While waiting for a new coil for the Victa Silverstreak, I went ahead and purchased this Rover today for $15. Can anyone direct me to a manual, schematic or more info on it please? And to me it looks like there is something missing from where the throttle cable ends, what do you think?
I suggest getting the local priest to do an exorcism before you end up with 20 mowers haha
Looks complete, just dirty. attached is a manual which should be about right.
This is copy and pasted advice from another thread with regard to this sort of engine:
The carby can be a pain - it has a diaphragm which probably hardened years ago. It should be part number CAM506 (GA spares - any mower shop should be able to source) Be careful when disassembling the carb - it may have a hardish to source teflon washer and pin. Therefore, work over a piece of newspaper and look very carefully before completely removing the carby off the top of the tank and don't lose it.
Check the spark plug, if it is choked black and sooty, it is possible there is an issue with the carby and you will need the repair kit. Could just be the clogged filter though
Buy the cheapest oil you can find (old briggs aren't picky) and dump the old sludge. Capacity is around 600ml. Autobarn normally have a 15w40 out for $10/5L.
Air filter - looks like GA "air106". If the old one isn't rotten, wash it hot soapy water, dry, then recharge with 30-60ml of oil (chainsaw bar oil if you have it). The oil catches the dirt.
You could order most if not all of these parts from Bruce here at ODK - will be cheaper than mower shop most likely, if you aren't in a rush
Thanks so much for that Tyler. Hee hee, exorcist, too true. I'm mainly just trying to keep myself occupied. I also discovered how to ID it, and found all the numbers to help. 1985 eh. If only I could have that year all over again!
Last edited by okidoke; 22/09/2003:51 PM. Reason: correcting typos
Ok, so its not the original engine. Deck is probably 10 years older............. As you have given a nice clear photo, here is the exact IPL (part list), the manual is the correct one. Plus here is another doc that might be handy - Actually, it won't come up as its too big. Will try to work out another way
Interesting, thanks Tyler. So what would've belonged to that deck originally do you think?
Oh no he got a Rover! This disease has reached stage two -other brands beside Victa! Off to the doctors now before it gets worse and you start collecting reels and ride ons. Lucky I haven't reached stage three non rotaries. Stage four is kidding yourself you'll make a living doing this. That is rare luckily.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Oh no he got a Rover! This disease has reached stage two -other brands beside Victa! Off to the doctors now before it gets worse and you start collecting reels and ride ons. Lucky I haven't reached stage three non rotaries. Stage four is kidding yourself you'll make a living doing this. That is rare luckily.
Hahaha, I only decided on that Rover because it was the only one out of the half dozen in the junk yard that looked like it might actually be salvageable.
Originally Posted by Tyler
I just got my 3rd reel and I still havent got the first going yet
I would have thought this Rover Craftsman to be 1985 ,I've had one the same but with a red base and I think the red one was around the mid to late eighties so this could be the last of the blue base Rover Craftsman.
Hi all, I would have thought this Rover Craftsman to be 1985 ,I've had one the same but with a red base and I think the red one was around the mid to late eighties so this could be the last of the blue base Rover Craftsman. Cheers Max.
Hahaha, I only decided on that Rover because it was the only one out of the half dozen in the junk yard that looked like it might actually be salvageable.
Any mower hobbyist worth their salt must have a B&S vertical pull. I found a SupaSwift with a 3hp magnetron a few years ago on a rubbish pile. I almost didn't grab it but I didn't have a VPB so that swayed my decision.
It sat for at least two years until I could be bothered to give a serious look at it. That moment change when I went for a wander near where I get my car services and spotted a SS catcher and grabbed that. Lo and behold it fitted right and all it turned out to need was a new clean filter element (freshly oiled thanks to info here) and a pair of Victa blades. It's one of my favourite mowers as it starts pretty easy and cuts really crisply. Catcher likes to fall off sometimes though!
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Had a think and the only way I can think to identify the base is by phone numbers (as stupid as that sounds). When specific capitals went 6-7-8 digits.
Brisbane went 7 digit in 76, so its after 76
These 3 brochures put on by cyberjack provide a better key
Had a think and the only way I can think to identify the base is by phone numbers (as stupid as that sounds)..........Overall, it leans towards this mower being between a 75 and 79
Rover may have been better, but Victa knew how to make their mowers stylish and appealing to shoppers. These Rovers are pretty boring looking. Even Supa Swift managed to look smart.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
The previous Rover mowers were images from online the blue one is on ODK and Tyler has a link to that one.
I do have a MSAA 1978 Craftsman ,it's a different Base.
Tyler ,I do think you are right about the time line when the phone number changed ,It's just sometimes there are variables ,like did someone use up old stock (id plates) on this Craftsman model ,I do own a Red Magnet Rover and that has the old phone number but also have a 1981 Red Rover Ute with the newer phone number ,I'm just thinking it's a possibility that the blue Craftsman could have been built with old stock bases but newer engines ,just saying there is sometimes an overlap when old parts are used up with newer parts but this blue based Craftsman does look 1979 to 1980 from the evidence we have so the cowl or engine could have been swapped at some stage.
The safe bet would be to say it's a Rover Craftsman 1979 to 1980.
It's a long time ago that I had the Red Rover Craftsman so maybe that one was 1981 to 1982.
Thats like this old Masport I picked up last year. Curbside collection bob cat was just down the street, so I felt sorry for it and picked it up as it was nearly guaranteed death otherwise
New plug, throttle cable and lever, filter, oil, fuel line, filled it up and goes 2 or 3 pulls every time (I have since taken cowl off, put in fuel tap, cleaned all out, etc. )
Cuts and catches like a new one (so long as you don't want to mow thick grass as its only a 3.5 quantum.
I these old curbside/tip Briggs are like those little green martians in Toy Story Movie 'You have saved our lives, we are eternally grateful' haha
Its good to see you have saved quite a few of them - they are very solidly built.
I've saved too many Tyler , yes it would make identifying the year of manufacture easier if the id tags had the date code. The old Masport mowers are good .
The SupaSwift 767 reminds me of the Rover mower below the front of the Rover has a slightly different shape ,both are good mowers Mf. ( Rover image from another site)
The Masport does look similar to the 767 but from memory the Masport is a 19 inch cut and Rover / 767 are 18 inch cut.
The SupaSwift 767 reminds me of the Rover mower below the front of the Rover has a slightly different shape ,both are good mowers Mf. ( Rover image from another site)
The Masport does look similar to the 767 but from memory the Masport is a 19 inch cut and Rover / 767 are 18 inch cut.
The odd thing about this mower is it's quite ugly without the catcher, but turns into a somewhat beautiful swan when the catcher is attached. Quite a stylish number then. I would like to find a pair of wheel covers for the other side.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Nothing wrong with its looks MF - especially compared to the garish Victa Thunder
Back when mowers were designed to cut and catch - not a compromise for looks.
Was in Bunnings this afternoon (my apologies to Norm if he reads this - the bloody tap has started leaking again, needed a cartridge) and looked at the new mowers coming in.
In a few years, Norm will like the little Chonda's that are on the Cheetah - 127cc, Primer carb that takes a Briggs Quantum bulb, top mounted foam filter (no expensive hard to get Sanli paper ones).
Might be good for when the Lawn beetles run out - although a few cc smaller, so will have to throw on a 4 blade set up and see how it goes. Weird thing is the dipstick isn't a screw in - it just pops in and out like a car one
Worth noting we have SFA in the way of new petrol mowers due to freight issues (melb to perth supposedly - more like Goungzhou to Australia).
Ryobi, Homelite trimmers, Masport or Victa Petrol anything.
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