G'day folks;
It hasn't been sold yet; the seller is running a bit of a 'Dutch auction' it seems - reducing the starting bid in each relisting, after starting high. It's located in Rouse Hill, NSW for anyone interested. Interestingly, the seller has an actual SB45 also for sale, also with 3hp Tecumseh engine.

As Deejay says, 'Craftsman' was the brand MSAA used on the 'house brand' mowers that were made for them. Initially by Australian manufacturers, but in the MSAA's latter years they seem to have had an agency arrangement with the US Sears Co., who have long owned that trademark for the US market.

The Tecumseh engines do look pretty correct for mid-1970's too, from what I recall of the units fitted to some of the Mobilco-imported Ariens tillers of that time.

It would also have been around that time, that James N. Kirby [and Villiers] discontinued local engine manufacture, following the Whitlam government's removal of import tariff protection on small engines.

We might as well have the two useful ad pics up in full resolution:

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

Cheers,
Gadge

"ODK Mods can explain it to you, but they can't understand it for you..."

"Crazy can be medicated, ignorance can be educated - but there is no cure for stupid..."