WestwoodGazelle

Finally something other than red!

I agree, keep it original and preserve it patina. Once it gone, it gone.

First of all I'd like to say a massive thank you to Iain (slf-uk) as I wouldn't have been able to get it home without him. He very kindly offered to collect this wheel horse for me as my father is currently ill and is unable to drive. I am overwhelmed by his generosity, so thank you Iain.
I have been wanting an auto wheel horse for a while and this one popped up advertised as not having a spark but it looked very tidy in the pictures. I liked the look of it a lot as it was original. I spoke to the owner and he was very honest and said that the wiring needed going through, I set my limit and luckily I won it. My plans are to try and source a hydraulic lift assembly for it and plumb it all in, it's definitely going to be a keeper. Anyway, I know you all want pictures so here it is:



It also came with some weird sort of frame under the hitch, anyone know what this is and whether it's original?

After I got it home I couldn't resist having a play and to see if I could get it running. I tested the coil, condenser and spark plug and they were all OK, cleaned and reset gap on the points but still no luck. I then ran a temporary wire giving the coil constant power from the battery and turned it over and we had a spark, put the plug in and off she went, a fair bit of smoke but it soon cleared, it hasn't been run in about 5 years so it was expected. The lack of spark was down to some awful wiring, here is an example of a join in the wire:

This was just covered in insulation tape, the wiring is totally gone and I have decided I am going to make a new wiring harness. The only problems I'm having is finding a plug for the ignition, also what connectors do these plugs use? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for looking,
Tom

I took some time to drive the Bolens H16 and then wash it up after sitting in the shed for a few month, also scrubbed and sanded the deck. It's got a first coat, next it will get a vigorous sanding, filling primer, and finish coat with poly converter added for hardness and gloss retention. The white specks are ash from the burn barrel, paint was more than dry

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? 

You're right, he's got a really nice one. Can't be too many left in that condition now, I'm pleased someone on this forum owns one

its
rotoscytheben

I think someone on this forum got a Westwood Lawnbug. I think it is somewhere in the South East.Type in Lawnbug in search top right box on the forum and it should pop up.

Tidy looking workshop there and I notice you have created space for your next garden tractor.......

Good workshop. With a pit as well.

Had a day off work so I got some tidying done in the garage, there's still a way to go but slowly but surely getting there

1975 Wheelhorse C-100

1984 Westwood Gazelle

Dad's Mountfield


I'd love to restore this 1963 Moulton Deluxue some day, I've had it since I was about 10


 
 
 
 
 
 

Good sized bit of garage space and well equipped. Eventually worked out from the pics that it is 'L' shaped and on 2 levels !.

Had a day off work so I got some tidying done in the garage, there's still a way to go but slowly but surely getting there

1975 Wheelhorse C-100

1984 Westwood Gazelle

Dad's Mountfield


I'd love to restore this 1963 Moulton Deluxue some day, I've had it since I was about 10


 
 
 
 
 
 

I did a little tidying up on the Westwood today, cleaned most of the engine and painted a few bits including some high-temp paint on the exhaust When I get a chance I have a nice new switch for the lights, which I'll wire up.


And I need a new seat, but I'm holding out for a seat exactly the same as the current one and they seem quite rare in good condition

Very nice indeed She'll easily outlast a modern mower many times over.

I see! To be fair I agree it looks very solid, wouldn't take much work to make it perfect.

Yes, I have just been looking at one on that infamous auction site but it's up in Stoke on Trent. It look very solid.
Here's a photo of it.

Mine is a 1984 model (the one pictured below), and they made them like mine since 1978 or 1979. I'm not sure when they stopped the Gazelle, I seem to remember 1986 but I could be wrong. There are still tons around on ebay though. Also they are very easy to restore and built like a tank

Oh cool, me too, I'm near Yelverton. Most of the classic Westwoods look very similar but my favourite is the Gazelle because of a couple of minor differences. There is a choice between the "baby" Westwoods which have all-metal bonnets, and the bigger engine models like mine here which have metal bonnets with a plastic grille and lights.

Thanks and my bro has a D1200 and that's in good condition too
Looks even better now

picked this up today for andrew (triumph66)
 

Here's a couple of photos of mine taken just now, parked in the stable with her stable mates...
 
 

We had a diesel one, it was the lombardini lump. Took some starting but once running would cut an acre on an eggcup full
It ended up in Ireland...

Nice job    
         My D1200 is a bit noisy but the main problem is the "pikey" mice who chew through the fuel lines and make of with the cup full of diesel which seems to be all it needs to harrow / roll a couple of acres of horse paddocks. This was another freebie I was given because it would only run for about an hour then cut out. The owner was told the injector was dribbling causing oil to be washed off the bore, causing a partial seizure. A new injector later, no different, all it was,was the tiny outlet in the fuel tank needed opening up. Mine is a single pot, but I've seen twin pot Ruggerini ones.

The early Westwoods were just re- badged Dynamarks, hence the resemblance! The next generation had a UK built chassis with a Dynamark deck followed by the complete UK built machines.
The diesel machines were prone to catching fire due to the vibration rupturing fuel lines and chafing wiring looms! Several " lawn tractor" manufacturers of that era tried to meet the perceived need for a diesel by just dropping a single pot oil burner onto an existing chassis without giving much attention to engine mounts etc and without exception they were all pretty horrible.
The last to try it were Stiga with a Hatz lump on a rear engined bendy and this setup, as well as being harsh and crude sent vibrations through the hydrostatic transmissions knocking out the axle bushes sometimes in as little as ten hours!