front wheel alignment! LOL!
I think I now have 4 Victa full crank Commando's here including my original one! I have 2 early one's and 2 later one's! LOL!
I hope I don't see any more FC Commando's around here as I really am running out of space to store them now! haha!
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
Another great find Converse. The front right corner wheel (the one on pull start side) was the same on my one. Add one of the metal inserts and new plastic clip, and it will probably be much better
I payed $15 for mine without catcher, so your deal isn't too bad. Consider it an even out for finding the silverstreak
Thanks for that Tyler, yes I think the front axle might be slightly bent outwards on the front wheels, when I get around to working on it i'll see if it can be straightened a bit to get the front wheels straight again. I have plenty of other perfect straight axles here to compare with now. The only thing really missing from the whole mower is that front left plastic wheel cap.
Oh well i'm sure I now have enough spares to keep the FC Commando going for over 100 years...lol!
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
I have successfully straightened a bent stub with trusty vice grips and a rag over the stub to prevent scoring the metal with the jaws. It's just a matter of gingerly bending it back and visually judging whether it's straight by looking from above. It's likely to be far better off than before even if you don't quite nail it precisely.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Hi Mowerfreak thanks for that mate, I have a couple of vice grips in the toolbox when I get around to it i'll see how straight I can get them. Yes your right they will be far better than what they are now. I had to actually push it around with the front wheels off the ground as to not scrub them out badly, and also it was hard to push as they are pointing outwards a fair bit.
One thing I have noticed though with these older thick rubber wheels on this mower when compared to the other powertorque style wheels is how smooth and quiet these older thick rubber wheels are when pushing the mower around on the road/footpath when compared to the other harsher hard plastic tread powertorque wheels, which sounds and feels like you are pushing the mower around on steel bearings when compared to the earlier thick rubber wheels! lol
Cheers!
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
Found another mower today sitting on the kerb down the road. I really wasn't going to get it but I thought it's a Victa Lawnkeeper with a steel deck base and has all the same parts and catcher as the 2 stroke models. It's pretty much complete with the black catcher as I found it except for the broken missing throttle control lever.
The deck is nice, clean and solid with no bad rust anywhere. I removed the fuel cap and it looks and smells like they have put 2 stroke mix in the tank. The pull start cord also looks like it's not grabbing properly and it doesn't wind back in. Oh well it's another kerbside freebie so can't complain.
Cheers!
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
Most likely the choke won't be closing and the carby will be clogged. After throttle handle (oil cable first), filter (same as 2 stroke long filters), oil change, recoil fix and probably blades, it should be a good runner.
But a seeing a Chonda means you are on a slippery slope - I would highly suggest not picking up any of the cheaper mowers and keeping them - move them along quickly. Just friendly advice from someone with too many mowers haha
At risk of causing a further shed overload, thought you might want to know about this 2 stroke which I believe is somewhere near you.
Haha mate I am not even trying to find these one's. They were on the roads I usually drive along and well I have also left them there for hours before I have gone back and grabbed them and they were still there. It's probably better to save them for parts if anything than to let them get sent to scrap or the tip to get shredded up and never seen again.
I like the 4 stroke's with the Victa bases as most parts on the deck/handles are the same as the 2 stroke models. I have a couple of rusty steel deck Powertorque's here and possibly if the 4 stroke's are beyond repair I can maybe convert them to 2 stroke mowers.
Thanks for that link I saw that ad it's not that far up the road from here. But that's one I won't be grabbing in a hurry...lol Now if it was a early FC Commando it might be a different story!
Cheers!
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!