1940's homemade scooter (thats right 60yrs!)

[lzrider90]

Hi all, I'm not sure if this should be posted in this area but what the heck! This things been sitting around my yard in various locations for about 6 years before i finally decided to do something about it. The history of it goes as such:
it was built after the second world war by a navy vet and it was continually used as his daily driver (registered) until 1960. He passed away sometime in the 80's and my dad bought this thing off his widow sometime later, by then it had been sitting outside for around 20yrs so the tires were rotten and the seat was so decrepit that it never came with the scooter.

on the mechanical side of things:
-originally had an old johnson ironhorse "4" flathead for power
-#41 chain reduction from the engine to a jackshaft with a giant pedal operated cone clutch then to the rear wheel with #50 motorcycle chain
-body mounted throttle lever (scary)
-braking done with an asbestos band on a steel drum (scary)
(braking and clutch operated with the same pedal like a lawn tractor)

i have since welded the old clutch solid as a jackshaft and temporarily had a 6.5 clone and a centrifucial clutch powering it

the front tire and tube have been replaced but the back hasnt got done yet.

anyways i thought id post this beast for y'all to see, but im looking to get rid of it now so it is for sale if anyone's interested

 

[Neck]

WOW, that's a lot of attention to detail for a home built! pretty bitchen I'd say!

 

[steven Durham]

Sorry but that is not home built it is a Cushman Scooter.

 

[Ruppster81]

Sorry but that is not home built it is a Cushman Scooter.

Probably is but it still looks cool... almost made me want to make a nice homemade scooter like that. Infact I may do that instead of hunting for another mini.

 

[den35]

It's an easy mistake.I'd never heard of Cushman till I read about them here.

Just the same,I like it.:thumbsup:Fix er up,IZ.We need more mini fans in Canada.

 

[Strigoi]

that's cool it still has the original engine. :smile:

 

[deezildennis]

that's cool it still has the original engine. :smile:

wtflol!!!!!!!

 

[lzrider90]

see I was wondering about that, but the body is definitley not production i'll have to get an inside shot, its built like a chicken coop with small angle iron for framing and tin body panels, and nut and bolt fasteners Ive been lookinf for a picture of a chusman chassis but cant fine any similar to this

 

[born loser]

heres a good scooter pic site:
US Scooters built before 1970 :thumbsup:

 

[Randy]

In my opinion it is not a Cushman? I could be way off but my Dad has had every configuration at one point or another and none have had a steering neck like that. I do however think it has some Cushman elements and maybe even the frame rails? But again I'm not 100% Every time I think I'm sure, I learn something new. But I don't think it's a Cushman.

I think it's oldsalt or someone else's whole family worked there so I'm sure we will find out for sure.

 

[steven Durham]

I guess I would say it was the frame rails that were bent up to the neck and the pencil style front end that is a Cushman style and I just don't see any home shop being capable of doing all this complex work like bending the frame rails and making all the front end and wheel parts. I did look all over for a Cushman to match but found none. As for the body section I am not sure. This may be just a lot of existing parts put together but it sure had some heavy Cushman influence.
Steve

 

[Randy]

You know Steve, it might just be a French bike? It has Cushman elements but a European type thing going on with the tin work? I wonder if it has Metric fasteners?

Randy

 

[GTO]

Looks like a factory bike, lots of scooters where made with rails back in those days.(even mini's where too)

 

[dobber]

I would look at early Allstates, them and Cushman had some bikes that they worked on together. front wheel is defanitly they type Allstate used.

 

[lzrider90]

I looked at tons of pics of old cushmans and related old scooters but yeah, I couldnt find any with a fork setup like this (im not sure if its clearly visible but the tops of the handlebars are actually two goosenecks from pedal bikes!) Wow this is turning into a "name that bike" event! let me know if anyone wants any detail shots, I'd like to know just exactly what parts are from where and who built them:thumbsup:

 

[lzrider90]

fasteners are/were mostly square nuts and hex bolt heads, many were either chewed up or rusted on (natures loctite) so the were torched or cut off

 

[kugelbake]

What a cool scooter! It just screams "CUSHMAN." I think it could be one of the pre-war models that were collectively called "Milk Stools." But I've certainly never seen that neck anywhere before.

 

[jmbmini]

My opinion would be a Moto Scoot. Pre-war maybe!

 

[den35]

Just my 2 cents,but I say,what does it matter?Wether it's a scooter or a minibike,factory built or homemade,it's still gonna be fun to build up and ride.

And ain't that what it's all about?:thumbsup:

 

[lzrider90]

well the scooter has left the building (aka small cramped garage) and has moved on to bigger better things. Today i got a call after work from a guy who wanted to take a look at it, turns out the guy collects old cushmans!And he literally runs an antique shop out of his basement, so all in all I traded him the scooter for an antique german radio, a pair of vintage 50s pellet guns and 100$! It was a good day:thumbsup:

He also had what looked to be a bonanza frame and forks, a set of 5 spoke mag wheels and a fully operational homestyle trail mini, totegote style:wink: