Monday, April 2, 2007
My kind of scooter
This is the kind of scooter I look for. I just bought this one. To appreciate a scooter like this you have to see the beauty under the rust. It's a Civilian Airborne Cushman, model 53A. The pencil springs on the front fork identify it as 1946 or early 1947.
Jewel's jewel
Sunday, April 1, 2007
A Highlander and a Mustang
The Cushman Highlander model 721 usually has a fiberglass cover over the rear wheel and gas tank. This one appears to be a combination of two different models. The luggage rack on the back is not a standard Cushman accessory. But overall, I think it looks pretty darned neat.
In the background is a Mustang, a motorcycle look-alike that is classed as a scooter. Most Mustang models were known for speed. They were made in California. Behind the Mustang is a Cushman Eagle
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Cushman at Indianapolis
OMC Engine
Package Kar
Cushman Autoglide
Cushman with a Winterfront
This windshield is a style that Cushman called a "winterfront." It would probably slow you down, but in cold weather it was better than no protection at all. The white part appears to be vinyl, which leads me to believe that it is a reproduction. The original Cushman winterfront was canvas.
The scooter is a late '47 or '48 Pacemaker. Also know as a Model 52.
A Passenger Vehicle?
Cushmans bring out the creativity in people. This early 3-wheeler has a bench in front of the driver. How does the tropical unbrella stay on there at high speeds? Well, there are no high speeds involved here. It looks like the body is held together by bumper stickers, but this is really a very restoreable Cushman.
Did you notice the truck?
Cushman Eagle
Pacemaker
Friday, March 23, 2007
Allstate
Cushman built scooters for Sears. They sold them as Allstates. in the early and middle 50's there were two models, the 811.40 and the 811.30. That's the .40 on the left. It was called a DeLuxe and had four horsepower. The Standard, above, had 3 hp. The DeLuxe is popular with collectors because of the unique styling.
Autoglide
Civilian Airborne
Cushman Truckster
Cushman Highlander
The Highlander was Cushman's economy scooter. This 1961 Highlander is a model 721, the last model in the line. It has a low seat, springs only on the front wheel, and a nice knee guard. The leather kit on the handlebars was added because there was no place to carry a spare spark plug and a cell phone. I never go very far without those two items.
Formerly Barn-Fresh
The scooter in the foreground is a 1947 Cushman that I got in barn-fresh condition. It took two years to make it look like this. I was finished in 1995.
The middle scooter was the result of combining two really bad barn relics. It's an Allstate DeLuxe made by Cushman. The back half is a '54 and the front a '53, but those years were the same.
In the background, is a 1963 Cushman Super Silver Eagle. It was one of the good ones. It needed a complete fuel system clean out, and a back tire. The chrome is pitted and the paint is faded, but it is too close to original to restore. I prefer scooter original or restored to original. I don't want them modified or customized.
The middle scooter was the result of combining two really bad barn relics. It's an Allstate DeLuxe made by Cushman. The back half is a '54 and the front a '53, but those years were the same.
In the background, is a 1963 Cushman Super Silver Eagle. It was one of the good ones. It needed a complete fuel system clean out, and a back tire. The chrome is pitted and the paint is faded, but it is too close to original to restore. I prefer scooter original or restored to original. I don't want them modified or customized.
Wanted: barn-fresh motor scooters
I'm looking for barn-fresh motor scooters. Dead or Alive. This one appears to be dead, but it may have a few usable parts. Some barn-fresh scooters have been sitting around in barns (or sheds, garages, basements, etc.) for decades Just waiting for someone to rescue them. Almost all of them need work. The best of them need the fuel system cleaned out and rotten tires replaced.
But the main reason for this site is that it gives me a chance to post pictures of antique and collectable motor scooters. This gives people a place to properly identify motor scooters. You have to do that before you can sell or restore them.
So scroll down through the pictures. Enjoy these historic vehicles. Most of them look better than this first pictcure.
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