Scooter Survivor: 1917 Eveready Autoped
While the automobile expanded our reach and ease of transportation in the 20th century, bicycles and motorcycles also played a strong part of that growth. While there were many cars being produced in the teens, WW1 took priority with many manufacturers building various items for the war effort. Henry’s Wonderful T wasn’t yet as mainstream as it was going to become, so small vehicles like this Autoped filled a gap. Small, efficient, and easy to store, this scooter is a very cool find. After 20 years in the “Wheels Through Time” museum, this survivor grade scooter is looking for a new home. Offered for the opening bid of $9,500. Check it out here on eBay out of Maggie Valley, North Carolina.
The high end cast crank case featuring the engines name is in excellent condition, and doesn’t really vary much from many early motorcycle engines of the time. Amazingly this Scooter is claimed to be a survivor grade machine with original paint and nickel plating. The engine is in fabulous shape with no broken fins on the cylinder. Based off of the museums background, I would assume that this scooter runs, or has at least been serviced to ensure it is safe for long-term storage.
The premise is pretty simple with this machine, as it offered affordability compared to an automobile, easier storage than an automobile, and was likely an easy to ride and cost efficient machine. The frame construction appears to be stamped steel, forming running boards, and the rear fender of this scooter. There are rubber pads on the foot board to indicate foot placement. What is so out of the ordinary is that the Auto-Ped rubber pads are not worn completely smooth, and none of the paint on the foot board is worn off either.
While the engine powered wheel idea is a cool concept, it was not only used on the Eveready Autoped. Also a company called Smith offered a Motor wheel to convert any bicycle into a motorcycle, more or less. It was an accessory wheel you attached to your bike with a throttle to regulate it. While Smith Motor wheels are rare, they are certainly more common than this Eveready Autoped. This is certainly an awesome and scarce find that would fit in well with a brass era collection. Have you ever seen a Eveready Autoped before?
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Comments
Wheeee, go ahead and laugh, but this little thing saved a lot of steps. Remember, this was the LAST teens, and quite a marvel for the time. I never heard of it, but apparently, there’s a lot about these things. Targeted for women, they have a 155cc, 1.5 hp. 4 stroke engine, with unique 3 valves, and a pressurized crank. A company named Krupp made a copy with 1.7 hp( whistles) They went about 20mph, got 100 mpg, and cost $100 bucks( almost $2,200 today) so it wasn’t out of reach, but with an average income of $1,500/yr. it wasn’t for everyone. Cool find.
I heard this was used by a little old person vowing to be the first obese statistic in America through non walking and only rode this scooter to the milkshake and sandwich shop plus local beer / smoke shop to get Prince Albert in a can and rolling papers 😂😮
Okay seriously its neat-but i don’t see spending 9500 for a conversation piece that’s not used and hard to liquidate upon buying.
Awesome piece of history.
I love these oddballs you guys occasionally throw up here. This thing is super cool! Seeing the recent influx of “share scooters” in my city and then looking at this little beauty, all I can say is the more things change the more they stay the same.
But dude is asking $9,500 for what essentially is a non-op. From the ebay listing: “The engine turns but I’ve never run it.”
“This will make a great decorator item for your home or man cave. One sold at the Mecum auction in 2016 for $12,500.”
Nine & a half large for “man cave” art? Get it running! It was meant to move and move YOU and any potential buyer. And any of those buyers might be women, too. I don’t think the Mecum fluke bid has set any real world standard for pricing on a ride like this; I think it is overpriced. But by how much, I don’t know. I’d be curious to hear what others here would max bid on it.
It would look great slammed, chopped, and channeled, with a supercharged small block Chevy and with flames painted on it.
thassss right! nother “needs an LS or coyote” comment.
We lived around the mountain for 9 yrs, we knew the Harley Dealer, at the time,
in Elkhart, In. They came to visit a couple of times and were good friends of his.
Had a picnic there. He used to have everything running except what he was working on. Awesome place but I’d think he’s getting to the retardment age and/or burn out, if he(the original owner we knew) still ownes it