OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions On Ride On Mowers Questions on Rover Ride On Mower Rover Colt Minor & Major - Retail Price

hey guys just curious if anyone knows the original retail price of a little rover colt 5 ride on mower. Any links to pictures of old adverts, Australian or American would be greatly appreciated.

Hello LawnRover

A warm welcome to these ODK forums.

It is frustrating researching Rover for many reasons;the main one
being little information has come forth from the 1970s.

The Colt was introduced in the early 1970s, possible along side the
Rover Rancher. Originally the Colt was offered with the 4hp 10 Series
Briggs (Colt Minor) and the 5hp 13 Series (Colt Major).

It was an immediate success and brilliant, simple design. Original
price was about $575 1970 dollars for the 4hp. By the end of the decade
that price would be about $775.

I do not have any of the early ads or brochures from the early 1970s.
The earliest brochure I have - covering the colt - is from the early 1980s.

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/67345/ROVER_-_Brochure_-_1980.html

Hope this helps.
----------------------
Jack

Thank you very much that helps greatly. Is it possible to work out the year model of my rover/engine and whether or not it is the original Briggs engine? I have attatched photos of the serial numbers.

thanks again

The first six digits of the "code" are the date, the last two, or sometimes only one, are the place of manufacture code. So, 5/5/93 would be the date for the engine, probably a year later for the machine by the time the engine gets imported into Australia.

And that means ...
it is not the original engine.

I suspect that a 7210 was originally a Colt Minor - with the 10 Series 4hp.
[i.e. Model 72 + 10 Series]
This would be consistent with the 7313 being the 13 Series
[i.e. Model 73 + 13 Series]

Colt Minors (or Colt 4hp) would be rare these days.
Many dealers simply preferred to sell the 5hp machine.

Both the 10 & 13 Series shared the same design philosophy:
smaller bore; longer stroke. With their cast iron flywheel,
both were torquey motors, and both loved by repairers.

The 10 Series ended production in the early 1980s. It was replaced
with the 11 series 4hp and the 4hp Colt became a Model 7221.

It's up to you how you proceed, but it might be nice to preserve
a 7210 in its original form. Here is a 10 series Briggs:-

I think its too late for this old girl. This is the condition I found it in. Surprisingly it ran okay. How ever one rear wheel was broken and the axle tip snapped clean off. Can you tell me the displacement of the engine? Through the Briggs website I have downloaded a couple of manuals but neither specify displacement and HP.

Does it have the cutting deck, if so weld a new thread on the end of the axle (done that plenty of times) and if you can't find another wheel get it welded up

No deck im afraid. Knowing it will never mow a lawn again I welded hubs to the live axle so i could fit ATV tyres to the rear.

I hope you fitted new bearings before you welded the hubs to the axel

Of course! I was pleasantly surprised just how easily the live axle assembly came apart. The gearbox internals didnt look half bad either.

Seat looks a bit buggered. Have you considered popping an old office chair on there? It seems to be all the go.

The seat is cactus and has to go. Im currently exploring options with mainly comfort in mind. Thinking something mounted on a few old valve springs because its a bumpy ride.

Still chasing the displacement of the engine if anyone knows.

I like the look of those tyres! I reckon you might need to rethink the valve spring idea as by the time you put 4 springs for stability I reckon it would take a fair bit of weight to get any movement from the springs. Perhaps some springs from a bike seat?

Bunnings had some decent compression springs that would do the job but were too dear. I found an old boat seat at work which did the job.

The tyres are great! I wheelied the damn thing through a puddle today and flipped. Such a great mower. Glad I was able to give it a second life so the mighty rover can live on.

Model 126702 = nominal 12 cu in. Actual displacement 188cc, calculated from bore & stroke.

That is champagne comedy at it's finest! Looks like you'll be knocking up a roll cage next weekend!

Hi,
I just inherited my father's colt.he told me he bought it brand new in 1980.it was a 1980 rover colt major with the original 4hp motor, and he paid around $300 for it in 1980.
Not sure if this helps or confuses things.

Hello Windy

The Colt would have retailed for about double that in 1980.
Does the Colt have a red or white engine?
The Minor would, by this time, used a 187cc 4hp and a 207cc 5hp.

Cheers
----------------------
Jack

Hi Jack,
It's a red 4hp Briggs engine. I could give you the engine numbers but its near impossible to read- model- 10xxx12? type- 036 01?
That is going off what my father told me. I do know he purchased it in 1980, I remember it as we bought the block then. It's still in semi-regular use.

Hi all
Found this the other day in some old papers
Will repost pic if not clear or large enough
mich