Yes thats more the original Colour under the home paint job. They clearly painted the whole mower when they did it.
It is a Model 4 STD. BUT its a very early one, and not many of these have survived.
Infact, the serial sequence between 130-140,000 are very rare.
What happened with the demise of The Automatic was they used non predicta parts. Recoil starter, badges cigar taps and groove covers. Also what people dont realise is they also fitted the skirts as an option. They were a Non predicta item and a safety feature. This is why you see so many model 4 STDs with skirt bolts.
So to get rid of all the remaining parts, they just kept fitting them until they dried up.
So while no record exists in relation to model 4 variants, its my opinion they infact had more than 1 . The STD which was base model and rope start, and the Other model would have had the extras and the recoil start. With the skirts being another additional cost safety option. I think this would have been initiated to give variety, increase sales and get rid of the remaining Automatic remnants by offering more options other than just the STD form, to try and recoup some of the costs from the failed Automatic.
So while yours was not an Auto, its still a fairly rare and very early example of a Model 4 Std, The unexpected Predecessor to the First Victa Special. ....The Model 5 Series 1.
And you can still restore it with the options of starter, groove cover and tap if you wish and it will still be accurate and a Great mower in your collection
A model 5 S2 and a dept store model will give you the whole Model 4/5 collection. Excluding The Auto of course.
