OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Collectors Corner Rotary Rover Powermaster Super 4

This is my second Rover mower



It has its original catcher which is in very good condition



Made for Chandlers electrical stores here in Queensland



Chassis is in good condition, wheels need some bearings and seals. Engine runs good and strong with no smoke, starts on second or third pull



Going by the Rover numbers would I be right in thinking that it is a 1992 model and any way of telling if it is a Brisbane build ?



It needs a new set of blades, would this be a 18" or 19" cut ?

I have trolled the net for advertising material but turned up nothing, perhaps CyberJack may be able to help there.

:-)

its just a storebrand rover , but far as i know its an 18' cut i have the same one here and it cuts beautifully its a loan mower its THAT tough !!
can we see how the catcher fits up and the attachment idea ? never came with one and like to see how it works if it poss' ? another good one , you collecting rovers or something mate ?

Hi Vccomm,
The catcher has a hook either side, you lift the rear flap with the handle and the flap goes inside the catcher mouth while the hooks sit over the frame. No not collecting Rovers, this one was very cheap and I liked the strong build qualities of it.

thanks for that mate , it just lifts and sits up inside ? and yes , my one a mate had and he trashes everything !!! but only thing he broke was the start cord on it , and now its out and still working .
i been asked to sell it but its just a tough old machine , cant even bruise it perfect for a loaner . good luck with it and thanks for the pic .
i think it was a victorian store sort of like myers but long gone now , could have been in other states too but i never did notice
seems the front axles dont flog out too much , might be the wat they are mounted , wheels back not forward hmmmm , never really thought of that one before

That chassis design was superseded somewhere in the mid 80's so i definitely dont think it's a 92 model. According the the engine numbers and assuming it's all original, the engine was built on 23/10/1981. So at a guess i would say yours is an 82 model.

That engine was built in Briggs' Poplar Bluff, Missouri, engine plant. They have not now and never have had an engine plant in Brisbane. The only overseas engine manufacturing plants they have ever had making side valve engines were in China and in the Czech Republic. The Czech plant was closed a few years ago. The China plant is now the only Briggs plant making side valve engines. The relatively few surviving US plants now only make OHV engines.

Briggs has however had numerous depots around the world where imported engines are unpacked, prepared for sale, and despatched to dealers.

Hi Grumpy, mate I meant the Rover frame and final assembly of the mower. I know that Rover had a factory and head office in Brisbane at Eagle Farm. Engine proudly States made in the USA on the starter.

Hello All,

I had flashbacks when I saw that 2682571 phone number.
After all these years that number is still indelibly mind stamped (with good memories).

This model chassis - the 26 - was Rover's most famous chassis of the 1970s.
It was most commonly named the 'Challenger' chassis - and it was the top-line
18" machine of the 1970s. My favourite was the 2610, fitted with the rugged
10 Series Briggs 4H.P. The model 26 chassis was, as said here, rugged.

Bigted is quite right, in the early 1980s the pressure was on to have a new high-arch
chassis to replace the aging mid-arch Challenger. The new chassis was the Model 29,
commonly known as the 'Baron'. [The '092' in the serial number is not date related]
Note that the Model 26 and 29 are shown in the 1981 advertisement below.

This machine, dating from 1981, would have to be quite rare in that it is one
of the earliest 'orange' Rovers, and I have not seen an orange Challenger before.

p.s. the flap and catcher arrangement was one of the best designs I have seen.
The flap was raised from the outside lever (no need to touch the flap at all).
A very safe and positive arrangement ...far better than many designs used today.




One to hold on to.
--------------------------------------
JACK

Hi Jack,

Thank you very much, exactly what I was after. Were all the Rovers made in Brisbane ? I can't find any information on the factory that was at Eagle Farm, not even a pic on Google. I liked this mower as soon as I spotted it, I grabbed it to go with my Scott Bonnar 48 and my Rover Thoroughbred. Sort of a loose time line of these chassis styles and the merging of manufacturers, if that makes sense. I have this 200 ES as well which is Rover Scott Bonnar but has the wrong motor

same motor really , just take of the plastics and some new decals DONE all thats under it is a slot that the orig' sticker cover anyway
i'll grab a pic of my orange one too soon , same mower just a different shade

Hello Paul!

Yes, all Rovers were made at the Fison Avenue factory.
Here's what the factory looked like in its final stages of life.
The lawn and hedging out the front once was manicured and immaculate.
... Just another sad case of takeovers and eventual decline ... and decay

Thanks very much Jack, fitting new wheel bearings today and found one of the rear wheels totally missing the inner bearing hub. If anyone has a set of rear wheels or even just one please contact me. It's a three wheeler for now.

you restoring so you are fussed if its the same or will you change the whole set for something different but not too far from the correct ones ? mine i found out tonight has stopped for some reason (his wife told me he hit some rock ! ) so i can see what i have that fits .
should be ok with any rover wheels most are 1/2 inch im sure a lot of older ones had the same chrome centre . might be good to see the condition of this machine now its been in the hands of a maniac

Thanks Vccomm, I would like to keep the original chrome wheels if possible.

just got it back , seems the same but this engine is 79 ? could have been changed though but best i know its a vic' one , they got around huh . Grace Brothers


good he couldnt start it this time , asked if fuel in it and reply was yeh sure uuuuuum . no fuel and it started in front of him tonight and still runs as sweet as a brigg's can a close look i can see there was a decal on the block too but its long gone .

Still looks good, they are a rugged unit. I have given mine a bit of a tidy up, they do run nicely

[video][/video]

good vid looks a lot better now yours has the dipstick too didnt notice it before , mines just the shorty plug and didnt come with airfilter on it but no holes in handle for one only throttle control holes on both sides nothing ever fitted .
different from state to state maybe and 79 engined too ?
to be sure , 92908 983-03 79112065 . so 20,11,1979

Thanks mate, I have only seen the white engines on blue bases ? But in the cutting above supplied by CyberJack I am pretty sure that's a white engine.

Hello Paul and vcomm

I wish I knew what year the 'orange' Rovers was introduced.
Perhaps 1979 was the year? I had thought it was early 1980s.

The Powermaster for Grace Brothers is new information and one that helps
us in piecing together the Rover store brand story for this model.
So far, we have Chandlers, Youngs, and Grace Bros.

I note the subtle differences on the handle labelling.
"Super 4" for Chandlers; "Ball Bearing Wheels" for Grace Bros.

Paul, the video is a great resource for the record. Thank you.

Thanks and cheers.
--------------------------------
JACK