Unusual Marquis ?
Just bought a 20" Marquis with a BSA F12 Sloper. The engine platform is drilled and tapped to accept different engines and the RH side plate is drilled to take the cast iron "bumper" usually seen on Briggs engined machine to protect the recoil starter. The id plate does not have the usual Mk** number.
Any thoughts ?
Forums
Looks like we've now
Looks like we've now established that it is a MK5M, which for a period was available with either a Briggs engine or a Villiers Sloper and would have had metric bearings all round. Evidence shows that this machine originally had a Briggs engine but at some time received a Villiers Sloper together with its clutch and top shaft. Hence the imperial clutch spigot and outer bearings.
The parts book for the Mk5 / Mk5M even shows the engine mounting platform with the multiple tapped holes to accept either engine.
Before
work in progress
I wonder if the mower was at
I wonder if the mower was at one time in its life a factory development machine and used as a test bed for different power units. If so you may find other indications as you dig further into inner workings of the mower.