I'm fairly chuffed with it, although now I'm torn between using it for what it was designed, storing it for another 20 years. I doubt it will be appreciate in value but it looks to be a rare example. Do people collect these?
I was actually contemplating putting a later model twin cylinder B&S in it, but I don't want to stuff it up if they have a following when in original condition.
Any thoughts?
Well, these aren't collectable in the sense of an appreciating asset, like say classic vehicles.
I'd just use it for its intended purpose - if you got it for the Gumtree price, that's not much more than a third of the new price of an equivalent current Rover model. With much better build quality and design - the import Rovers don't have a very good rep. A Cox Stockman Live Drive would be the closest current locally made machine, for around $4.5k new.
I can't see any point doing an engine swap at this time - that Vanguard is quite a decent engine [OHV, pressure big end lubrication], and it can't have done much work.
