1 of 700 Made: 1980 HM Freeway
Please excuse my ignorance but when I first came across this three-wheeled oddity listed for sale here on Craigslist in China, Maine I assumed it was some type of go-kart. I’d never seen a Freeway microcar before and since this one is missing its roof, it does, in fact, look a lot like a go-kart. According to the seller, this thing was on the road up until last year when the previous owner flipped it in a traffic accident and thus “took the top off.” In need of a fair amount of work, this rare car is being offered at the QVC-like price of $1,999 OBO.
According to the seller, work that will need to be performed to restore this unique car includes fiberglass repairs to the roof and pillars. The back window also needs to be re-installed and the seller claims he has “most of the parts” needed to do the work, including “glazing gaskets for the windows.” Wikipedia provides an interesting history on these three-wheeled wonders manufactured in Minnesota from 1979-1982. Intended for use as a commuter vehicle, the HM or “High Mileage” Freeway was constructed by mounting a two-piece fiberglass body to a tubular steel frame.
My dad had a 1970 Ski-Doo Nordic and it’s not just the goldish-yellow fiberglass of this car that brings back memories of that old “snow machine” (as they like to call them up north). Check out the snowmobile-like belt drive! According to Wikipedia, “final drive to the rear wheel was by chain” making for an interesting belt transmission chain drive combo. Most Freeways were powered by either a 12 or 16 horsepower motor but the seller fails to disclose which motor is in this car. Details are somewhat hazy as to whether the motor is operational at this time, but the seller mentions the previous owner “had it all running” after the accident.
Pictures of the cramped interior are a bit tight, but they give a pretty good idea of how confining it must be to ride in one of these things. The previous owner’s rollover accident might have been a pretty harrowing ordeal indeed! The seat cover looks to be sagging, but no rips or tears are visible in the fabric. A switch is missing on the dash, but the owner makes no mention of it being an issue in the ad. Without question, it’s apparent this car needs some TLC. A quick internet search reveals surviving Freeways offered in the $5,000 to beyond $12,000 range! The opportunity to own a rare piece of oddball automotive history doesn’t come around too often, so for someone talented in the area of fiberglass repair and restoration, is $1,999 OBO a reasonable price?
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Comments
Ya just had to start my day with a turkey like this! Have a great Thanksgiving all. Holding out for a four wheel barn find.
It is pretty cool. Apparently, they only came with the single Tecumseh, and had no reverse, although, an electric reverse was offered. They did offer an open air model, and had the smaller motor( 12hp) and the enclosed had the bigger motor(16 hp) they claimed a top speed of 65mph( rolling eyes) and 80 mpg. (that I could believe) I’d have to think this vehicle is highly unstable at speed, and probably why it was rolled. Some things just look better on paper.
I don’t know, my Yamaha 200 has 22 hp and will do 85; lop off 6 hp and swap the bike’s light weight for the “car’s” “aerodynamics,” and 65 might not be out of the question.
Big difference there is, your Yamaha puts out the 22 hp ( sounds a bit much for a 200) at 8500 rpm, this maybe 3500, with the gubnor wired open. You want to go 60 mph on wheelbarrow tires, have at it. Someone found out it was unstable.
A friend had one of these in 1980 and used it for his 45-mile commute to work, on Interstate 81 through Harrisburg, PA. It would indeed keep up with traffic at 65 or slightly better. He said it was stable at highway speeds, but I can’t imagine being on the road with truck traffic and all the crazy 4-wheel drivers. I-81 then was just slightly less busy and congested than it is now, and now it’s a madhouse.
His was the same shade of yellow and he had mounted toy machine guns on the front fenders. The guns would light up when you pulled the trigger — you could get away with some things then that would never fly now!
He sold his after rolling it on the highway in a snow storm. The single rear drive wheel rides, of course, in the center of the lane where all the slush builds up. He never did explain why he drove it in the snow.
The opportunity to select your own oddball coffin also doesn’t come around too often…
Looks like something that Scotty G. would drive.
Freeway is a total misnomer, anyone in their right mind wouldn’t take this thing out on the 4 lane ever.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Similar to a King Midget, but more aerodynamic. King Midgets were built in Athens Ohio and many had single cylinder Kohler engines and automatic transmissions using variable pulleys.
King Midgets shared their “styling” with golf carts.
Had a chance to see one of those and many other King Midgets at a mini mall in Athens this summer. It’s unfortunate that we have so many laws to protect ourselves from ourselves these days to put newer versions on the road.
But we have newer versions there called auto cycles and some of them will do 200 kph ( sorry for metric I live in Canada )
Hi Rock On! Thanks for the lead on the
Ford van up in Tallahassee Fl. Showed
it to Mom and she is really interested in
buying it. Two things have to happen
first though–raising the cash and hope-
fully getting our healthcare provider to
help with the cost of making the van over
to fit her needs. Even designing some of
the things like the ramp myself, it will still
take a lot of cash to fab up everything
we’ll need to make it happen. But at least
it’s a race now. All we need now is time
and prayer. We are very thankful to all
our friends here on Barn Finds for helping
us solve this very large problem. Happy
Thanksgiving to all!
Kenneth Carney, if your mom needs a handicap van, which will accept a wheelchair with a docking lock for the chair, suggest you look at buying a used one. My mom, 98 and still trucking, needed one & I found used HC vans with ramps & other things could be had pretty reasonably if you’re willing to look for one on CL or Ebay.
The conversion cost for modifying a new or used van is around $20k just for the mods, which involve dropping the floor & other major stuff such as remote controls for door & ramp. I found a nice 128K mile Dodge Grand caravan in ca. for $5500 in v. good condition & everything working. Later on I saw others advertised for similar or even lower prices, as once they’re modified, what else do you do with them? So far only thing I’ve replaced is the alternator. This could be a way to eliminate all the effort to modify a van & maybe the healthcare program would pick up the cost. We wrote it off on mom’s taxes as a medical deduction. Funny thing is, when mom doesn’t need to be moved, that ramp allows rolling all sorts of auto stuff up into it – trannys, blocks, stuff impossible to fit into a van without a dropped floor!
Heck, I can get laughed at for free already and save 2k doing it. Khant get there from here, they say in ol’ Downeast.
Eat much and nap plenty, friends!
I tried riding a motorbike in the late 60’s and hit a fence and tore the fence and my arm up pretty badly. I decided then and there that would be the last time I’d drive or ride something like that.
To me, this “car” is similar. Slow, unsafe and not to mention ugly, but I do wish the best to whoever buys it.
I’ve known 3 guys that flipped three wheeled cars like this and none survived. Good wall hanger. Be careful!
Cheers and happy thanksgiving
GPC
Aw, you’d think from the comments that all BarnFinders are over the age of 90 and lost all sense of adventure. I love this reverse trike and would love to own it. Anyone happen to be traveling from the east coast clear across the country and want to throw it in your trunk for me?
The upside is you wouldn’t invest a lot AND you’d have the talk of the next Show and Shine for pennies on the dollar compared to another rebuilt, highly polished 70 Camaro. Go wild, boys, get a Freeway!! lol
Freeway? Only if you have a death wish.
I remember these from Asbury Park. They were electric powered then with long poles that went onto the ceiling, And look this ones even has a Tecumseh in it . Wow. Where’s the rope?
This would make a great EV. Just don’t
drive it on the freeway! Keep it on the
side streets and you’ll be fine. Wouldn’t
take it down Havendale Boulevard though. Some dimwitted driver would
squash you like a grape. Is this where
we got the Can Am spyder from? If it
is, things haven’t changed all that much.
You still have something to break your
neck on. Gimme 4 wheels instead of
3 any day.
Paul Elio, your prototype is ready.
@scottymac ohhh, man that burns! lol. A couple year’s ago that would be mean, but it’s not now. Cough up the goods Elio or at least stop pretending the Elio is actually going to be produced.
The Elio really has been a let down. Early on it was supposed to be built around a three cylinder Geo Metro drivetrain. If they would have started out as a kit car when there where still a bunch of Metros sitting in the junkyards it would have proven the concept and built some confidence for investors. I’d buy one in a hot minute.
I wasn’t one of the “All In” depositors, so asked for my deposit back, after waiting five years. Surprised, I got a check for it.
Well I’ll give him half a point for that. Of course, going begging for more money when you don’t return refunds probably would’ve been the nail in the coffin he was trying to avoid. Wonder what he did with the IPO money?
Does it come with the original clown outfit?
Were there ever enough circuses for the other 699?
Thanks for the tip Ken. Being the old fart
I am, I’ll have to help from my neice to
access Craigslist. $5500 is a very good
price for a WC van–and you’re in California? I’ve always heard that used
vehicle prices are over-inflated like the
ones we see here in Florida. I once
tried to buy a used WC van here in Florida
back in ’05. The seller had a ’90’s model
Chevy G-20 lift van for which he was
asking $115K! The van had 225K miles
showing and I felt the price was way too
much money to ask for a 15 year old van
wheelchair van or not. Craigslist may be
a good thing but it’s deadly here in Florida. Two people have been shot to
death while transacting vehicle sales
here, and I won’t do a deal without armed
backup. When I find a van, I and my family will be packing when we go to look
at it. Can’t be too careful these days.
Hey Ken, I will help you with some backup Bud. Happy Thanksgiving to you and the girls! Gotta blaze, I am reseasoning an old cast iron pan, getting so smokey in here it is like the old fog machines from the rock and roll days! Take care, Mike.
Seriously Kenneth, used cars/vans/trucks with 130k miles on them and being 20 yrs old out here are often in amazingly good shape – zero rust, and mostly freeway commuter miles. I found that I would pay the same price for a Ca. van as same vintage in Detroit, and the Detroit one would be rotted halfway up the body – yet same price!
Suggest your niece snoop craigslist SF bay area, and see what shows up. It could be worth a $1500 shipping cost to get one here to Fla & without getting shot at! Check this one out at $6900 in Oakland, and I’ve included several more – all in the dryest areas & probably all longterm Ca. cars. You could try CL at different areas of the country to see what’s available, but cars out here routinely rack 200k -300k miles since things don’t rust if the cars are inland from the W. coast, so SF bay area or inland – East – from rte 101. Good luck!
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ctd/d/2000-ford-windstar-se-wheel/6754399832.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ctd/d/1999-ford-handicap-conversion/6750139944.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ctd/d/2005-dodge-caravan-handicap/6745168264.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/d/wheelchair-van/6731054702.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/d/handicap-accessible-vans-get/6742634222.html
Yeah, Craigslist is a iffy thing safetywise. You read about people getting robbed nearly every week. Selling a car? Have the potential buyer meet you in the parking lot of the local police station.
As to inflated prices, shows like American Pickers and others have had a part in that.
Kenneth, here are more handicap vans I found late last night:
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/d/handicap-accessible-vans-get/6742634222.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/cto/d/2004-ford-250-handicap-van/6746638345.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ctd/d/2000-ford-windstar-se-wheel/6754399832.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ctd/d/2002-dodge-grand-caravan/6753999696.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/d/wheelchair-handicap-van/6753365387.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ctd/d/1999-ford-handicap-conversion/6750139944.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/d/1997-ford-econoline-club/6746450585.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/cto/d/06-ford-e250-wheelchair/6745585828.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ctd/d/2005-dodge-caravan-handicap/6745168264.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/d/2009-ford-e150xl-with/6752523317.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/d/handicap-vehicle/6754591784.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/d/handicap-accessible-vans-get/6742634222.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/cto/d/dodge-caravan-handicap-for/6734221703.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/d/handicap-ford-windstar/6733444924.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/d/handicap-ford-windstar/6733444924.html