WestwoodW8Gazelle

Forgot about this post...
 
I bought the bug at the start of this post from Ben in July and its on its way back to full health...
 
 

Hi all, and of course Westwood fans that may be interested... I have bought a 1978 W8 Westwood gazelle 'pale face', starts on the key. 8 horsepower, column gear change. I have recently replaced points and condenser which seemed to of solved the problem, as before when the mower ran for a few minutes the engine used to cut out. I have also replaced air filter for the first time in 39 long years! 😂 I have also given the engine numerous amounts of oil changes as when I bought the mower last year there was lots of residue like sludge left in the oil. After all the work, engine starts and runs lovely. ☺ About a month ago... I was cutting grass and tried using the clutch and the clutch wouldn't stop the machine!!! So had to shut off the machine before I nearly collided. 😂😨  Only to find the drive belt had slipped off the pulley. This has made me by a new drive belt with two new pulleys. The pulleys arrived but wasn't convinced they were the right size, so I sent them back. Kept the drive belt. Unfortunately I am having troubles with finding the right size pulleys for the mower. If anyone has a pair of unused original metal Westwood Gazelle pulleys for sale, or know where to find some. Please tell me. Thanks. Here's some pics of my Westwood last year. 

That was for the 5hp Norm, that's the quick one !!
 

Yes, Westwoods were made in the 70s . Not sure how far back for the tractor shaped ones but they were definitely around pre 80s. I had a Lawnbug early 70s or even late 60s!!!!
We used to see the trans drive belt dropped off the big pulley on the top of the trans and used to fit a peg keeper down from above just to stop it falling clear of the pulley when de-clutched.
Did you post this query somewhere else a while back? In answer to whoever did I posted the part numbers for two pulley mod kits for the "zig zag pulleys that did the de-clutching. I'll dig them out again and add them to this post.
EDIT
3230 and 5823   Both on our stock file as "idler pulley mod kits" .Obviously meant something back in the day but may have no relevance to your question!

It's a really nice looking machine  I hope you get your pulley sorted out!

Hi all, and of course Westwood fans that may be interested... I have bought a 1978 W8 Westwood gazelle 'pale face', starts on the key. 8 horsepower, column gear change. I have recently replaced points and condenser which seemed to of solved the problem, as before when the mower ran for a few minutes the engine used to cut out. I have also replaced air filter for the first time in 39 long years! 😂 I have also given the engine numerous amounts of oil changes as when I bought the mower last year there was lots of residue like sludge left in the oil. After all the work, engine starts and runs lovely. ☺ About a month ago... I was cutting grass and tried using the clutch and the clutch wouldn't stop the machine!!! So had to shut off the machine before I nearly collided. 😂😨  Only to find the drive belt had slipped off the pulley. This has made me by a new drive belt with two new pulleys. The pulleys arrived but wasn't convinced they were the right size, so I sent them back. Kept the drive belt. Unfortunately I am having troubles with finding the right size pulleys for the mower. If anyone has a pair of unused original metal Westwood Gazelle pulleys for sale, or know where to find some. Please tell me. Thanks. Here's some pics of my Westwood last year. 

Hi all, and of course Westwood fans that may be interested... I have bought a 1978 W8 Westwood gazelle 'pale face', starts on the key. 8 horsepower, column gear change. I have recently replaced points and condenser which seemed to of solved the problem, as before when the mower ran for a few minutes the engine used to cut out. I have also replaced air filter for the first time in 39 long years! 😂 I have also given the engine numerous amounts of oil changes as when I bought the mower last year there was lots of residue like sludge left in the oil. After all the work, engine starts and runs lovely. ☺ About a month ago... I was cutting grass and tried using the clutch and the clutch wouldn't stop the machine!!! So had to shut off the machine before I nearly collided. 😂😨  Only to find the drive belt had slipped off the pulley. This has made me by a new drive belt with two new pulleys. The pulleys arrived but wasn't convinced they were the right size, so I sent them back. Kept the drive belt. Unfortunately I am having troubles with finding the right size pulleys for the mower. If anyone has a pair of unused original metal Westwood Gazelle pulleys for sale, or know where to find some. Please tell me. Thanks. Here's some pics of my Westwood last year. 

Oh ok that could be a possibility. I know my Westwood is one of the first model W8 to have the updated features from your early model as mine has column gear change and also the early feature of the under slung exhaust. As I think the gazelle 'pale face' model was still being manufactured until I think 1984. In fact my gazelle has no dash board lights! Compared to later models they do have lights next to steering wheel. It's difficult to map how Westwood have thought about what features for what models. Ha ha. 😂

Hi, ok I will have a look at the last numbers and will let you know. I never would of worked that out! Thanks. I am currently away at the minute so won't be able to have a look until Monday next week. It will be interesting to know what mine is. This is the only picture of my Westwood that I have at the minute, but i will post a video if it running as well as other photos if you would like. In this pic you will probably notice the seat has no edging, this is because when I took the photo last year I was in the middle of fitting new seat and sorting rust problem under the cushioning. I was surprised at the rust being so much of it under the foam. Ha ha. Thanks.

A video would be great to see if you can get one  Do you know what your serial number is? Mine is 252707 1062 01 78061411, you can work out the date from the last part- 78061411. 78(year)06(month)14(date)11(horsepower, I believe?). So mine is stamped from 14th June 1978. 
Sounds like you did a good job on the engine! Mine starts on the key too, although I fitted a separate choke. Hope all goes well sorting out the pulley. 

Hi, yeah, i will be sure to show you some pictures of my W8 Westwood Gazelle and perhaps a video of it running if you would like. I am currently going away for a couple of days but will try to remember to send the pictures when i return. My Gazelle is a 1978 model W8 and was manufactured at Bell Close, Plympton, Plymouth. It has the column gear change 1-5 inc reverse. 8hp Briggs engine which has been on the mower all of its life! White grill 'pale face.' Done some work to it when purchased last year on Ebay. I have changed air filter for the first time in 39 long years! I have also changed the oil and fitted new points and condenser as after a few minutes of running the mower it used to cut out completely!! Now starts on key. Engine runs great. I also done a little restoration on deck but i think i went a little over board with what i had done. Sadly the clutch pulley has given up all life and had fallen off the mower so i lost control over the clutch!! Happened two weeks back when cutting. I have ordered a new drive belt and have also tried to order two new pulleys. Pulleys arrived a couple of days ago with belt, but was not convinced that they were the right ones so sent them back. Kept the belt. Thats the life story so far. Ha ha. Gazelle has now lost the use of her legs for now!! She will soon be fixed once i find parts. Thanks for reading.  

Ok, thanks for the part numbers as this will be a great help, i have also printed off a Westwood W series manual. If you want to print it off go to the official Westwood site and go to the help page and it should be under user manuals. Thanks for the reply, and hopefully i can get the Gazelle jumping for joy again!! Ha ha. 

Hi there, good to see another fan of these tractors. I think they have a really nice look to them, and they are very sturdy and easy to work on. I would love to see pictures of your W8!
 
Here is a video of mine in action: 
 
 
 

Hi, I am really in to these Westwood Gazelle white grills, I have a Westwood W8 1978 Gazelle and I have never seen this early model of Gazelle!? Would love to see and read more about it. Thanks.

Seems there is a new addition to the herd
 

 
As far as I know this is one of the earliest Westwoods. If you look at the foot rests they are very different from the later ones which rise up near the front of the mower, and have some pretty nice sharp angles The gear selector is in the same sort of place in front of the seat as a classic Wheelhorse instead of being column shift. The whole mower also seems to sit a couple of inches lower than my other Gazelle. It is basically exactly the same as my other one but everything is slightly different.
 

 
As far as I know this is from the late 1970s, but I shall check tomorrow, and get some better photos. It does not run currently, the carb needs some attention and the deck needs a new belt to mow with.
 
I plan on keeping this Gazelle as original as possible, I have rarely seen ones of this age about, and it isn't in bad condition at all, only some surface rust.
 
It needs some TLC but overall is very solid.
 
I think it would be a shame to repaint it but I wouldn't want it to eventually rust away, is there any product I can use to preserve it whilst keeping it with an original look?