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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Suffolk Pony. At last

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After two years if searching, my quest to own a Suffolk Pony has now been successful, and finally it's in my garage on the bench ready to be sorted. 

I may not do a full restoration, but at the very least I'll be getting it working and giving it a thorough clean. I'll decide when I take it apart to see what's what. If you saw the post in wristpins thread, I have now acquired a genuine recoil starter as the one that was on it was shot. I'll be fitting that in the morning and giving it a go. Fingers crossed.

I will add more posts as I go. 

Lee Smallwood Sun, 29/09/2019

Update.

Cleared and cleaned blocked carb, emptied and cleaned fuel tank, replaced fuel line, replaced recoil starter, as suspected I have no spark at plug or end of HT lead. Bit gutted but not surprised. 

Next plan is to remove recoil, remove Flywheel and to take a look at ignition points etc. As far as it will go for me if I cannot see anything out of the ordinary as I will have no idea after that and it will probably be given to my mechanic to sort.

Maybe a replacement ignition will need to be sourced. Hopefully I'll be able to do myself, but doubtful.

Will update later. Once flywheel is off I'll add photos of ignition, maybe some extra eyes will help identify something I'll probably miss. Sad face

 

Lee Smallwood Sun, 29/09/2019

Ok, everything under the flywheel looked ok, so set points gap, put back together, got hit off end of lead, (happy days ) cleaned plug connector, and refit to newly trimmed end of lead, got spark, attached plug, weak intermittent spark, tried it but no joy, new plug being acquired tomorrow. Repost tomorrow

Lee Smallwood Mon, 30/09/2019

What a result. Couldn't get a matching plug in my town, so took flywheel cover off, couldn't get flywheel off, but looking through inspection window I could see moisture or overspray on the points, took a little strip of fine Emery, put it in open points, turned flywheel til closed, pulled Emery, swapped Emery over and repeated. Put back together, 2nd pull, and off it went, 

Idle is ok but clutch still spins turning cylinder, is there a way of reducing idle speed from the amal carb, or should I loosen springs in the clutch?

I'm so happy though, doesn't cut grass very well so a full strip down, cylinder regrind and I may aswell give it a thorough clean and paint. Something rattling in or around  rear roller so will investigate in due course. 

 

Lee Smallwood Mon, 30/09/2019

Left engine in one piece for now, stripped chassis ready for thorough clean, strip and paint.

The rattle is actually something inside the rear roller itself. Apart from drilling a hole to retrieve whatever it is I cannot see a way of removing object. Any ideas?

Once frame is finished I'll make a start on motor. More to follow.

Lee Smallwood Sun, 06/10/2019

After son was evicted to the grandparents, i had time to reassemble frame,, luckily I had a Suffolk Colt owners manual to help reassembly as my photos were deleted by the same son. (Not the reason he was carted off) 

 

Engine and exhaust done,

 

Just this little lot to strip and paint. Front rollers to sand and oil, grips for handles are nasty so originals or as close to need to be sourced, two decals are on their way, so I'll finish engine, reassembly and grass box hopefully before they get here. 

 

Lee Smallwood Sat, 12/10/2019

It's done apart from the side decal, the grass box will be sorted at a later date but cut the grass with it an hour ago and it works a treat. 

Grass was a bit soggy as I was impatient to test it so another thorough clean, dry and and re-oil and it will be put into the collection. 

Nicer to use than the Colt, probably due to the lighter motor bolted on top. Cracking little thing. We'll chuffed and as I had the paint from previous projects, it only cost me £30.