John, welcome to the forum. Unfortunately I cannot help with date. To refurbish or just service very much depends on what you intend doing with it and what condition it is in. If anything mechanical or electrical (ignition) needs replacing or repairing that would be first priority. To give it a full restoration and paint job is personal preference.

John

There’s some info on the old forum archive which may be of help:

https://www.tractorbox.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=757

Also found this reference from the early 1970’s. “an M1 Super at around £116 with a 3 h.p. engine, there are the Estate at £130, fitted with a 4h.p. engine, and the Monarch at £140.50, fitted with a 5 h.p. engine”.

Mountfield is now owned by another company so information or archives may no longer be available or may be lost.

Alan

That’ll be a Tecumseh or Aspera engine then?

By courtesy of the folk at allotment- garden there are some free to dowload manuals on there website

Rotavator Manuals

I can confirm that you have an M1 there but as you have found you have an Aspera engine fitted rather than the Briggs and Stratton engine that mine has fitted. If you can find the model and serial numbers on here it is possible that one of the forum members can help with some seful information.

Is there any evidence around frame of machine where engine mounts to suggest it had something different previously? Aspera may have been a later option. Yes it should be possible to turn engine by hand with plug in, you should feel it become harder at some point as piston comes up on compression stroke. If engine has been stood for a long period one of the valves could be stuck open which would cause loss of compression.

Hot of the scanner, copy of user instructions.