Hi, While cleaning down my old Rover Rider HD25 I came across a stamped number on the frame. It clearly reads QL25043207C75. Can anybody tell me what this means? I am guessing the QL might mean "Qld", and have been told that the 75 on the end shows it was manufactured in 1975. This seems a bit unusual to me, because 1) the machine was painted in the older industrial yellow colour, (no question about that because I have recently sanded it down and only came across the bright yellow and underlying greyish-green primer. No signs of any blue paint.). 2) The badge on the front is the older type with smaller V that generally dates from late 60s, early 70s. I can only conclude that this was a transition model, using up older stocks of paint and badges etc. just prior to the blue hammertone era. Unfortunately I only have stencils for the later 1970s badges, so will have to put this later era badge on it. Also, the old badge has seen better days and was a bit beyond repairing.
Someone else suggested to read the number backwards from the 4th last number, giving "70", so 1970, and so the 23 potentially means 2nd March?
I also have a jockey (pull along) seat for this machine and it has a similar number scratched into the paint underneath. It use to be quite clear but I forgot to write it down before attacking it with rust remover. But I can still make out what looks like LC2007770 or maybe LG or LQ then 200777 then 0 or maybe C. As I say it is a bit hard to make out and was apparently just hand scratched into the paint on the bottom of the frame. I am guessing by the hammertone blue paint on this frame that it was most likely manufactured in 1977 rather than 1970. But of course counting backwards from the 4th last number once again gives you "70", so it is all a bit confusing.
Do the numbers tell us anything like dates or reveal any other info? I seem to recall coming across a thread or post on this forum which told us how to read those Rover numbers, but I can't find it again.
