If I hav eread the engine number correctly 78 01 09 06 equates to 1978 Jan 9th the 06 indicates plant and assembly line. see Briggs & Stratton website for information about engine numbers.
To paint or not to paint will always be difficult to answer. It is your machine so up to you.
Spark plug recommendations as follows.
4/2 2.4hp Lodge CN
4/3 3.5hp Lodge CN
5 4.5hp Lodge CN
6 5.5hp Lodge CN
Looking on the Green Spark Plug company website they list Lodge HPN, NGK A5FS and Bosch MA95T1 as alternatives. Lodge CN is out of stock.
My copy arrived today with the NVTEC code of practice enclosed. Thank you and well done Robert for getting magazine ready for printers in plenty of time.
For information about registration I suggest you look at the DVLA website. Will it be a first time registration or reclaiming an old registration? If a new registration, do you want (need) an age related number?
Grahame, I don’t know if the tines are the same size. I am fairly sure Clifford either copied or produced the rotavator under licence from SIMAR as SIMAR held the patent. Geo Monro produced the Rototiller 56 under licence from 1948.