Hi Jack,
Firstly, Thank you for recognising all three contributors to this thread. I really like the way you've done this.
One other thing that was somewhat different was the handle bar set up. It was slightly narrower than the SB version up the top which was probably done to make it a tad easier to manoeuvrer around in tighter internal circles, also you may see that the hand grip area was pointed ever so slightly upward but to be brutally honest the SB just felt more comfortable and ergonomic on the arms. If you have both the machines of equal size eg. a 17 SB inch vs a 17 inch Rover equivalent you'll instantly feel the difference with your elbows tucked in against your body on the Rover and far more relaxed on the SB. The hand grips were different to the later SB units as well.
Also another change was the catcher rubbers were bolted through the chassis on the Rover while the SB had half inch square bar welded to the side plates and the rubbers just pushed over the top of them.
ID was done via a sticker opposed to a riveted plate.
There are also a few really minor things that are just production off shoots like cleaner welding finishes.
Jack, your pointing out of the Hydroscopic issue with powder coating is such an important fact as this Red Rover Chassis I have which is going to scrap soon is simply gutted with cancer underneath every piece that's been powder coated. Even the chain case which is probably one of the most dent free units I've seen is merely a toss out as the cancer is so bad that any attempt of rust removal will reveal holes created by the rust, thus why I have never powder coated a reel prior to regrinding it. Painting is far superior in the long term as it doesn't suffer the same rupture and hydroscopic issues like powder coating does. Sure Powder coating looks good on the showroom floor but that's not where a mower is used and then stored after a quick hosing down of the reel after usage by the average Joe.
I'll have one last look at this chassis before it goes to Scott Bonnar Heaven which I'm always reluctant to do, but space is at a premium at my new home and I just can't keep every last chassis that has major issues with it for posterity.
Once again Jack I just love the way you've written that post up, it's probably the Historian in you coming out. I too am one but for a prominent Football club in Adelaide's SANFL that's set the benchmark by which all the other 9 teams in the comp aspire to (admittedly we've had a 10 year head start on the others) and I totally understand where you are coming from as the smallest details often reveal how changes were made and why.
Cheers,
BB.
Last edited by bonnar_bloke; 03/11/14 07:53 PM.
