The Old Lawnmower Club
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Suffolk Super Colt Restoration

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TheArcher Mon, 14/03/2016

Hello everyone,

I'd like to make my first post on the forum a thank you to all the people that have contributed in the past, the information and knowledge you have past on has enabled me to reach the latter stages of this total restoration.

The mower in question was purchased new in 1972 by my father and apart from an ongoing starting problem gave good service for many years. Eventually my father tired of the starting issues and purchased a new fangled electronic ignition version and the colts fate was sealed it was going to the dump!

I rescued the mower from him and dry stored it as my inherited lawn at that time was in a poor uneven condition, unsuitable for a cylinder mower. After a great deal of work on the lawn I resurrected the colt, after new oil, plug, points, fuel and a whip round with the oil can it started with the second pull..! (not bad for a mower with issues).

After using the mower for a few seasons I decided to restore the now very tired looking colt to it's former glory this winter. It's been down to it's component parts cleaned or replaced where needed, the frame casting have been down to metal rust stabilized and painted (Loral green and red). The cylinder and bottom blade are with the workshop for sharpening as I type and everything is looking great apart from one thing....

One of the engine platform screws has at sometime had the wrong sized screwdriver in it and had stripped the crosshead out, I managed to remove the screw by cutting two flats on the head with a dremel.

I now need to replace the screw but I'm struggling to find new ones The parts I need are the screws marked as part number L.8592 in the owners manual, I'd really appreciate it if anyone knows a supplier for these or knows the correct tread size. I could refit the old screws at a push but having put a great deal of care into getting things looking nice it would be a shame to "throw the old ones in"

 

David.

Forums

hortimech Tue, 15/03/2016

Cannot help with a supplier, but you are looking for Pozidriv pan head screws, 5/16 UNC (if I remember correctly). Try taking one to your nearest proper bolt supplier, they should be able to sort you out, though you may have to get the hacksaw out.

wristpin Tue, 15/03/2016

Your problem may be that your machine will have imperial threads and other than specialist suppliers most only stock metric sizes and threads now.. None of my parts books for machines of your era actually specify a size and thread pitch but from memory I'm guessing 5/16 UNC.but I don.t have access to a machine to check that. 

This company may be able to supply

http://www.namrick.co.uk/acatalog/UNC_Countersunk___Pan_Head_Machine_Sc…

or alternatively a proper mower shop with some new/old stock lurking on the shelves such as Jon Cruse at the Hailsham Mower Centre

http://www.themowercentrehailsham.com/

or the Gateshead  Machinery Centre who bought all the old Suffolk, Qualcast and Atco parts when Bosch disposed of the brands.

http://www.jungle-busters.co.uk/

EDIT

I believe that your part L(0)8592 was replaced by part F016T40588 and looking at one of the wholesaler's web sites (trade only) it appears that they are still available.

 

TheArcher Sun, 20/03/2016

Thank you for all the advice and offers of the screws, I obtained some screws from a mate of a mate that had some in his bolt box. The mower is sat on the bench tonight looking rather smart in it's new livery, I just need to do the adjustments to the belt, chain and cylinder/bottom blade after I fit the handles and hopefully the jobs done.

It's been a quite expensive project but I've enjoyed it plus the mowers good for a few years now, maybe even outlasting me.

If I was to it again I would have the paint done at a local bodyshop it would be cheaper and save a great deal of mess in the workshop.

Again many thanks for the help, Dave.

wristpin Sun, 20/03/2016

If you are considering going the professional painting route , consider finding a " sand blasting" firm that also offers powder paint coating. Not cheap but saves all the time and materials involved in stripping and prepping as well as painting.