Flushing Petrol Tank

[JohnD]

Ye gods, Mark, that looks like the very first 1922 Atco, with a cast iron frame, as seen on this site: http://www.oldlawnmowerclub.co.uk/moms/mom01-as.htm
and this guy wants £200 for his! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-16-ATCO-STANDARD-LAWNMOWER-1920s-Petrol-/250935952036?pt=UK_Home_Garden_GardenPowerTools_CA&hash=item3a6cf2c2a4

John

[marktheherald]

It was an amazing machine and such a pleasure to use. There was a toolcase behind the engine where the brass measure for the correct 2-stroke oil mix lived, along with anything else you might need for running repairs... The starting handle clipped to the frame, and it was a sequence of; Fill tank with correct mix and turn on tap, Insert starting handle into the dog on the cross-shaft, 'Tickle' the carb, Ensure the clutch lever is disengaged, Open the decompression valve, Wind like stink, then close the decompression valve. I recall it never let us down and the cut was amazing, probably down to its not-inconsiderable weight!
         I lost track of it after my father died in '82. My late step-mother was unable to use it and showed no interest in passing it on to me. (We didn't get on!)

[marc1estate]

When I was a lad in the early 70s my dads mate down the road had a petrol mower with a kick start!! I don't have a clue what make it was, as like all things in Gerry's garage it was painted black (think he nicked a job lot from work) :)

Later on in my 20s I was given a sufolk punch with a smashed starter pulley, I didnt have money to repair it so I used to start it with a drill on the pulley nut formula one style  ;D

[Spitfire1500]

JohnD wrote:

Ye gods, Mark, that looks like the very first 1922 Atco, with a cast iron frame, as seen on this site: http://www.oldlawnmowerclub.co.uk/moms/mom01-as.htm
and this guy wants £200 for his! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-16-ATCO-STANDARD-LAWNMOWER-1920s-Petrol-/250935952036?pt=UK_Home_Garden_GardenPowerTools_CA&hash=item3a6cf2c2a4

John

Haha good find. That engine was made by the same people that bought you the Invacar!

http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/Museum/Engineering/Villiers/Villiers11.htm

Kind regards,

David

[marktheherald]

I inherited a 60's Hayter 24" rotary mower that had a 150cc 4-stroke kick-start Villiers. Called a Motor Scythe, rev's were governed, and the belt drive had no clutch. You had to push the damn thing, but it tackled all sorts of undergrowth very effectively.