[dorigny]

Looks reminiscent of the Bob Andrews Spintrim…but maybe in an earlier guise than the one I am more familiar with.

Clive.

[dorigny]

Yes, the engine looks more recent, reminiscent of those I recall on the early 1980s models, with remains of the turquoise plastic starter pulley guard.

Clive.

[dorigny]

Brilliant, will you be collecting one of each showing all of the modifications done to the mixer design over the years.? 🙂 There’s been several….and wonder how many Belle mixers have sold altogether.??

In my first employment, early 1980s, the Marina pick up and trailer used to go over to the works and fetch a load of the mixers which we would line up on the front yard, fuel up and test run ready for their purchasers that Mike the salesman had lined up in his book.

Clive.

[dorigny]

This takes me back to a Flymo GT4 that came into the workshop. It would start fine and run up well but then suddenly disappear in blue smoke. That was a missing clip leading to the pin machining a slot in the bore. Perfect bit of machining too…

Another, at first unexplained, oil lifting occurrence I recall was a welch plug having moved in a Honda G400 cam shaft centre…started up and ran well at first then oil puthering into air filter via breather… sorry for reminiscing digress here.

On topic, I too have mostly re used clips.

Clive.

[dorigny]

This reminded me of Powerfab.

A, now sadly late, friend of mine in the garden machinery trade used to have a Powerfab which he used to hire out.

This sent me off on a google…and found this reading; http://www.oilyhands.co.uk/

Clive.

[dorigny]

I remember a builder neighbour having one of these. I think he may have put the wooden body and dropsides on it himself.? I seem to think his was wider than the lower body.?…long time ago.

I also remember the Corgi toys version. 🙂

Clive.

[dorigny]

..by 1984 was this the fashion.??

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[dorigny]

Used to worry about these models, you had to be so careful with them in the van, then when tipping them on the work bench and we tended to push them about holding the collar at the very top of the plastic handlebars. We once had one come into the workshop with a set of metal handlebar assemblies that had been weld fabricated into quite brilliant copies of the errant plastic fitings…a real work of art.

I still find them fascinating though and would still like to find out more about the origin of the design of these models….being so vast a change from the previous style thick steel side plate and cross member construction to one of thin pressed steel, plastic and self tapping set screws.

Clive.

[dorigny]

I seem to remember a B&S 3 or 3.5hp coming in for repair, 25yrs ago.! that had a sprocket on the cam drive shaft. I believe the engine was from a small cement mixer.?

Clive.

[dorigny]

It looks like we can rule out it being a horticultural bit of cast iron then.?? 😉

Clive. 🙂

[dorigny]

I wonder if Richard at http://www.merrytiller.co.uk may be able to assist. He has been amassing knowledge over the last few years with regard Merry Tiller and as you will see he lists some applicable spare parts.

Clive.

[dorigny]

Yes, looks nicely original 🙂

My first car was a 1976 Clubman estate…I loved it…but looking back now at 6 years old when I bought it had had new sills inner and outer, doors from an earlier mini, plated back door bottom halves, and back valance patched and very heavily blacked over…It had the driest engine ever..didn’t use or leak any oil…it went well.

My second was another Clubman Estate, W reg…one of the last before it became the Mini HL estate. Used much oil and had a loose front subframe.!.. Had a Gold seal engine fitted and a few years later an engine rebuild due to a dropped valve seat…..still loved it. 🙂

Always had a soft spot for those Mini Specials that were done..especially rose? metallic ones…1100cc engine in a Mini which was more normally the standard in the Clubmans.??

Took my Skoda Fabia to local mot tester on Friday… He was just about to start work on a project, P reg mini saloon rebuild…2 large parcels had just arrived including 2 full side panels. Good to see he still had a real Mini in the garage…and a Rover SD1… tractors waiting their turn outside too. 🙂

Clive.

[dorigny]

Good shine on the Mini 🙂

What is the little toy? in front of the Sisis.?

Thank you,
Clive.

[dorigny]

Next for the lawn is the Merry Tiller with its aeration tines…but left that job for another day and took afternoon tea at Sibsey Trader Windmill. 🙂

Clive.

[dorigny]

The Super raker really does do a good job still. I usually get out my late uncles Wolf Cub E30 to finish the job…but it was a bit too blocked in in the garage so used the Hayter that an old school friend gifted me after his garden had less lawn and gained a model railway. 🙂

That’s true, the old Concordes really did very well at the hammer they could take. We used to sell huge numbers of belts for them…especially about now as nearly every caravan on the coastal strip had one. Or if not they would have a Flymo Minimo, so we would also stock up on lower Minimo handles, pins and R clips…and plastic covers and nuts for the Flymo Minitrims. A few still relied on Qualcast B1 push mowers and perhaps still do 🙂

The next model of the Concorde RE35 and E30 did not fair so well…do you remember those little plastic wing nuts on the height adjusters.?? 😉

Clive.

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