[charlie]

Welcome to the club, you have come to the right place for Monro information.
I am the club custodian of the factory records, your machine was despatched on 23-2-60 and delivered on 24-3-60, unfortunately the customers name and address are not recorded for this one. The source (dealer) is shown as Walter Wood, invoice number is 35463 and it would appear they were in W Sussex as other machines from the same source have gone to customers in that area.
The original colour is an odd metallic, sort of hammer finish, blue/green/grey mix.
If you need an owners manual let me know (see my advert in the club magazine, The Cultivator).

[charlie]

Then of course there is Rototiller. First used I believe by SIMAR but later becoming a US company name.

[charlie]

I sent an e mail to the publishers of the modern day version of The Covent Gardener. They were delighted with the information, unaware that the title existed back in 1933. They were so impressed a short article and copy of the front cover from 1933 is to appear in their Winter edition. I have included details of the VHGMC which I hope they print.

[charlie]

Looking good, very satisfying when it goes to plan.

[charlie]

I believe it is the longest single word palindrome in English.

[charlie]

If you know the dimensions of the bearing try Simply Bearings, I have had good service from them and you can find bearings by entering the dimensions, same for oil seals.

[charlie]

I use either Castrol XL or Morris oils SAE30 in my 2 stroke machines. There is an old film on the British Pathe archive which shows an old SIMAR 10 working and that is smoking. The Rototiller is towards the end of the film at 4:10 onwards, I think it may have been filmed at Wembley Stadium.

[charlie]

I have a Rothenberger Super Fire torch which runs on MAP gas, that would get the bar glowing red without too much trouble.

[charlie]

I would guess it was a one off made by an enthusiast.

[charlie]

Private messaging has been switched back on.

[charlie]

Not a pretty sight. I assume the big end bearing is a roller bearing. When I had the engine on my SIMAR Rototiller 10 rebuilt I had to have anew big end bearing made. The biggest problem the company doing the work had was splitting the crank at the big end.

[charlie]

Looking good. I guess making the J bolts will require the correct size round bar, a suitable jig for bending the bar and the application of heat to ease the bending process.

[charlie]

Ralph, welcome to the forum. I am sure one of members with a good knowledge of Howard machines will be able to help.

[charlie]

Keith, thanks for sharing the story of the restoration. Good to see another rare machine restored, excellent work.

[charlie]

Whilst getting an engineering company to make one will be expensive an alternative may be to find a local model engineer willing to make one, worth trying.

[Author]

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