OK, what you have there is a real bitsa, looks like a true home made mower to me, or, at best, a mower with substantial replacements.
The base looks to be a 68-73 Store brand base, the cowl looks to be off a corvette, and I doubt it was originally gold, the catcher is of a corvette or Cortinas of the early 60's, and probably does not attach to that base all that well (it will however hold in place)
I'm guessing from the look of things the engine is perhaps original to the base, probably a g3 carby on there, the serial will help ID the engine.
As for the specifics of a value, it's a hard one to value as a whole mower, but I would say $54 for it running is not too much.
