BF Auction: 1947 Cushman Model 52 Scooter
- Seller: Norman H
- Location: Kaysville, Utah
- Mileage: 0 Shown
- Chassis #: A112909
- Title Status: Missing
Cushman Motor Works manufactured various vehicles, but for a long time, their bread-and-butter product was Scooters. They were surprisingly successful, managing to build and sell Scooter all the way to 1965. This 1946 Model 52 is peak Cushman, with simple styling, durable construction, and ease of use. This example has been restored and was done to a high level. It’s time for a new home, so if you’d love to have one of these exciting Scooters, be sure to bid below.
Like many American manufacturers, Cushman helped with the war effort. They produced several models of scooters that were used during WWII. After the war ended, there was a significant need for transportation, especially with servicemen returning home. Cushman marketed these scooters as an affordable second vehicle. As you can see, this one has a rear seat for you to haul your spouse or friend on for quick trips to the store. While you wouldn’t want to go long distances on one, they were adequate for around town.
Power is provided by Cushman’s Husky engine, which was rated at four horsepower. You can’t get much simpler than one of these little engines. It’s a 4-stroke design, which might not produce as much power as a similar-sized 2-stroke, but you don’t have to worry about pre-mixing oil, and it runs quieter. The seller notes that it starts easily, received an oil change in 2023, and isn’t leaking any oil. A belt-driven generator that is mounted above the drive clutch produces power for the lights and can be engaged via a lever handle. The front and rear coil spring suspension keeps the ride nice and smooth. Stopping is handled by a rear-mounted drum brake.
These scooters were very basic to keep costs down. This one has a few optional items, including a Claxton horn, a chrome rearview mirror, a chrome front fender tip, and the buddy seat. During the restoration, all the mechanical parts were rebuilt. The frame and body panels are professionally repainted. It also received all new seat upholstery and new tires.
This Scooter is ready for you to jump on, hit the kick starter, and head down the road! It sure would be fun to zip around town on or to use as your pit bike. Since the Model 52 lacked a speedometer, there’s also no odometer, so mileage is unknown. And it’s being sold with a bill of sale. So what do you think? Would you ride this Cushman?
Bid On This Auction
Johnson bid $751.00 2024-03-29 15:11:05
Jeepbuyer bid $500.00 2024-03-26 17:59:23
*Buyer’s Premium Minimum – $250
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Comments
Very cool. One question… Rear passenger foot rests?
I remeber being a passenger on one of the back in late 1950’s, with my 7 year older cousin driving, he would have been 15 me 8 years old. It was a real thrill at the time flying down those gravel roads of rural western Indiana at 40 miles per hour. I think it was branded an Allstate model sold by Sears, but made by Cushman. I sure would like to have this historic gem , but a minmum commision 5 percent of a hefty 500$ buyers premium is complrtely off the table. The whole sale price should not exceed 3500$.
Nicely done!
Used a similar scooter around the farm in New Mexico’s Rio Grand valley to run my Gopher trapping line and on irrigation chores. It would always start with one lazy stomp and it was fine on dirt roads.
Had a friend in Venice where I grew up that had several of the big scooters with the suicide clutch. They’d actually do highway speeds. Also the city had three wheel Cushmans with a dump bed they’d use to pick up trash from businesses, they’d scoot between buildings, they’d pop.a wheelie if a kid like me asked!
Bought on of these in the late ’50s, and after I got tired of “scooting around” and cannibalized the engine for a homemade go kart – what fun times those were….
In the mid 70s my neighbor had one , he was a cool guy,had lost his hand in Vietnam, he taught me quite a bit about boat motors and helped me get his scooter running. Course we all wanted hondas it was pokey but almost better then riding a bike.
All Cushmans were made in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Nicely represented by the seller! The Cushman Co.has an interesting history and manufactured some unique modes of transportation as well as equipment. I purchased a well-used 1964 Highlander from a seller out of New Mexico several years ago, which I still enjoy. It was his favorite daily cruiser in and out of “Area-51”. And yes, he was a propeller head with a brilliant mind. However, he enjoyed the simplicity of the scooters engineering. No batteries needed here. Instead, it utilizes a magneto that is kick started into operation. There is enough energy produced that you could literally weld with it. My scooter wears years of desert sand and environmental artifacts…It has 9hp. and has no rear suspension to speak of. You simply deflate the rear tire to the desired pressure to give you some shock absorbing capabilities…I applaud the folks who still enjoy the low tech. ingenuity of years gone past…Continue to innovate not duplicate 🛠👌
Brings back fond memories of growing up during the 60s. The Cushman was the go-to scoot for middle-school gearheads. Even had a guy with an old Cushman Mailster.
Klaxon” horn
all I could think of at first glance was Toad in American Graffitti
The mailsters were the bomb. Nice little scotters,but 4 HP is a little bit too little for a XXL like me. Even the owner was walking it off the line..
I rode one like this when I was a teenager. I think that it was called a Roadmaster but it looked just like this one. It had two clutches. One manual and one centrifugal. I messed up and had applied the foot clutch manual release, applied handle grip power and then released the clutch. It shot forward, I fell back onto the rear seat and my feet caught under the handlebars and I pulled myself up and was back in control. Beautiful restoration.
When I was around 12 years old feller down the road gave me one these and I pushed it home never could get it running. Couldn’t ever get it to fire. That was around 1971 and don’t even remember what I did with it.
Rear seat is only good for short legged passengers!
This is a twin to the first two wheeled gas powered bike I got ride. I promptly ran into a parked car and flew off the bike. I got back on and rode it home, parked it in the garage, and then rode it the next day. It was so fun, and I gradually kept buying bigger bikes until I got older and started having balance issues. I am know looking for a Spyder to ride. Pretty nice bike!
I have a picture somewhere of my dad riding his in the early ’40s in Orlando, FL. His didn’t have the rear seat.
I have to agree ( GREAT RESTERATION )
I think two people at my high school in the late 50’s and early 60’s had these. We always watched them take off as everyone was still on bicycles at that time. They seemed to be able to run at decent speeds then. I don’t remember anyone trying to sell one. I thought one of them had a shift level on the right side and the owner would take off in low gear to get his speed up before shifting to high. They might have been slow off the line if you didn’t do this because of the centrifugal clutch.