Doodlebug Hiawatha 1947 HELP

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da007man

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#1
#1
Hey guys, my grandfather has had this Doodlebug hiawatha for years, and he has decided to give it to me. It is really old, the brakes don't work at all,to start the engine I have to pull a string, and to stop the engine I have to put my hand on the carburator. It is a 27cc 3hp engine. I would like to know if it is possible to find a way to start and stop the engine with the push of a button. If it is, i would also like to know how? :) I know it might be complicated, but I love this scooter and I want to be able to enjoy it as much as possible ;)
 
Motra

Motra

Active Member
#2
#2
Bonjour! I believe the Doodlebug had a Clinton engine, probably 127cc. As for starting, I'd just stick with the pull starter. As for stopping the engine, A spark plug lead grounder would probably be easiest.
 
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supernova

Banned
#3
#3
Welcome!:thumbsup: Do your grandfather, yourself, and the hobby a favor and slow down so you can preserve and procede in the best way for the machine. Change anything and it's value nosedives, it's an antique and should be treated as such.:thumbsup:
 
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da007man

New Member
#6
#6
oh yeah and the brakes are weird, its just a metal strip with some padding a round the axel of the back wheel. I can squeeze the brakes all i want and it wont stop... is it possible to install disk brakes?
 
wayne

wayne

#7
#7
Motra said:
Bonjour! I believe the Doodlebug had a Clinton engine, probably 127cc. As for starting, I'd just stick with the pull starter. As for stopping the engine, A spark plug lead grounder would probably be easiest.
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i maid a mistake! Motra is wright, clinton or b/S NOT A tecumseh sorry guys
 
Oldsalt

Oldsalt

Well-Known Member
#8
#8
da007man said:
oh yeah and the brakes are weird, its just a metal strip with some padding a round the axel of the back wheel. I can squeeze the brakes all i want and it wont stop... is it possible to install disk brakes?
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Under no circumstances change anything on that Hiawatha unless, of course, you don't mind kicking yourself in the ass later by ignoring supernova's advice. Slow Down It is not a toy. You are talking about the Holy Grail of minibikes. If you need to ask what to do to it then you should leave it alone until you do some research to understand what you have.
 
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da007man

New Member
#9
#9
I understand very well what it is. I only want to have brakes that work ;) It annoying to have to wear out shoes just to stop on the bike. I would love to know if anyone knows how to fix hiawatha brakes ;)
 
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supernova

Banned
#10
#10
da007man said:
I understand very well what it is. I only want to have brakes that work ;) It annoying to have to wear out shoes just to stop on the bike. I would love to know if anyone knows how to fix hiawatha brakes ;)
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First off a 3hp briggs or tecumseh, clinton, etc. is fine if that's what it has but you're out riding a priceless antique you cannot replace with no brakes? That makes little to no good sense sir, we take the hobby seriously and hate to see priceless machines fall into the hands of someone who doesn't truly appreciate what they have and just go willy nilly ruining the original components in the process of replacing them. The brake sounds like a band brake and they're easy to set up and repair, anyone can do it, photos would help greatly. Slow down and show us some pics of this jewel before we go any further here so we'll know what you're missing and what you're working with, or that you even truly have one and aren't pulling our chains:doah:.
 
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da007man

New Member
#11
#11
Yeah yeah I know i've now done my research and I know how to fix them. BTW, I know how priceless this mini bike is, I found it all rusty and ruined in the back of an abandoned shed in Ohio and completely restored it. The only thing left are the brakes. Thank you
 
KustomKartKid

KustomKartKid

Administrator
#12
#12
da007man said:
the brakes don't work at all,to start the engine I have to pull a string, and to stop the engine I have to put my hand on the carburator.I would like to know if it is possible to find a way to start and stop the engine with the push of a button.
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da007man said:
oh yeah and the brakes are weird, its just a metal strip with some padding a round the axel of the back wheel. I can squeeze the brakes all i want and it wont stop
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da007man said:
Yeah yeah I know i've now done my research and I know how to fix them. BTW, I know how priceless this mini bike is, I found it all rusty and ruined in the back of an abandoned shed in Ohio and completely restored it.
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:facepalm:

Somehow in less than 24hrs he went from knowing nothing about it to knowing everything about it............

And how he hell did that thing get from Ohio to France ???? Lindbergh must have ridden it. :doah:


.
 
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da007man

New Member
#13
#13
1. Google can help you learn A LOT very quickly
2. I never said the doodlebug is here, I said that my grandfather has decided to give it to me. Right now it is in the bay area, and they will ship it here.
3. If it is such an antique, how much is it worth?
 
Oldsalt

Oldsalt

Well-Known Member
#14
#14
da007man said:
1. Google can help you learn A LOT very quickly
2. I never said the doodlebug is here, I said that my grandfather has decided to give it to me. Right now it is in the bay area, and they will ship it here.
3. If it is such an antique, how much is it worth?
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You are not worth the time to help. As for your question about how much it is worth: By asking that question you have changed your story again! You just said
"Google can help you learn a LOT [your capitals] quickly". You have already researched the asking prices and pretty well know what cooks. If, in actual fact, you really have such a machine to begin with. That's becoming rather doubtful because you wouldn't recognize the truth of anything even if it came up an bit you on the leg.
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mmisterbungl

mmisterbungl

New Member
#15
#15
Oldsalt said:
You are not worth the time to help. As for your question about how much it is worth: By asking that question you have changed your story again! You just said
"Google can help you learn a LOT [your capitals] quickly". You have already researched the asking prices and pretty well know what cooks. If, in actual fact, you really have such a machine to begin with. That's becoming rather doubtful because you wouldn't recognize the truth of anything even if it came up an bit you on the leg.
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Click to expand...
 
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