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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Unusual Villiers / BSA F12 Sloper

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The term "rare" is over used by sellers on that auction site, usually when they don't really know what they are selling but this Sloper advertised for £100 is unusual and may  even be rare.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ransome-Marquis-BSA-Villiers-F12-Sloper-Engin…;

At first glance it looks much like any other Sloper but look again and it will be seen to have a mechanical governor and a Zenith carburettor more often seen on Suffolks..

The mechanical governor suggests it as being one of the last incarnations of the BSA / Villiers F12 with electronic ignition and engine number starting A15 although everything that I've read says that they have a Villiers Carb.

I was under the impression that I'd never seen one in the metal but was reminded by a former employee that in the 80s we used to hire our a Pattison spiker that had one fitted!!

 

Forums

hortimech Sun, 20/08/2017

Definitely not an A12 (the A12 being the last version of the F12), it is also probably a lot earlier than you think Wristpin, it has 'BSA' cast in the side, later versions had this removed. The carb has a removable inlet banjo, just like fitted to Suffolk engines of the late 50s/early 60s. The only time I have seen an F12 like this was on the very machine you mentioned, a Pattison spiker

Having said all that, perhaps the person who listed the engine isn't aware he could be prosecuted for false advertising, it has nothing to do with either 'Ransome' or a 'Marquis' and it is doubtful whether it had anything to do with 'Villiers' ;-)