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knute
10-04-2012, 10:48 AM
i started collecting old mower and small utility engines after a mate gave me an old 4 stroke villiers

and it's great fun

they're mostly free coz they don't go, and if they haven't been run out of oil or cannibalised, i can usually get them going again

my happiest find was a BSA (i'm restoring a BSA motorbike atm) 125 cc side valve 4 stroke

massive cast iron c/case cylinder assembly (factory painted grey inside), adjustable tappets and a proper amal carb

its got a forged steel conrod, replaceable shell bigends and replaceable sleeve bearing mains

but, half the mag missing so just waiting to see if the universe turns anything up in the future

anyone else do this for a hobby ?

or have you any rooted small engines you want to get rid of ?

cheers, johnny

SM MOWING
10-04-2012, 08:01 PM
I like to restore old equipment.

I read a fact a few years ago that 2 million small engines or equipment go to landfill every year!!!!!!!!!!!! thats amazing.
especially when they have such basic problems as a blocked carby or worn carby gaskets etc

Been doing it since i was 14, great and fun to work on, and cheap to fix.

The oldest ive worked on was on old qualcast 4 stroke from the 40's/50's. Rebulit it, reseated rings, reseated the head, had to replace the spark plug hole etc etc This thing sounded like steam engine, it had so much compression! but went like a steam train! and weighted about as much lol, was built as tough as a rock though.

Redeye
10-04-2012, 08:29 PM
my brother (mostly) and I rebuilt a pre-war James motorbike with a 99cc Villiers back in the early '80s. Have a early JAP stationary engine here restored to original condition about 10 years ago, gave away a late '60s Rover s/p with side attached catcher that I'm regretting.
I have a original Victa outboard, two Archimedes (Volvo) 9.9 outboards, a '71 Evinrude Fisherman 6 and a mid '70s Chrysler 7.5 outboard - just waiting to find a collector!