OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Collectors Corner Rotary Scott Bonnar 48 and Pope

Hello,
Just purchased these two and was wondering if anyone could give me an idea of age. The Scott Bonnar 48 has serial no. 4544, it has the Scott Bonnar engine.





The Pope has a serial no. 616564, but the model no is missing.

I Don't collect mowers in particular, but stuff made in South Australia, including Scott Bonnar, Pope, Lightburn and others.

Regards Geoff

Love the scott bonnar mate, even with original catcher a great pair of scores there!

Yea loving the SB has same motor almost as my 35

Hi Geoff, given that info is pretty thin on the ground regarding the Scott Bonnar rotaries, it is (as in all Scotties) impossible to establish an exact date of manufacture, we can make some assumptions with your machine.

Your model number falls after the Model 45 cylinder mower, first introduced late 1967/early 1968; but cylinder mowers might not have followed the same time-line as the rotaries.....the fact that your machine is the same early SB colour, early logo, brass ID tag...original SB Model 201 engine...I would hazard a guess at 1969 as an approximate year of manufacture. The later Model 48's had the Kirby-Tecumseh KAV 74, 2 Stroke engine fitted in 1974/75.

Regarding the Pope, I am sorry, I cannot find anything on this model....Maybe one of our members can help.

Thanks for that information, now all I have to do is give it a good clean up and see if it runs, just need to finish a few other things first. I assume the catcher would have been green, not silver frost!

Regards Geoff

I'm sorry to throw a spanner into the works but does the Model 48 have the wrong engine having the 201 on it.Here is my model 48.



I'm just having trouble with the fact they both have different model engines from at least 10 years apart.
Then you have my Scott Bonnar model 35 with a 201.



Then when you consider the following model of the 49.Which was around 1978.



I'm sorry but I just don't think it fits in.I think that engine has been changed.I know that the Model 49 is around 1978.So that should put the Model 48 just shortly before that.I'm not sure that engine is original.

Geoff,
I've put on a scan of a Scott Bonnar Bulletin which shows the Model 48 rotary mower with an S-B 201 engine as well as the Kirby Lauson. I guess your mower is mid to late 1960s. The Model 47 appears on the price list 1-8 -64, but not the Model 48. An S-B price list dated 1-10-71 lists the Model 49, Model 72 and also the Model 35 which continued for a long time, but not the Model 48, which suggests this Model was finished by then.
Regards,
Grant.

Wow grant thanks for that. That is awesome. Now I want one. The only thing I noticed was my one has the Kirkby lawson 2 stroke which is not on there. I don't surpose you would know where that model fits in,or has mine had an engine change. I hope not.

Hi Grant, and thanks for that info, it really throws the spanner in...and tells us that we know precious little about the rotary time-line...your post suggests that Jeffery's Model 49 could have been made in 1971...not as 1978 as he presumed.
I am trying to find my info that stated that the model 48 was still being produced with the Kirby 2 stroke KAV 74 in 1974/5.

Also I notice that you state that the Model 47 appears on the price list 1-8 -64, which is 3 years before the Model 45 cylinder mower, which was first introduced in 1967. Obviously their numbering system was all over the place!
The plot thickens.....but in all sincerity, I believe the Jeffery's Model 48 has the correct engine fitted.

Thanks Darryl I'm really glad it could have the right engine. These Scott Bonnars are a pain in the bum. The more I learn about them the more I want to learn about them. Also the more I want the different models in my collection. Rotary ones that is.

I've attached a scan of the Scott Bonnar 1974-75 Rotary Mower Range. There seems to be a choice of half a dozen engines for the Model 49.
Regards,
Grant.

Hi Grant, and many thanks for that....I wonder why so many engines were offered for that model?
Regards,

so uuuuum 72 0691 is a pull up kirby 2 stroke ? sorry i dont see the number there . but a lot of usefull info though . it does help but not sure how to date this as yet . looks simillar to a newer 720 but older looking and never seen one anywhere before . when i start working on it , i'll put up more info but atm its a kirby 2stroke , pulls from top and a looooooong orange plastic top coweling
a little cleaned up now , so more if needed .

Thanks Grant that's great I will have to check my mower when I get home now.

I've added a couple more scans to help identify these early 1970s mowers.
Regards,
Grant.

Thanks once again for putting these up for us Grant, all good for the archives, mate!

Wow Grant that's fantastic keep them coming these are going to help me a huge amount. I'd like to get hold of one of these manuals

that is the one thanks grant . great to see how it was once

OK how can you tell from the numbers which is which.As none of my models match the numbers.I have an extra number in the model numbers.I mean like the model 49,my number is 4901589.Yet it looks a bit like model 490070.So am I looking at this wrong?

not sure , but the one that matches mine is 720016 i think . but number on it is 72-01691 . and except for the airsnorkle it looks the same . its been replaced with a later rover looking filter and black tubing . but great id' pictures. the excact one in the top pic' with the guy in full dress almost smiling (pullstart)