1946 Doodle Bug [Hiawatha...not the China Junk]

[Oldsalt]

A few years ago an old friend called and told me he has a Hiawatha Doodle Bug. A Cushman collector...so he knows old scooters and minis. Asked him how much and he said he would give it to me [he did know how much it was worth but he is an old friend]. He lives right at 1000 miles away so it took me a couple of hours to pack and hit the road. Today I decided to start the project. As the first pic shows it came without engine, sheet metal, front & rear wheels and almost all the drive components. Took me a while to decide if I wished to "Restore" it [big dollars] or just make a runner. Found the proper engine for $1,900....get the picture? To get the parts that I need to do it right would run to at least 4 grand. If I watched how I spent my money. I decided to make a good runner, with available components, but I swear I will not alter one original part on the machine. After they shovel 6 foot of America in my face someone else can restore it without cussing me.

In the last couple of years have had several OldMiniBikes members send patterns of the sheet metal sides and drive guard and etc. I found a period B&S engine [does not have kick starter like the original], see 2nd pic, and collected up some other parts such as wheels. Now I'm ready to do something besides talk about it.

I applied for, and got, the little machine registered in my name. It IS STREET LEGAL. And I will ride it around the police station until an officer pulls me over. I plan on having friends video me acting stupid but producing registration and insurance documents.

3rd pic shows the farm shed [West Fresno] where it sat for many years. The last pic is a really nice restored machine. To most folks mine will sorta look the same but an expert will be able to tell a bunch of things are 'wrong'.

 

[Oldsalt]

The first order of business was to remove the handle bars [they are bent] and the forks. Forks appear to be OK. Used squares and etc. to determine that [to my satisfaction] no work needs to be done. Made a new front axle and axle spacers and fender spacers. See 1st pic.

The forks were then put back in the frame and it was quickly evident that the frame was warped enough to require attention. Note [ in 2nd picture] that the lower portion of the front fender is a LOT closer to the frame than the top portion of the fender. This is very common with Doodle Bugs. The front end of the frames were way too weak to withstand even a moderate 'bump' on the front of the tire. The third pic shows a 'porta-power' [a cheapie from Harbor Freight] positioned to jack out the frame. The last photo shows the frame after the brute force and ignorance was applied. Good enough I say.

Again I wish to state that not one original part will be altered or damaged in this project. I'll put together a 'decent' machine but I am not in the mood to spend a couple of years hunting parts to make it a proper 'restoration'.

 

[CC 51]

Saving another piece of history!

 

[zeeman]

I'll be watching this thread. One of my favorite bikes.

 

[KustomKartKid]

those bikes are rolling artwork....!!!.

Hey Salty.....looks like the tag is still on the forktube in the first pic.... can you post a picture of it ....?

 

[murrayeliminator]

Wow I remember back in the 70's my now brother inlaw had one of those that his dad passed down to him. We would tease him every time he rode it because it was so "Old Fashion" looking!..We ended up putting a newer briggs Motor on it that was to tall & the spark plug stuck through the frame and if you wern't carefull it would shock the $@!t out of your nuts! we named it Sparky after that! If i remember right it ended up in the scrap pile! If only we knew! lol

 

[The Restore Kid]

HAHAHAHA!!! I JUST drove past the Chief of Pollacks here in town today.. He had someone pulled over already.. I was on the Litening Trike (with pedals) so I wasn't too worried about it...

NICE job on the bike man.. :thumbsup:

I'm not sure what makes a (Doodle Specific engine) But it can't be any different from any other kickstart Briggs model N... Just because it (says) Doodlebug on it.. Don't make it worth two grand.. :hammer:

The kick starts generally go pretty high, but even at that, a kickstart "N" shouldn't get ya for much more than 100 or two..

I see it's already built now.. BUT if ya watch Evilbay (God save your soul) You should be able to pickup the correct kick start lever alone that actually belongs to the engine, for not a million dollars.. :thumbsup:

OR you can just leave it as is.. I'd drive it for damn shore.. :drool:

 

[Oldsalt]

those bikes are rolling artwork....!!!.

Hey Salty.....looks like the tag is still on the forktube in the first pic.... can you post a picture of it ....?

Here are some pics. If you want better pictures let me know. You can see that it is stamped as being a 46 model...the first year. I'm lucky the badge and serial plate were on the bike. The serial plate is aluminum...the badge in front is brass that was nickle plated and some paint added in the low areas. I have a plating set-up so the nickle plating will be a piece of cake. The other pictures show how the drive rivets were removed without danger of scaring the plates. Only a lunatic would start with a pair of pliers. A bar was inserted in the steering neck and the end set on top of a rivet. A couple of taps with a light hammer on the side of the bar pushed them out as can be seen in the 4th pic.

 

[marc1959]

Ha! I was wondering how to get those rivets out!!!! I ended up just masking my plates, but hey.... Yeah that nickel plating just wiped right off my head badge, I was so bummed, it would be very cool to get it restored.

 

[Oldsalt]

HAHAHAHA!!! I JUST drove past the Chief of Pollacks here in town today.. He had someone pulled over already.. I was on the Litening Trike (with pedals) so I wasn't too worried about it...

NICE job on the bike man.. :thumbsup:

I'm not sure what makes a (Doodle Specific engine) But it can't be any different from any other kickstart Briggs model N... Just because it (says) Doodlebug on it.. Don't make it worth two grand.. :hammer:

The kick starts generally go pretty high, but even at that, a kickstart "N" shouldn't get ya for much more than 100 or two..

I see it's already built now.. BUT if ya watch Evilbay (God save your soul) You should be able to pickup the correct kick start lever alone that actually belongs to the engine, for not a million dollars.. :thumbsup:

OR you can just leave it as is.. I'd drive it for damn shore.. :drool:

Maybe you have something there. I have a couple of old Briggs kick start engines [2nd and 3rd pics]. Maybe one of them is not too tall. The 1st pic is the engine the guy wanted $1,900 for. I drove 300 miles [one way] to look at it and took the picture. My eldest son said buy it but I could not bring my self to do it.

 

[Oldsalt]

Ha! I was wondering how to get those rivets out!!!! I ended up just masking my plates, but hey.... Yeah that nickel plating just wiped right off my head badge, I was so bummed, it would be very cool to get it restored.

It is just as easy to do two as one. It might be a while [a few weeks] before I actually buff and plate mine. I have a plating set-up downstairs [I'm not married] so it is not a big deal. The important part will be polishing them without 'rounding off' and blurring the sharp edges of the Indian. It may mean that 1500-2000 wet or dry paper be used and then hand polished with cloth on a small wooden stick.

Have you done any research on paint color? I am not too worried about originality but if it is just as easy to use the correct paint I'd do it.

 

[only1more]

Old Salt - I thought I would post this pic for you just to grin at, because you like remaking things. bad copy of a doodle bug. neat though.

 

[Oldsalt]

Old Salt - I thought I would post this pic for you just to grin at, because you will know what you are looking at!

That frame carries the drive components that I have to replicate! Photos help. Also, that is sure a honey of a truck. Where is the rest of the De Soto?

 

[KustomKartKid]

The other pictures show how the drive rivets were removed without danger of scaring the plates. Only a lunatic would start with a pair of pliers. A bar was inserted in the steering neck and the end set on top of a rivet. A couple of taps with a light hammer on the side of the bar pushed them out as can be seen in the 4th pic.

That front plate is cool as hell...I added it to the Fork Plate/Badge thread thanks :thumbsup:

that was a clever way to pop those pins...they can be a s.o.b. to get out without hurting or scratching the plate.
Sometimes when restoring an old piece of machinery there is no way to get at the backside of them and you have to ever so carefully file the top flat, center punch/drill them out........:thumbsup:

 

[KustomKartKid]

I'd be afraid to touch that front badge....looks cool the way it is with the faded paint....maybe you can just shine 'er up a bit.




.

 

[marc1959]

.Have you done any research on paint color? I am not too worried about originality but if it is just as easy to use the correct paint I'd do it.

Gunpilot over on the AACA forum had it matched to Cessna airplane 'Flag Red'.

"quote"
Marc,
Neat project. Your's looks very similar to the better of the two doodlebugs I got last year. Like you I was curious about the paint. I'm sure Scooter Guy can steer us accurately, but somewhere I read that the correct color was the same as a red stripe used on old Cessna airplanes. I had my auto paint supplier look it up and he came up with Cessna Flag Red as the color. I had a small amount mixed in acrylic enamel so I could test it. Looks pretty close to me. Just thought I'd pass it on.
vr
Greg
"quote"
Here's the link to the page Doodle Bug Scooters - Page 2 - AACA Forums

Now I went a more basic route...the handlebar clamp on my bike is cast brass and the paint on it is as good as new, after a few tries I found that OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware) Bright Red enamel is a dead-on match, I do color matching of prints among other things, for a living and I can tell you that it is as close as anything mixed up at the auto paint supplier....

Of course it's a matter of taste (and maybe honor) which way anyone goes with paint but I am looking for an original looking finish, which was 1 stage enamel, hence the can, also I am $5.26 into paint right now and have enough to 2 coat the entire bike
Check the finish I'm getting in my photo gallery, of course I am priming and sanding and heating with lamps but I am very happy with the result.

 

[Rigaman]

I cant wait to see this one finished.

It is going to be fun to watch your progress. I cant wait.

 

[The Restore Kid]

Maybe you have something there. I have a couple of old Briggs kick start engines [2nd and 3rd pics]. Maybe one of them is not too tall. The 1st pic is the engine the guy wanted $1,900 for. I drove 300 miles [one way] to look at it and took the picture. My eldest son said buy it but I could not bring my self to do it.

I've never seen a kicker like that on a Briggs.. I'm pretty sure the N motors had the short kicker lever on the rear side of the engine.. Yeah 1,900 is WAYYYYYyyyyyyy too much.. Hell, your engine is worth 5 times what dudes N is..

What is yours? a model F something? That beast is OLD old...
Yeah, the "N" and "W" engines are real small and have short little kickers..
"W"s are starting to get pretty damn pricey as they are older than hell.. older the rare the better with Briggs... but even at that.. This engine is a 1932 that I just listed last night for 100 bones on craigslist..

Briggs Model Y kickstart

 

[Oldsalt]

I've never seen a kicker like that on a Briggs.. I'm pretty sure the N motors had the short kicker lever on the rear side of the engine.. Yeah 1,900 is WAYYYYYyyyyyyy too much.. Hell, your engine is worth 5 times what dudes N is..

What is yours? a model F something? That beast is OLD old...
Yeah, the "N" and "W" engines are real small and have short little kickers..
"W"s are starting to get pretty damn pricey as they are older than hell.. older the rare the better with Briggs... but even at that.. This engine is a 1932 that I just listed last night for 100 bones on craigslist..

Briggs Model Y kickstart

Don't recall the model of the Briggs OHV engine made in the teens. It runs OK and could be incorporated in a Doodle Bug if it is not too tall. I collect old hit and miss engines and occasionally run across an old Briggs.

 

[KustomKartKid]

"George and Minibike"

>>> check out all that dry flatland in the backround.....1940's California....maybe Florida?



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