scooterplace

Back to blogging

2011-03-06T11:44:00.002-05:00

I have negelected my bolg while building a photostream on Flickr, but I'm back. I have recently begun exploring boxes of old letters and photos passed down to me from family members who are no longer with us. They have turned out to be a treasure of family history. Most of this stuff is between 40 and 80 years old. I have been reading letters written to my mother by her old high school friends and mailed before I was born. Some of them congratulate her on her marriage or the birth of her first child, my older sister who died Dec, 7 2010. I am finding pictures that are as much as 100 years old and telegrams that were sent in 1930.

Among the most interesting stuff, I found letters from my Uncle John, Mother's kid brother. He was serving in the Navy during World War II, and he describes his work with electronic devices such as radios, radar and even the ships intercom. One of the letters concerns a trip at the end of the war when he traveled from Japan to Guam and was on his way to Hawaii. He said they were to pass through the Panama Canal and on to Norfolk, Virginia where he expected to be discharged.

I hope to publish copies of the letters here. I will type the in to make them easier to read.

CUSHMAN STREET - edit - for HOWARD

2011-01-26T12:39:00.001-05:00

CUSHMAN STREET - edit - for HOWARD
Originally uploaded by CARLOS62

This picture was one that was taken several years ago, It was not a good picture and the upper left corner had a finger in it. A friend of mine in England cleaned it up for me. Cushman Street in is Tacoma Washington. If it was a litlle closer, I might have had my picture made sitting on one of my Cushman motor scooters.

A 21st century scoot

2010-11-25T20:22:00.001-05:00

A 21st century scoot
Originally uploaded by Howard33

These Chinese scooters are everywhere. I wish motor scooters were still being produced in America. There is a lot of plastic in this one.

Cushman Belgium ad 1949

2010-11-25T20:19:00.001-05:00

Cushman Belgium ad 1949
Originally uploaded by Howard33

Cushman motor scooters were built in Lincoln, Nebraska, except for a few built in Belgium under license.

Allstate reflected

2010-06-08T10:31:00.001-04:00

Allstate reflected
Originally uploaded by Howard33

My Allstate is a 1953 model made by Cushman but sold only through Sears. I took this picture in the infield at Charlotte Motor Speedway (aka Lowes).

For more of my scooters, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/howard33/sets/72157594446475809/

Alex and Chris in Rhino

2010-06-08T10:20:00.001-04:00

Alex and Chris in Rhino
Originally uploaded by Howard33

Two of our grandchildern having fun on their aunt and uncle's farm.
Chris at left, and Alex driving. The vehicle is a Rhino built by Yamaha. The farm is about 135 acres of woods, fields, hills and flat places. There is a 3 acre pond and a creek. You might say it's a perfect place for ATV adventures.

Lake House dining room

2009-06-28T12:31:00.001-04:00

Lake House dining room
Originally uploaded by Howard33

The dining room as seen from the kitchen.
http://www.vacationrentals.com/vacation-rentals/56783.html

Lake House deck

2009-06-28T12:28:00.003-04:00

Lake House deck
Originally uploaded by Howard33

The deck at the lake house. It also has a large screened porch and a covered boat dock. A paved walkway leads to the dock.

Here is a link to more information.

http://www.vacationrentals.com/vacation-rentals/56783.html

Lake House deck

2009-06-28T12:28:00.001-04:00

Lake House deck
Originally uploaded by Howard33

Lake House master bedrooom

2009-06-28T11:44:00.001-04:00

Lake House master bedrooom
Originally uploaded by Howard33

The house is old, but it has been completely re-wired and painted.

Lake House front yard

2009-06-28T11:42:00.001-04:00

Lake House front yard
Originally uploaded by Howard33

This is our daughter's lake house on Hartwell lake in South Carolina. She rents it out for vacations, but when it isn't rented, we sometimes go there for a few days. It has it's own dock and there is good fishing, boating, and swimming. Very quiet except for maybe the distant hum of a jet ski. It's way out on a peninsula, so the road has very little traffic. It's good for bicycling and scootering.

two Allstates

2009-04-14T12:41:00.001-04:00

two Allstates
Originally uploaded by Howard33

The red Allstates were made by Cushman. The scooter in the upper right corner is a Lambretta, made in Italy.

Moto-Scoot circa 1946

2009-04-14T12:39:00.001-04:00

Moto-Scoot circa 1946
Originally uploaded by Howard33

This is on display at the Barber Motor Museum in Alabama.

Cushman 1948

2009-04-14T12:35:00.001-04:00

Cushman 1948
Originally uploaded by Howard33

I found this at the 2009 SECC meet in Cochran, Georgia.
www.southeasterncushmanclub.com

White Cushman Truckster

2009-04-14T12:20:00.001-04:00

White Cushman Truckster
Originally uploaded by Howard33

This Cushman Truckster is a good example of a Cushman industrial vehicle.

Allstate 811.40

2009-04-14T12:17:00.001-04:00

Allstate 811.40
Originally uploaded by Howard33

This is my 1953 Allstate DeLuxe model 811.40. Cushman made it, but it was sold only by Sears.

For more on Allstates, click this link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/howard33/sets/72157606382773104/

Highly visible Vanguard Eagle

2009-04-14T12:14:00.001-04:00

Highly visible Vanguard Eagle
Originally uploaded by Howard33

This Cushman Eagle has been upgraded with a modern two cylinder engine, a Briggs Vanguard.

1947 Cushman model 52

2009-04-14T12:12:00.001-04:00

1947 Cushman model 52
Originally uploaded by Howard33

My favorite scooter. It was a basket case when I got it in 1993. Restoration was finished in 1995. Some people mistake it for an original, unrestored, based on the tractor paint. This paint is very similar to what Cushman used in 1947.

OMC engine

2009-04-14T12:08:00.001-04:00

OMC engine
Originally uploaded by Howard33

The aluminum, OHV engine powers the Cushman Super Silver Eagle.

A super Super Silver Eagle

2009-04-14T12:06:00.001-04:00

A super Super Silver Eagle
Originally uploaded by Howard33

The Super Silver Eagle is the ultimate Cushman. They were built from 1960 to 1965.

New Haven RR

2008-07-02T21:08:00.001-04:00

New Haven RR
Originally uploaded by Sunset Sailor

This is one of the most interesting pictures that I have found on Flickr.

1933 - A vintage year!

2008-07-01T13:00:00.002-04:00

If you are interested in 1933, one of the most interesting years in our history, go to http://www.flickr.com/groups/514071@N21/pool/

This is a photo posting group where you will find pictures from 1933, and pictures of things made in 1933. I'm in there too, because I was born in 1933.

Fred's Eagle

2008-06-18T10:06:00.003-04:00

This beautifully restored Cushman Eagle was done by my friend Fred. He is also a good photographer.

Linda's Lillies

2008-06-13T18:15:00.004-04:00

Linda,
The Alaska pictures are located at http://www.flickr.com/photos/howard33/
There will be scooters, cars, and other stuff mixed in, but look around and most of the Alaska pictures are there.
Howard

Triumph Knirps 1919

2008-06-12T13:42:00.001-04:00

Triumph Knirps 1919
Originally uploaded by stkone

I found this on Flickr. It must be very rare. I can just see myself riding through the neighborhood on an 89-year-old motor bike. ( . . .Sigh. . .)

Heinkel Tourist

2008-05-07T09:17:00.001-04:00

Heinkel Tourist
Originally uploaded by mick motor photos

A German scooter. I wonder if they had cooling problems? The Germans made a lot of air-cooled engines, so they probably had that figured out.

MGB

2008-04-18T11:03:00.001-04:00

Everybody likes those little British sports cars.

Allstate by Cushman

2008-04-17T11:58:00.001-04:00

These came with a 3 horsepower Husky, but many of them now have 4, 5, or even 8 hp engines.

1964 Honda CA95 Benly Touring 150

2008-04-14T12:58:00.002-04:00

1964 Honda CA95 Benly Touring 150
Originally uploaded by twm1340

Yes, it's true. Hondas are becoming collectable and here is one of the reasons why. 21st Century bikes just don't have that kind of pizazz.

'47 Cushman and '71 Morris

2008-04-13T21:41:00.001-04:00

'47 Cushman and '71 Morris
Originally uploaded by Howard33

This picture of my 1947 Cushman, posed with a 1971 Morris, has been very popular on flickr.com. I shot the picture at the Southeastern Cushman Club spring meet in Cochran, Georgia. I am surprised at the number of people who have never seen a motor scooter like that. More pictures from that meet should show up soon on wwwsoutheasterncushmanclub.com

DMW -Restored

2008-03-05T13:22:00.001-05:00

DMW -Restored
Originally uploaded by rickw_nz

A fully-restored DMW. I'd like to have one of these. I'll post more information as soon as it comes available.

Rainbow of Eagles

2008-02-28T14:18:00.004-05:00

Do you ever have trouble remembering the seven colors of light in the visible spectrum? It seems like you can never find a rainbow when you need one. It might be easier just to look on scooterplace at these seven Cushman Eagles in all of the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. (left to right)

72 Vespa Rally 180 (scan)

2008-02-20T13:07:00.001-05:00

72 Vespa Rally 180 (scan)
Originally uploaded by Howard33

This 180 cc Vespa is roughly equal to my Cushman Eagle (below) in horsepower. Top speed is about the same, but in a drag race, the Vespa would probably win, due to having four speeds to the Eagle's two.

63 Cushman Super Silver Eagle (scan)

2008-02-20T13:02:00.001-05:00

63 Cushman Super Silver Eagle (scan)
Originally uploaded by Howard33

Willette took a bunch of pictures for insurance purposes, using a disposable camera. She got some good ones of my scooters so I decided to scan them in to the computer. This is my Eagle as it looks on www.flickr.com

Tuk-Tuk

2008-02-04T11:30:00.001-05:00

Tuk-Tuk
Originally uploaded by Aleksander Bochenek

Trucksters are still being reincarneated in the Far East.

Vespa racing 1951

2008-02-01T10:46:00.001-05:00

Vespa racing 1951
Originally uploaded by vespa_obsession

I found the 1951 picture on Flickr. I guess it was made in Italy. The numbers suggest that there was some kind of race or rally going on.

Zio Rocco Termoli anni 50

2008-01-13T10:55:00.001-05:00

Zio Rocco Termoli anni 50
Originally uploaded by Savuttin

An old picture from Italy. The scooter is a Lambretta. I don't know if the 50 in the title means 1950 or 50 years old. Have you ever noticed that in pictures of people on motor scooters, they are always smiling.

1956 Cushman Eagle

2008-01-10T15:51:00.001-05:00

1956 Cushman Eagle
Originally uploaded by Mushroom Guy

If you are restoring a 1956 Cushman Eagle, here is what it should look like. I understand that this one was yellow.

1958 Cushman Scooter

2008-01-10T15:37:00.001-05:00

My_1958_Cushman _Scooter
Originally uploaded by bobweers

This Cushman Eagle belonged to Bob. I wonder if he still has it?

1933 BSA

2008-01-07T12:14:00.001-05:00

1933 BSA
Originally uploaded by jay el

An English motorcycle that's as old as me.

Blue/Pink

2008-01-07T11:42:00.001-05:00

Blue/Pink
Originally uploaded by skeletonkrewe

This colorful pair of Vespas was spotted in the French Quarter of New Orleans. I found the picture on Flickr. www.flickr.com

'61 Highlander and '47 Model 52 Cushman

2008-01-07T11:32:00.001-05:00

'61 Highlander and '47 Model 52 Cushman
Originally uploaded by Howard33

Two old scooters that I ride. If you look closely at the red Cushman, you can see a layer of dust, proof, I suppose that I actually ride these ancient scoots. If you can see the dust on the red one, you might notice that the air cleaner is missing on the yellow and charcoal Cushman. Can't remember why I left it off.
Comments

Little Blue Harley

2008-01-07T11:19:00.001-05:00

Little Blue Harley
Originally uploaded by Howard33

Italian Harley

Allstate 28 K 9440N

2008-01-07T11:14:00.001-05:00

Allstate 28 K 9440N
Originally uploaded by Howard33

This is a rare 1960 Allstate built by Yard Man for Sears only in 1960.

Cushman Trailster

2008-01-06T21:24:00.001-05:00

DSC01700
Originally uploaded by jive t robot

I found this Cushman Trailster on Flickr. I thought all Trailsters had a transmission, but this one doesn't seem to have one.

Some scooters in my collection

2007-10-10T19:27:00.000-04:00

Most of my scooters came from the Cushman era, 1936 to 1965, but here is a Honda 70 Passport built in 1982. This is the Passport that everybody wants. They all look the same, but this one has a 12 volt electrical system. I had to get this one a new carburetor.

Some of my own scooters.

2007-10-10T19:21:00.000-04:00

This 1953 Cushman Pacemaker is what we call a "barn fresh" scooter. This one acturally came out of a barn in Georgia, but it's OK to call them "barn fresh" even if you discover them in a garage, a shed, a basement, or a junkpile. This one runs so well, I put a set of new tires on it, but it needs paint.

Some of my own motor scooters.

2007-10-10T19:17:00.001-04:00

This is a 1951 Cushman Highlander. It has a lot of incorrect parts, including a 4.8 hp engine instead of the original 3.2 hp. I bought it just like you see it here in Smyrna, Tennessee.

My own scooters

2007-10-10T19:15:00.000-04:00

Another Cushman Highlander. This one is a 1961 model.

Some of my own scooters

2007-10-10T19:12:00.000-04:00

This completely restored scooter is an Allstate DeLuxe, made by Cushman but sold only through Sears.

Some pictures of my own scooters

2007-10-10T19:07:00.000-04:00

The scooter in the foreground is a 1947 Cushman which was restored in 1995. In the background is my unrestored 1963 Cushman Eagle that I bought in Louisiana.

Popping a wheelie

2007-09-06T09:12:00.000-04:00

I like action pictures. I also like kid pictures and doggy pictures. It's hard to call a young lady who can pop a wheelie a "kid," but I know her dad. They live in Washington and have driven that car to California and back. I don't know if the dog went, but he looks comfortable in there. For more pictures of this car, go to http://carphotos.blogspot.com/

More in the Archives

2007-09-02T12:30:00.000-04:00

After you have seen the pictures below, you may want to look at the ones in the Archives. Look over there on the right and go down through "About," "About Me," "Previous," and look in "Archives." I've been posting scooterstuff here for a long time.
Howard

Cushdeere - A Very Unusual Scooter

2007-09-02T12:03:00.002-04:00

My friend Jack went to a sale and found two items. One was a tractor seat and the other was a Cushman Highlander motor scooter. That gave Jack a good idea. The scooter became a "Cushdeere," a combination of a Cushman and a John Deere. Notice the seat, the twin headlights, and the distinctive paint scheme. In case you are wondering, the engine is a Cushman Husky. A John Deere engine probably wouldn't fit.

Cushman Military Airborne

2007-08-31T10:03:00.000-04:00

My friend,, Rusty, who lives in Missouri, sent me these pictures of two Cushman Military Airborne scooters that he recently restored. These are historic vehicles originally built in Lincoln, Nebraska during World War II. They were built to be dropped by parachute. Some of these were sold as war surplus after the war ended and were so popular, the Cushman folks designed and sold a civilian model. The military version is a model 53 and the civilian version is model 53A. Those post war models were built 1946 to 1948.

Rusty says both of his model 53 scooters are for sale.

2007-08-10T11:14:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I forget that Cushmans are not the only motor scooters. Vespas, like these, have been made for more than 60 years and are sold all over the world. I don't know if it's true, but I have heard that more than half of the motor scooters on Earth are Vespas. I don't know about other planets.

Motor Scooter Tool Kit

2007-08-10T11:11:00.001-04:00

This is my Cushman repair kit. It works on other brands of scooters, and can even be handy around the house.

Two Cushman Engines

2007-07-21T11:08:00.000-04:00

These two Cushman engines are sitting on the work bench in my shop. The one on the left with the air shroud is a good engine. The other one is "for parts."
These old cast iron, flat head engines are primative by 21st Century standards, but they were reliable and easy to work on. 50 or 60 years ago, teenagers overhauled their Cushman engines in a weekend.

Piaggio and Sears Allstate

2007-07-21T10:59:00.001-04:00

The orange scooter (top)is my Vespa Rally with the Piaggio logo showing. There is another photo of this scooter below. The Allstate is a 1953 model 811.40 DeLuxe that has been restored. Cushman built these for Sears. I had an original logo, but this reproduction looked a lot better.
Scroll down for more logos.

Various Scooter Logos

2007-07-21T10:49:00.000-04:00

The green Vespa is a 1974, The Wards Riverside is an unrestored 1966 motor bike made by Benelli.

The red Vespa Rally is a 1972.

scooter logos

2007-07-21T10:43:00.000-04:00

I was wandering around my shop yesterday with a digital camera, an before I knew it, I was taking close up pictures of various scooter logos. The chrome block letters are on an unrestored Cushman Eagle. This is my number one rider, so it sometimes needs cleaning up. Close ups reveal a lot of dirt. The script decal is on a restored 1947 Cushman.

Some like it hot.

2007-04-23T10:27:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine in England sent me this. An American movie star, on an Italian motor scooter, in England. That sounds real international. I think it's a Lambretta.

Off on a Ride

2007-04-09T18:32:00.000-04:00

That's me on my unrestored 1963 Cushman Super Silver Eagle. My friend, Charlie, tuned up the carburetor right before this ride and the old Eagle has never run better.

Cushman Super Silver Eagle

2007-03-16T19:17:00.000-04:00

This is the ultimate Cushman. It's a Super Silver Eagle with the aluminum OMC engine. I have one that is a 1963, with an electric starter and a 12 volt system. Mine is unrestored, but runs great. I wonder if anybody still has that FREE Silver Eagle Medallion Key Chain?
Scroll down for more vintage Cushman Ads.

The Barrel Spring Eagle

2007-03-16T19:13:00.000-04:00

These early springer Eagles look good in red. I hope she doesn't ride barefoot.

You can click the picture to make it bigger.

1958 Road King

2007-03-16T19:09:00.000-04:00

I think the guy in the suit belongs in the '58 Plymouth. Cushman added some new louvers for better cooling. I think it is really a cool looking scooter.

Get out and go-go-go

2007-03-16T19:05:00.000-04:00

I call this the Cushman Go-Go-Go ad. Fifty miles per hour and 100 miles per gallon, the ad says.

Cushmans at bargain basement prices.

2007-03-16T18:59:00.000-04:00

This is the model 53 Cushman Airborne scooter. The war ended and unused military vehicles of all kinds found their way into the civilian market. The only springs on this scooter were under the seat, but the big soft airplane tires gave it an acceptable ride. You can see the transmission just below the gas tank and the engine under the seat. That seat was steel covered with real leather.

Probably manufactured about 1944.

1960 Super Eagle

2007-03-16T18:55:00.000-04:00

This Super Eagle has the cast iron Husky engine with 8 horsepower. You can see the aluminum manifold. It had a 3 inch bore and a sweet sound.

Eagle and Pacemaker

2007-03-16T18:47:00.000-04:00

They look different, but mechanically, the engines were the same. But the Eagle had a two-speed transmission, an advantage in hilly areas.

A Cushman RoadKing and an Eagle

2007-03-16T18:41:00.000-04:00

This 1958 ad shows the Cushman Eagle in the foreground and a Road King in the background, followed by another Eagle. Notice the gear shift on the side of both models.
(Click the picture to enlarge.)

1957 Eagle

2007-03-16T18:36:00.000-04:00

The Cushman Eagle was for serious riders. The Husky engine sat out in the open for better cooling. It had a comfortable seat with springs. Compare the front fork with the one in the next picture.

1955 Eagle

2007-03-16T18:27:00.000-04:00

In the fifties, a new Cushman appeared on the scene. The Eagle was sold alongside Cushman step-thru scooters, but the motorcycle-look of the Eagle made them very popular. Cushman made and sold Eagles for almost 16 years.

60-series Cushman

2007-03-16T18:22:00.000-04:00

This ad is for a model 62 Cushman. From the left side you can see that it has no clutch pedal, and no gearshift. From the right, you can't tell it from a Road King.

Look-alike ads for look-alike scooters.

2007-03-16T18:15:00.000-04:00

At the top is an ad for the '52 Pacemaker. At the bottom, the same ad is for the '53. It's OK. They looked exactly alike. Pacemakers were called a "model 62." The two-speed version was the "model 64" and it was called a Road King.

However, the less costly Pacemaker was a tad faster.

A Cushman Truckster

2007-03-16T18:07:00.000-04:00

Cushman has always been known as a manufacturer of commercial vehicles. They ranged from scooters with side cars to snazy golf carts. This one is a model 780 Truckster. Notice that it has barrel springs just like a 60-series two-wheeler. Trucksters were used on farms, golf courses, and in factories. They were excellent delivery vehicles. Earlier Trucksters had two wheels in the front and one in the back.

Two different Cushman Road Kings

2007-03-16T17:58:00.000-04:00

The "Ace of Aces" Cushman is a 1953 Road King just like mine. Could it be the same scooter? Chances are that it isn't, but who knows.

The hat that guy has on is not intended for riding a scooter.

The other scooter ridden by a lady, is also a Road King, but it's a 1957.

Scooter meets

2007-03-07T11:24:00.000-05:00

For your information, here are links to some sites where this year's scooter meets will posted.

http://www.cushmanclubofamerica.com

http://www.southeasterncushmanclub.com

Application forms for the club meets can be down loaded from these sites.

Both of these sites include tons of scooter pictures. If you are restoring a scooter and want to see what someone else has done with the same model, you need to spend some time on these sites and plan to attend a meet.

Meets are the best place to get parts. You see them before you buy and you don't have to pay postage.

Scootermeet time!

2007-02-27T09:44:00.000-05:00

The beginning of the scooter meet season is almost here. First is the big one at Cochran, Georgia. For more information, see http://www.southeasterncushmanclub.com .

The Arkansas Vintage Scooter club has a meet in April. I don't have a link for their site, but you can call John Waudby at 479-273-3237 for information.

The warmer months are a filled with great meets: Paducah, Kentucky; Portland, Indiana; and the annual Cushman Club of America meet in Mansfield, Ohio. Look in at http://www.cushmanclubofamereica.com for more information on that one.

Our '57 Volkswagen

2006-12-23T13:02:00.000-05:00

This is classic transportation. It has 36 horsepower, the small back window, and the turn signals are low on the fenders. It even has the sunroof. Comparing it to our Toyota Camry, you can see how much cars have changed:
Toyota, 132 hp, over 100 miles per hour, 35-40 mpg, about 3000 pounds, front engine.
Volkswagen 36 hp, about 68 depending on wind, 32 mpg, about 1500 pounds, rear engine.

Allstate with two and a half passengers.

2006-12-09T10:54:00.000-05:00

This vintage picture shows an Allstate DeLuxe similar to the one I have. The Sears model number is 811.40 and it has a 4hp Husky engine as all of those did. Built by Cushman in Lincoln, Nebraska in the 1950's.

Old photo

2006-12-07T09:53:00.000-05:00

I found this old photo on Flickr.com . You will see why it is interesting to me. I think I like old black and white photos almost as much as old scooters.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/88145967@N00/298245517/

Howard

My Shop Wall

2006-12-01T15:28:00.000-05:00

There isn't much wall space left in my shop. It gets covered up with stuff like this. The framed picture is a group of old Cushman ads clipped from magazines.
The old coot in rocking chair is me. As you can see, it was in the newspaper. I find a rocking chair is perfect for sit-down jobs in the shop. A rocker leans forward better than a regular chair.
The kid on a scooter is our granddaughter Tori.
The scooter on a mailbox was a practical joke. A lot of people believed that it was really a scale model of a scooter, but it's the real thing sitting in the yard in the background.

Scooters in Kailua-Kona

2006-11-18T19:34:00.000-05:00

I saw these scooters at Kona on the Big Island. Two Vinos and a Honda Metropolitan. Click the pictures to enlarge. Scroll down to see the one I saw in Lahaina on Maui.

Scooting in Hawaii

2006-11-13T20:23:00.000-05:00

While we were in Hawaii, we stopped at Lahaina on Maui. With a perfect climate, motor scooters are a popular means of transportation in Hawaii. Oahu has too much traffic, but you could survive on Maui.

Not a Bicycle

2006-11-13T20:20:00.000-05:00

This is a Schwinn motor scooter. They made pretty good bicycles, so I guess their scooters are good quality. I took this picture while I was in Lahaina.

Watch this space. . .

2006-10-19T11:27:00.000-04:00

You might want to check back here in about three weeks. We are leaving Saturday for California. We will board a cruise ship in L.A. and won't be back for two weeks. I'll take a few pictures.

Morris 1000

2006-10-18T14:35:00.000-04:00

This neat little Morris 1000 station waggon is a real woody. Made in England in the 50's, these cars have become very popular with collectors. With a small engine and good gas mileage, you can haul your stuff around cheap. This one was spotted on Nantucket, an island south of Cape Cod.

My scooters at Hiawassee

2006-10-01T19:12:00.000-04:00

These pictures show three of my scooters that I took to the Southeastern Cushman Club fall meet at Hiawassee, Georgia. The inside picture was taken in a storage building where they let us lock scooters up over night. They also hold the scooter show in there, but I didn't enter anything this year.

In the bottom picture, front to rear, my 1947 Cushman model 52, my 1953 Allstate (made by Cushman), and my 1963 Super Silver Eagle.

New life for an old scooter.

2006-09-11T16:24:00.000-04:00

The big red scooter has just had an engine swap. The old engine was getting feeble, so I replaced it with a rebuilt engine. This was my first Cushman. It's a 1947 model that I bought in 1993. My dream that dates clear back to the late 1940's was a little slow in coming true. I now have a dozen scooters, seven of them Cushmans.

The top picture shows the scooter with the body off and the engine in place.

Betty Boop Scooter

2006-08-01T15:18:00.000-04:00

I have to confess that I don't know what this is. I just call it a Standard Betty Boop scooter, because of the decals. It is not a Cushman and may even be a one-of-a-kind scooter with parts from several brands. Or maybe just a customized who-knows-what. Anyway, it's a neat job and a cool looking scooter. The design of the front fork might be a good clue. I took the picture at a scooter meet somewhere, possibly Charlotte, North Carolina.

Rare and Unusual

2006-07-30T16:33:00.000-04:00

Here is a link to some rare and unusual antique motor scooters:

http://knoxville.yourhub.com/Story.aspx?contentid=108294 (You might have to copy and paste.)

I posted these pictures on the Knoxville News Sentinel site. There is a total of 12 pictures.
Howard

Storm in Panama

2006-07-30T16:27:00.000-04:00

I took this picture of a storm over the Panama Canal.
Tomé este cuadro de una tormenta sobre el Canal de Panamá.

A little off subject

2006-07-17T20:10:00.000-04:00

I know this is a little off subject, but humor me, I'm a grandfather. This is Alex. He's eight. He reads a couple of grades above grade level. He is a competitive swimmer and a chess champion. Those are chess trophies in the picture. He has an analytical mind, but I don't know if he developed it by playing video games or if analytical minds just tend to like video games. He is also a good card player and excells at soccor. And I think he photographs well.
Howard

Georgia resident

2006-07-12T14:52:00.000-04:00

I met this gentleman in Georgia. That's one of those giant Georgia pine cones which might give you an idea of how big the snake is. My guess is almost five feet. He was moving slowly as he went across the street and into some bushes. I was prepared to direct traffic around him if necessary but nobody came by. I know not all black snakes are Blacksnakes, but this one was. They are harmless unless you are a mouse or a rat.

My June post

2006-06-30T15:06:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted here since back in May, so here is my June post.
I have been busy in my scooter shop. The 1946 Civilian Airborne model 53A Cushman is completely disassembled, but needs sandblasting and paint. The engine is in the hands of a professional rebuilder. If the engine is ready before the scooter, I will likely install it in my 1947 Cushman model 52. That way I can enjoy riding that one, and maybe take it's original engine to be rebuilt.

In the meantime, I have an order in for a new carburetor for my 1982 Honda C70 Passport. A carburetor transplant seems like the only way to save it.

I have a line on some mopeds, but we're are still haggling price. It would be nice to have something to trade at the Hiawassee, Georgia meet in September.

In the meantime, keep checking in at http://www.southeasterncushmanclub.com where they have all of those pictures of vintage Cushmans.
Howard

The second batch of pictures.

2006-05-14T20:10:00.000-04:00

I'm going to get back to motorscooters after I post these. I don't call this site "Scooterplace" for nothing.

However, these were all taken on day two.

Possum's eye view

2006-05-14T20:04:00.000-04:00

I trained my pet 'possum to take digital pictures and here is one he took of our car.

One of the strange things about this blog is that everything comes out backwards. For example, the "first" pictures are all down below this post and the ones I just took are going to be above. I suppose you could start at the bottom and work up, but why bother? The pictures will still look the same.

Our new / old car is here.

2006-05-14T13:09:00.000-04:00

It looks good finally parked in our garage. It took a long time, but you can't change a basket case into a show piece over night. This is not just your average bug. When you get in there, you see a speedometer and little else. There is no digital clock, no gas gauge, no tach, no cruise control. The gas pedal is a roller, and there are three knobs; a manual choke, headlights, and windshield wiper. The location of the front turn signals, the roller gas pedal and the small rear window make this bug different from most others on the road. Those features all changed after 1957.

In order to get into reverse, you push down on the shift lever, then pull it to the left and come straight back. When you shift out of reverse, you are in neutral of a normal H shift pattern with 1st gear forward and 4th to the right and back. There is no 5th gear.

As you can see in the picture of the back, it has tail lights and a rear window that are miniture versions of those on later model Volkswagens. Visibility to the rear is limited by the small oval window, and a tiny left side mirrow doesn't help much. There is no mirror on the right.

The car even has a few options. There is a sunroof, an AM radio, and some little chrome dodads on the front of the rear fenders to protect them from flying gravel.

This model only had one support for the trunk lid, so there is a prop rod in the trunk painted the same color as the body. Did I mention that the trunk is up front like an elephant?

The engine is in the rear. It is a horizonally opposed, four-cylinder, air cooled, and much like those used in Piper cubs and other light aircraft. It even has an airplane sound. It goes much faster than you would expect with only 36 horsepower. Economy is good. The gas tank holds just over 10 gallons, and that is good for more than 300 miles. There is no antifreeze to buy for air cooled engines, and an oil change requires only 2.5 quarts of oil. The whole thing weighs about 1500 pounds.

Some film pictures

2006-05-12T11:41:00.000-04:00

These two pictures and the next four were on film and I had to scan them into the computer. The little motorcycle is a 1966 Benelli that was built in Italy. Montgomery Ward sold it as a "Wards Riverside." It has four speeds and a 50 cc engine. It runs very well, but it's noisy an hard to shift. The red Allstate is a 1953 model that was made by Cushman, and sold by Sears.