1941 Fazakerley No.4 Mk.1 missing pieces - questions, questions, questions....

[spinecracker]

As I mentioned on another current thread, I bumped into a 1941 Fazakerley No.4 Mk.1 yesterday. The rifle was missing the upper hand guard, upper band screw and front sight protector and screw, and the forend, buttstock and lower hand guard were varnished (I couldn't tell if they had been sanded, but the grooves on the lower hand guard were not particularly rounded over). The rear sight was a Mk.II. The rifle was in "reasonable" condition (not too many bumps or dings and no cracks - not pristine, but not totally banjaxed) and had not been bubba'd, but the bolt head was a No. 4 and the bore was dark and I didn't have a bore light with me. The buttplate was so grimey that it looked black. There is nothing to indicate foreign service (i.e. Ishey screw, stamps, etc) or any prior major overhaul (no FTR markings) and I did not immediately see an import mark (could have been under all of the crud...). The rifle was being sold for $200. I was tempted to buy it, after haggling, because it is a 1941 British -made No.4 Mk.1 and you don't see too many of them about in my neck of the woods in the US, and I only need a couple of parts to get the rifle back to being complete (I have a couple of spare upper hands guards lying around here somewhere...). I was put off buying it because I couldn't make out the condition of the bore, and the No.4 bolt head would indicate that this rifle had been through the ringer more than once (if I am wrong, then please let me know - I have never seen a bolt head number greater on the Lee Enfields I have handled). I do not have photos, and I know the seller is too blooming grumpy to send me some.

So, my questions are the following:

1. Is this rifle worth saving (I know that plenty of you will always say yes :P )?
2. When was the Mk.II rear sight introduced to British rifles?
3. When was the Mk.II cocking piece introduced to British rifles?
4. What type of upper band should be seen on an ROF 1941 No.4 Mk.1?
5. How might the presence of a No.4 bolt head affect performance, safety and value of the rifle?

This would be my second restoration project, and would not be as extensive as the 1941 Long Branch I worked on (I went a little crazy there, but it now looks beautiful). I wouldn't typically hesitate to buy such a rifle, but I have some surgeries to pay for (had one only a few hours before spotting this rifle) and I recently splashed out on an NZ-marked Long Branch and a Russian 1946 M44...too many rifles, too little time...

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