i probably ended up putting 15+ hours total just into sanding off the rust / old paint. but, it was worth it. i thought i'd feel at least a little bit disappointed in my decision not to take off the engine and the deck to be able to completely touch every square inch with that rotten wire brush. nah. i'm very pleased with the results.
i applied one coat of rustoleum white primer then 2 coats of the not-quite-snapper-red rustoleum "professional" enamel. in so much as a can of spray paint can be considered "profesional," sure. i have no idea how it even differs from regular rustoleum, but it only costs about 50 cents more per can so i'm sure it's worth it? :)
reassembly of all the lil bits i had taken off over the 2-3 weeks i was sanding went surprisingly smoothly. in addition to all of the cosmetics i ended up doing quite a bit of tuning up of the motor. in all, i replaced the spark plug, air filter, fuel filter, fuel lines, fuel shut-off valve, battery / starter cables, starter pinion gear, the rubber gasket that holds the oil dipstick in place as well as changing the oil.
it was a satisfying feeling when it started right up after only a couple of cranks. there are still some bits to get to complete it. i still have to decide what to do about the foot pads i removed (they're too worn to try to salvage), i need new "snapper" decals, it needs a knob on the throttle control lever and i'd like to get one of those plastic guards in place where the grass cuttings exit the deck as i freak out when i see other people mowing their yards without one because mowers can seriously toss some junk around...it's just dangerous to people and property. plus, i need to remove the touch up the engine cover and continue sanding the rust off the muffler, but all in all she's running good and gets the job done without looking horrid!
here's some shots of her at 90% complete;
