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Ride-on machines | |
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Author | Message |
WestwoodGazelle
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 20 May 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 35 |
![]() ![]() ![]() Posted: 07 Jul 2013 at 6:17pm |
Hi all! Firstly I wanted to say thanks to Wristpin for the engine advice he gave! Managed to fire up the Briggs 11hp engine, only to have a extremely loud almost unearthly squealing noise!
![]() ![]() ![]() Overall I'm pretty happy with the Gazelle. There are still some things I need to do such as paint the insides of wheels, other paint touch ups and a new seat. I also have a little galvanised saxon trailer and I need to make up an attatchment on the back of the Gazelle so it can tow it. But to all intents and purposes, the Gazelle is pretty much finished. ![]() It's come a long way since I bought it, I'll try and find some pictures, it was a rusted-out wreak that I think had been flipped at some point, and repaired with Laser (Japanese version of Westwood) parts. I've fully stripped the chassis and bodywork and killed the rust, and tried to as much as possible use origonal parts. I've not thrown anything that's salvagable out, so my shed's full of Westwood/Laser bits. I also welded the chassis where it had rusted pretty badly, possibly overkill considering it was probably strong enough as is, but there's no kill like overkill, right? ![]() ![]() The age of the Gazelle is unknown since the chassis number sticker was really badly damaged when I got it but I've decided to restore it as one of the earlier Gazelles with the white plastic front, since they're my favourite, and the sales brochure that the Gazelle came with featured this type of Gazelle. ![]() Thanks a lot to Mark for the decals, and Chris for the engine! ![]() |
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pmackellow
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 30 Jun 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 7648 |
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Looks great well done !!
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Collector of Tarpen, Wheelhorse, International Cub Cadet, Landmaster, Cooper Stewart, Farmfitters, Jobber, Jalo, Ro-lo, Sisis and literature
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Dieselhead
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 12 Nov 2008 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1654 |
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Glad that engine is still going strong
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Chris. I aint getting on no plane. Fool!
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wristpin
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 20 Apr 2012 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 853 |
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Good news all round. However before it becomes fact "because it was on the forum" the Laser was not a Japanese version. It was just Westwood being a bit greedy in trying to expand their market place with a version that would not conflict or cause too much agro from the established dealer network. Different colour and different engines. They also did a special version with different bonnet and colour scheme plus Honda engines exclusively for Bartrams a big East Anglian dealer.At the moment my mind has gone a bit blank regarding its brand name but Lawnmaster rings a bell!
Interestingly, Countax did the same in a deal with Hayter, painting the machines green and fitting Kohler engines instead of their usual Briggs. Then of course Countax acquired Westwood and there was a dealer selling virtually the same product on every street corner! |
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WestwoodGazelle
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 20 May 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 35 |
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Thanks all!
![]() Hmm that's some pretty fascinating info. On a closer inspection of the Lawnmaster it looks like it has pretty much the exact same base chassis as the Gazelle! I see what you mean about dealers selling different versions of the same thing. Does anyone know when the first Gazelles came out? I'm guessing late 70's, there is a rare model out there (I've seen them on ebay a few times) with a gear lever between the seat and gearbox between the seat and dashboard (like on most Wheelhorses) as opposed to the column shift, I believe these are the oldest ones. |
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pmackellow
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 30 Jun 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 7648 |
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Collector of Tarpen, Wheelhorse, International Cub Cadet, Landmaster, Cooper Stewart, Farmfitters, Jobber, Jalo, Ro-lo, Sisis and literature
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pmackellow
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 30 Jun 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 7648 |
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Thats the front cover from a brochure I have in the collection, Lawnmaster rang a bell !!
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Collector of Tarpen, Wheelhorse, International Cub Cadet, Landmaster, Cooper Stewart, Farmfitters, Jobber, Jalo, Ro-lo, Sisis and literature
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wristpin
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 20 Apr 2012 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 853 |
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Originally posted by WestwoodGazelle Thanks all! ![]() Hmm that's some pretty fascinating info. On a closer inspection of the Lawnmaster it looks like it has pretty much the exact same base chassis as the Gazelle! I see what you mean about dealers selling different versions of the same thing. Does anyone know when the first Gazelles came out? I'm guessing late 70's, there is a rare model out there (I've seen them on ebay a few times) with a gear lever between the seat and gearbox between the seat and dashboard (like on most Wheelhorses) as opposed to the column shift, I believe these are the oldest ones. I'm struggling a bit with the early Westwood history but am fairly sure that the first ones were re-badged Dynamarks from the USA , which goes with the mid mounted gear stick - may be imported or perhaps built here under licence. Think that the column shift machines were the first home designed and built tractor shaped Westwoods. I say tractor shaped as Westwood's first rider was the Lawnbug - non-floating deck, tiller steering and the engine almost in the driver's lap!! Now much sort after and heavily modified by the lawnmower racing men. |
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meadowfield
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 14 Sep 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 273 |
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from the ones I've dated via serial number and engine number I'd say they were early 80's - 1982 is the earliest I've seen. Yours is the earlier rear end so should be similar, whats the engine serial number? model will be 252707-followed by a date and type code.
I've never seen one with a gear shift other than on the steering column apart from the one I modified... p.s. dash decal is in the post! |
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me fatha allus toldus thez three kinds of engineer - them what can add up, an them what can't
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wristpin
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 20 Apr 2012 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 853 |
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Just had a word with a friend who worked for Westwood and he confirms that the early ones were Dynamarks and had what he describes as a "nice deck pressing" and not the Westwood "three penny bit" one. Guess that Dynamark's business was big enough to warrant press tools whereas Westwood made do with the fabricated deck. He remembers that at the end of the Dynamark era some Westwoods went out with the pressed deck to use up inventory. He has 1976 in mind for the first home built Gazelle.
The early Westwoods were not exactly precision engineered - I remember a pack of three Lawnbug cutter shafts with 5/16" difference between the longest and shortest! When it came to things like steering kingpin thrust washers the parts books showed one with "use as required" written beside it! Despite all that, Westwood should be credited for producing the first tractor mounted (powered grass collector - sweeper) which was friction driven off the tractor's rear tyres. The next one was driven off the transmission input shaft so that it only worked when the drive to the trans was engaged - it was clutched in conjunction with the cutter engagement - and finally an independent, clutched, PTO direct from the engine to the sweeper drive . |
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meadowfield
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 14 Sep 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 273 |
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hey, they were all british and built like a tank! gotta give them some credit... even the B+S engines and peerless trannys were bombproof. We've had 5 of them and they were all pretty flawless
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me fatha allus toldus thez three kinds of engineer - them what can add up, an them what can't
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wristpin
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 20 Apr 2012 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 853 |
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Originally posted by meadowfield hey, they were all british and built like a tank! gotta give them some credit... even the B+S engines and peerless trannys were bombproof. We've had 5 of them and they were all pretty flawless No slight was intended ! However I don't think that I would ever describe a Westwood of that era as flawless but as you say, they were British and did really create the UK mass market for tractor mowers which had hither to been the preserve of expensive imports. Plus, as I said, they invented the mounted powered sweeper. As for the Peerless 5/6speed 'box they were fine so long as the operator stopped the machine for gear selection, otherwise selector keys and their corresponding pinions suffered and the result was the dreaded "lurch"! We had one tractor where the "one day a week" gardener wrecked two transmissions before we discovered that everywhere else he worked had hydrostatic machines and he was banging the gears through on the move! Must have been deaf as well!! |
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WestwoodGazelle
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 20 May 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 35 |
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Can't wait to see the decal Mark!
![]() ![]() And here's a pic of a Gazelle with the centre gear box: Also thanks for the information Wristpin. I did always think that the Dynamarks looked a lot like the Gazelle, but I didn't know there was a connection. They do look very similar though. ![]() I've always wanted a Lawnbug too, just to try and preserve one of them in original condition since almost all of them are used for racing now. |
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meadowfield
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 14 Sep 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 273 |
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thanks for that - that has a peerless 3 speed fitted, wonder how many they made like that?
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me fatha allus toldus thez three kinds of engineer - them what can add up, an them what can't
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meadowfield
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 14 Sep 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 273 |
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Originally posted by wristpin
Originally posted by meadowfield No slight was intended ! However I don't think that I would ever describe a Westwood of that era as flawless but as you say, they were British and did really create the UK mass market for tractor mowers which had hither to been the preserve of expensive imports. Plus, as I said, they invented the mounted powered sweeper.As for the Peerless 5/6speed 'box they were fine so long as the operator stopped the machine for gear selection, otherwise selector keys and their corresponding pinions suffered and the result was the dreaded "lurch"! We had one tractor where the "one day a week" gardener wrecked two transmissions before we discovered that everywhere else he worked had hydrostatic machines and he was banging the gears through on the move! Must have been deaf as well!!hey, they were all british and built like a tank! gotta give them some credit... even the B+S engines and peerless trannys were bombproof. We've had 5 of them and they were all pretty flawless I didn't take it that way ![]() |
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me fatha allus toldus thez three kinds of engineer - them what can add up, an them what can't
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WestwoodGazelle
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 20 May 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 35 |
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Ok, I got the new dashboard decals in the post today!
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meadowfield
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 14 Sep 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 273 |
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looking the dogs now !
just noticed the warning lights on the dash, the last we we had didn't have those, they must have cut in around 83-84. |
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me fatha allus toldus thez three kinds of engineer - them what can add up, an them what can't
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wristpin
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 20 Apr 2012 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 853 |
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Originally posted by meadowfield looking the dogs now ! just noticed the warning lights on the dash, the last we we had didn't have those, they must have cut in around 83-84. Seem to remember that some had a rocker switch controlling battery charging but can't quite remember what it was all about! |
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Martinh
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 13 Dec 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 212 |
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What a nice job you have made of this little tractor . I'm still playing with mine Someone broke the original exhaust mounting bolts in the block on mine, and converted it to a screw in type exhaust , trouble was it never really screwed in. It was a one piece affair and with the engine in place, you couldn't tighten it up properly . I bought the proper ring nut to fit, but realised i'd have to take the engine off to fit it, the exhaust fouled on the sidestep if you tried to tighten it or loosen it so I bodged it !! This moring Cut the exhauast and fitted it and the ring nut properly to bock Now have to weld pipe back together , or may make a proper joint in the pipe so I can undo it it all in future if I need to I bought mine to work on the allotment , and have fitted a replacement gearbox, sorry post writers, th Peerless box is not that good, but most problems seem to be with abuse to the boxes, which they do not take kindly to. I've got the headlights working, sorted some of the wiring fitter rear lights, I have a tatty transport box for mine, which I need to make fit, mine is also an early one , so rear attacthments were not ever fitted I have new turf tyres on the front and Chevron treads on the back . Current gearbox is showing the lurch in thhe lower gears which is a sign of the selectors wearing, but apart from that, it runs well and drives Ok
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Martin. The Village Idiot
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wristpin
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 20 Apr 2012 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 853 |
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We used to counsel caution over fitting chevrons to anything with that transmission as the reduction in slip frequently resulted in a snapped half shaft.
You pays your money etc! |
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daviddale
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 05 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 300 |
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I used to look after a Lawn Bug for a local church group, I always thought that they were made by MTD?
Perhaps not, my 62nd birthday the other week and I just keep forgetting things that I thought I'd never err, forget! Was the steering via a steel cable wrapped around a shaft above the rear wheels? Sorry no, that must have been their second mower I remember a "Bio Clip" American make I think, rear steer with one wheel onlySome of it's coming back! |
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Regards, David.
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wristpin
Forum Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 20 Apr 2012 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 853 |
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Originally posted by daviddale I used to look after a Lawn Bug for a local church group, I always thought that they were made by MTD? Perhaps not, my 62nd birthday the other week and I just keep forgetting things that I thought I'd never err, forget! Was the steering via a steel cable wrapped around a shaft above the rear wheels? Sorry no, that must have been their second mower I remember a "Bio Clip" American make I think, rear steer with one wheel onlySome of it's coming back! Think that Bio Clip was/is Husqvarna's name for their mulching decks and their "bendy" ride-ons use a cable to steer with but as for a single rear wheel, that sounds like a Ransomes/Bobcat 180 or Triple 18 or even a Jacobsen, but they were cylinder/reel mowers! |
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