Peter Roat aka "Roatavator"

Clive. As far as we know she’s original. She has built in tool storage under the bed each side and a ladder store accessed from the rear. Commer fans say they are very rare, but if anyone knows different…..

Alan. She’s actually got the Perkins diesel. Noisy doesn’t do it justice! But the payoff is 35mpg plus. Apparently diesels are even rarer.

Thanks chaps.

She’s in pretty good condition overall, having been in storage for several years, owned by a farmer then an enthusuiast, regularly dosed underneath with waste oil, we had her up on a ramp before buying, and all looks well! She’d done virtually no miles in the last 7 years, we took a chance driving her home 160 odd miles, but she got…[Read more]

Mine has Wico

Hi all
I’ve looked at the link to the French site again, the 56e on there also has only SIMAR on the spark plug cover.
Looks like Monros must have made a special batch for the exports, logical as the machine was only known as “The Rototiller” in the UK. The serial number plate on mine, and I assume all other UK ones, just says “The Rototiller”,…[Read more]

Thanks for that, I’d not noticed the 56e post on the French site before.
If they’re correct in assuming the 56e’s were made by Monros then your serial number would tie in with the British numbering. Mine is 560115 delivered in February 1949, yours would be somewhat later than that.

If it is British, Charlie should have the exact date and may be…[Read more]

Now that’s interesting!
I’m no expert on SIMAR numbers, the ID plate on yours says “imported” implying it was manufactured elsewhere rather than being made in Sweden. Its definitely the same as the 56a made and sold in UK by Monros which I have. Except that earlier models had “Simar Rototiller” on the spark plug cover, and later ones “Simar…[Read more]

Great image, Charlie. Looks like they might be painted springs. Not so sure about the green though, looks a bit insipid, do you think this is the brochure fading with age, or have our machine’s finishes changed darker over 65 years weathering and ageing?

Sean, like everyone else, I’m short of springs, but if anyone out there has the odd broken or badly worn tine they need to replace, I’d be happy to let one or two of those go, can’t see me using them all up in my lifetime, and there’s enough to keep Jr going as well when he inherits the 56!
Got me wondering as to what our Simars would have looked…[Read more]

That looks like an excellent price, Sean.
Looking at your photos, some of the tines don’t look too bad. I know they’re corroded, but they clean up great after half an hours working, only of course to go corroded again when you lay up the machine for the winter!
I’ve got loads of old tines which I assume were kept when the springs broke, and whole…[Read more]

Glad you said that Charlie, makes ours more rare and desirable!

Great idea Sean.

I’ll definitely have some, I’ll PM you.

Charlie et al, would it be an idea to put this in the next Cultivator to reach members who don’t get on the forum?

Got mine yesterday. Great issue, thanks to Mr H and everyone involved. And six times a year now, even better!
Back page full of SIMAR, bound to appeal to a Roatavator, but not so sure about Jr’s ugly mug behind the 56!
So 11,000 SIMARS sold, got me thinking:-
a) There must be loads out there waiting to be discovered, hopefully they can’t all have…[Read more]

Steve
Send me a PM with your email and the F80 manual is yours!
I did send you a message on this forum in the messages section a couple of days ago.
Peter

Andy, I’d love to bring it, but still have no transport, I won’t have until we move. I’m hopeful it will happen this year, but not in time for Stanfield, which if I remember right is around March/April? My transport today was courtesey of the charity. I hope I’ll get to Stanfield as a spectator, so look forward to seeing yours.

Actually I could charge for the ear plugs, Chris, and donate the proceeds to the charity! Or I could for a large enough fee offer to stop the Simar for 10 minutes…

Just to say if anyone else wants the manuals I’ll be glad to send them. I also have SIMAR 56, and a few bits and pieces of Howard Gem etc which I have scanned and are available.

Hi Ian
Welcome to the forum.
I’ve got the F80 workshop manual and owner’s handbook.
PM me your email address and I’ll send them on.