OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Question On Scott Bonnar Cylinder Mowers Scott Bonar 45058

So my farther was given this mower from a family friend and now I've inherited it. I'm not totally sure in which direction to take it in terms of restoration. End game is to sell it as it's not suited to my lawn and to be honest it would be a waste to use it on my lawn, it runs that good. Do I fully restore it back to its former glory with all new paint etc. or leave it as it and have the blade resharpen. It starts 2nd pull every time with out a problem

I'll post up some pics off all its numbers. Now if I am correct this engine is 30 years old?

Hello,

Your best bet is to sell it untouched as most purchasers want to do the work themselves and not buy someone else's half hearted effort, thus you're only wasting your own money.

BB.

Hello Cam3389 and Mod BB
Many thanks for the great record images of the SB Model 45 45058
This one is dated to about 1986.

I must agree with BB on this.
If your intention is to sell, restorers prefer to work with un-molestered
machines. The important thing is that it goes to a good home.

Thank you for being honest in the 'End Game'.
It saves us time, and BB has given the best advice.

All the best in the sale.
------------------------------------
Jack

Hi Guy's,

This one does have me a tad perplexed as I feel it might have had an engine change done at some stage, but I'm not 100% sure on that issue as the engine shows it was built on the 14th of August 1986 and the jury is still out on when exactly Rover started using Kermit Green Powder Coating in Brisbane. So from that a tad more research and consultation will have to be done until I can confirm the information.

Cheers,
BB.

Older thread I know, but figured for the record I would agree with BB here. The paint and alloy plate on that machine dates the body manufacture from the SA factory from 1980 to August 1983 at the latest. It is generally accepted that the Brisbane Rover factory used a large number of hammertone painted body parts shipped from the closed SA factory for a time and then moved to the powder coating system Rover had in that Brisbane factory from around 84 to produce the Green Kermits.

If the engine is original it means that the Brisbane factory was still using SA manufactured hammertone painted components up to 1986. I don't think we have seen anything else to support that so it would be a revelation and indicate a massive stockpile of parts in SA that was shipped to Brisbane.

Given the excellent info elsewhere on this site, it is noted that there was a significant drought for a few years up to 83 that contributed to the Thebarton Factory closure. It is conceivable that they continued to produce mower parts at the same rate for some time even though sales were down, but still it's hard to believe they had 3 years of stockpile...

The other alternative is that perhaps contrary to current opinion the Brisbane factory actually used a hammertone finish for a time before the powder coating? I don't think that's likely though.

Or of course the most likely scenario is that the engine has been replaced a few years after purchase under warranty due to a fault with the original engine.