by the starter cord pulling straight up, i take you mean that the rope handle was just of the side of the flywheel sticking up out of the top of the cover. if so i have a few mowers that have it that way. the starter rope is rapped around a pulley set up that engages a gear that slides into teeth on the bottom of the flywheel when you pull the starter rope. if you check out some of the old lawnboy's, they have that style starter pulley set up