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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Is there a Means of identifying age of machine?

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Evening all,

my question is the headline, is there a definitive way to identify the age of a machine? I have three qualcast Suffolk Punch machines, two i know from information available (maintenance manuals etc) belong to the 1965-1970 era. I have one older machine it has a cast engine casing with a serial number visible, and i am wondering is there a database of mower serial numbers that i can access? Or,indeed any other means of identification.

 

wristpin Mon, 08/06/2020

I don’t think that Suffolk did much record keeping and if they did , the records probably disappeared when Bosch disposed of the Suffolk, Qualcast, Atco and Webb brands.

However, if you post a few images , those of us who have been around mowers for a while may be able to relate certain features to approximate production periods.

villiers98 Sun, 14/06/2020

As Wristpin said there's not info to go on. The pictures you've posted also seem to be  c1968 - 1973 ish to me.

Before about 1967 the machine was a Punch mkVII with cast iron side plates, one control lever only and petrol tank on top of the engine .

By 1974 the valve chest cover was attached with 2 screws rather than one nut in the middle - the plastic grassbox in the background came in at the same time but obviously last better and have been recycled with other mowers since .

With mowers of this age there's often a touch of  'Triggers broom' about them but please post photos of each inc front rollers and starters and I ll have a go