Hi Alan a very nice find you have there.Yes this model is getting very hard to find even here in their birth place.
This means that it is in fact from 1972 the 20 at the front is the model code and the 72 is for 1972 the rest is just a serial number.So the good news is that is the original engine.
I hope you do decide to restore it,it would be good to see.
Thanks Blumbly, It was when I saw the pictures of your auto drive on here a few years ago I thought to myself that if I was going to do a restore it was going to be that model (if I could find one). For the time being I suppose all I can do now is give it a good clean up as I don't think I am going to come across the original throttle lever, cowl, badge, or replacement catcher any time soon. In fact im not even sure if I will ever find a few of them here, especially the cowl, so if anyone on here has one for sale I would be particularly interested, even though I know the shipping is going to cost me a small fortune..!!
Quick question, when repainting parts that have decals do you guys mask over them or replace them with reproductions? I think I might have to mask over the ones on the flap (as tatty as they are) as I guess they will be real difficult to find again, even as reproductions. Do you think I should keep these decals in particular?
This really is a great forum. Thanks again everyone for all the help and advise you have given me, I could have easily put the wrong oil in the gearbox for a start!! I must admit I was that blown away with the condition of that catcher I overlooked the fact that it was the wrong one..!!
