Yup, I did see that one. Stunning condition - how many average mower owners would even consider repainting one!
The side catcher - yes, they were a very rare purchase, even back then - the added width was a hindrance. But the high arch rear catcher VC series were pretty new on the market then, and their catching ability was a great advance on the earlier low-arch models.
The usual form with windrowing mowers like that one, was to mow in the clockwise direction [if the grass wasn't too long], then rake up the final windrow.
This had the advantage that the re-cutting of the clippings reduced the volume very markedly.
