OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Collectors Corner Rotary Southern Cross KX-A with Villiers Torque-Major

I purchased this beautiful lump of "rusty metal" yesterday. Clearly it is a Southern Cross mower, but not one that I recognize. Can anyone tell me which model this one is, and the approximate year? Has this one got one of the notorious Ballarat-made engines that were known to be troublesome? I am not even sure if it is a 2-stroke or 4-stroke! The base is not tin. It is cast alloy material, just like on the KXD-2. It does not have gears.

Also can anyone tell me if the cut out piece midway along the bottom on one side is the result of breakage? The shape suggests it was original and perhaps some sort of reinforcing plate was fastened to this position? There is a larger reinforcing plate on the other side, which is still intact but extremely rusty.