OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Other Walk-Behind Rotary Mowers The Rover Pro-Cut Chronicles

After near 20-years working part time for the same company, starting in early October 2024 I decided to use up some hard-earned long-service leave. It's a long story, but I had been planning this leave for just on two years, basically waiting for my brand new Mustang to be build and delivered. Yes, I waited two years for a Ford. I ended up taking off on leave two weeks before the car arrived, promptly finding something that caught my eye on Facebook Marketplace....................................



This is what I call the Unicorn.....................a Rover ProCut 560 with the Briggs and Stratton 190cc 850-series engine. Having had a number of these over the years, this is the engine I always wanted on the Rover. The OHV 850-series appeared in the late 2000's and replaced the older Intek Edge engines. With a cast iron bore and a healthy 190cc, I've always found these engines to be super strong, pretty much the only 4-stroke push mower engine that can keep up with a Victa 2-stroke. The only main drawback to them is the fuel consumption, but I'd much rather have power and torque to spare than saving fuel.

This example presented very well in the advertisement and was located only an hour away.









So, after I contacted the seller on the Saturday and organized a time to have a look at it, I got in the Ranger on Monday morning and set off towards Cobram-Barooga.

Once I arrived, I spotted the mower in question was stunned at its condition, the photos didn't do it justice! Chatting with the seller, he seemed to be into mowers as well and once bought (another, not this one) brand-new Rover from the factory back in the day. This particular ProCut was handed down from his grandfather, which nearly had me in tears because I too have my grandfather's old mower. Apparently, the seller was downsizing so the Rover was just too big and heavy for him. The machine was originally sold by Sugden Kerr in Toowoomba, its better traveled than me!





After collection and on my way home, for the first time ever, I decided to check out some silo art....................



I can't begin to explain how excited I was to get home and get stuck into this new-old Rover! I never intended on buying another ProCut, let alone one with the good engine. This particular example happened to pop up at just the right time and kick-started my long-service leave on a high.

To be continued...............................