Motor recommendations for a Cushman

Oldsalt

Well-Known Member
#22
Thanks! I see the adapter plate you made for the engine and the fuel pump on the top of the engine. You have here a Series 50 [narrow body] like mine not a series 60 with the wider body. Is there room to get to the pull starter handle with the narrow body? Can you get this engine with electric start? It is clear that you turned around the rear wheel assy. so that the sprocket is now on the left side. Will you still need a jackshaft to get the TAV sprocket and the rear sprocket lined up? Your scooter came with a two speed trans and you are now using the clutch pedal as the brake pedal. The engine is a 223 "Wildcat". Who sells them? What is the HP and output shaft size? What is the model number of the Vari-Speed? Again, thanks for you response. Lon
 
#23
Pull starter handle is tight but it works. Rear wheel is flipped, clutch is now the brake, no jackshaft needed. EC Carburetors sells the engine and they offer them in electric start. 3/4” output shaft. I used a Honda GX remote choke. I didn’t build that adapter plate, I bought it. Commonly available everywhere, check Hent.com I adapted it to the frame by using 2 3/16” X 2” plates using the original engine mount holes. Engine is based on a 6.5 HP but the Wildcats probably make around 8-9 HP. I’m looking at doing E start myself…
 

Oldsalt

Well-Known Member
#25
Pull starter handle is tight but it works. Rear wheel is flipped, clutch is now the brake, no jackshaft needed. EC Carburetors sells the engine and they offer them in electric start. 3/4” output shaft. I used a Honda GX remote choke. I didn’t build that adapter plate, I bought it. Commonly available everywhere, check Hent.com I adapted it to the frame by using 2 3/16” X 2” plates using the original engine mount holes. Engine is based on a 6.5 HP but the Wildcats probably make around 8-9 HP. I’m looking at doing E start myself…
I consider electric start as being desirable.....Save a lot of hassle pulling on a nearly hidden rope. Plus the required battery will give good headlight and tail light brightness. You say you intend on doing the electric start yourself. Tell me about that: Are 'off the shelf' parts available? In any case you mention EC Carburetors offer an engine with a a starter.....does it come with a charging system? Never been to their site....I best go look at it. What model TAV is that on your engine? As your bike in the picture came with a clutch pedal it had a 2-speed trans. Do you still have them parts? If so, I am interested in buying them as I need them for another 'stocker' Cushman project. You have been much help...thanks for shareing your knowledge [that you probably learned much of it the hard way]. One another subject: Have you ever tried to straighen out and do the body work on a Cushman body? I've done two and there are some tricks...they were pretty rough when they left the factory and never got any better over the years. Strips of metal strategically placed inside the body will absolutely be necessary to provide some rigidity or you'll never get that thin sheet metal anywhere near flat on the sides and around the louvers.
 
#26
I consider electric start as being desirable.....Save a lot of hassle pulling on a nearly hidden rope. Plus the required battery will give good headlight and tail light brightness. You say you intend on doing the electric start yourself. Tell me about that: Are 'off the shelf' parts available? In any case you mention EC Carburetors offer an engine with a a starter.....does it come with a charging system? Never been to their site....I best go look at it. What model TAV is that on your engine? As your bike in the picture came with a clutch pedal it had a 2-speed trans. Do you still have them parts? If so, I am interested in buying them as I need them for another 'stocker' Cushman project. You have been much help...thanks for shareing your knowledge [that you probably learned much of it the hard way]. One another subject: Have you ever tried to straighen out and do the body work on a Cushman body? I've done two and there are some tricks...they were pretty rough when they left the factory and never got any better over the years. Strips of metal strategically placed inside the body will absolutely be necessary to provide some rigidity or you'll never get that thin sheet metal anywhere near flat on the sides and around the louvers.
Everything is off the shelf. you can buy all the parts to convert to E start, or buy the engine with the E start already installed. Yes, it comes with a charging system and regulator. the torque converter is a Comet TAV 30.
I don't have the 2 speed trans for this, wish I did because I did find a complete correct engine for it but I plan to just keep that on the shelf.

As far as bodywork, I don't plan on restoring this, I'm going to leave it as-is. Fluid Film what's left of the finish, It looks cool as it is, and would be too much $$$ to make it worth doing.
 

Oldsalt

Well-Known Member
#27
Everything is off the shelf. you can buy all the parts to convert to E start, or buy the engine with the E start already installed. Yes, it comes with a charging system and regulator. the torque converter is a Comet TAV 30.
I don't have the 2 speed trans for this, wish I did because I did find a complete correct engine for it but I plan to just keep that on the shelf.

As far as bodywork, I don't plan on restoring this, I'm going to leave it as-is. Fluid Film what's left of the finish, It looks cool as it is, and would be too much $$$ to make it worth doing.
 

Oldsalt

Well-Known Member
#28
Thanks for all the information! Attached is a pic of a ARCO minibike on which I stretched the frame height and installed a 7 hp Tecumseh and Comet drive. That engine-drive setup will [just barely] fit inside the Series 50 Cushman body IF the 1-1/2 inches of the pull-start assembly is cut off the shroud to stay, overall, 100_0055.JPG 100_0056.JPG z197 218.jpg less than the 16 inches of body interior width. I attached a pic of a sketch that shows it's possible. But it would then have to have an electric start for sure. Such an engine from Tecumseh would probably be $1500. You said in an earlier post that the Wildcat 223 you are using pulls really well. Will it take off from a dead stop without peddling with your feet? I'd like to have [maybe] 30 MPH as a top speed so it can keep up with traffic around town...the original 4 HP engine could be out-ran by an anemic Girl Scout on a Walmart bicycle. Let me know your thoughts on that. Also attached a pic of my 50 Stude; I'm guessing you own a Studebaker.
 
#29
LOL... yes, I have owned several Studes in my life, some Ramblers and Nash cars too..I seem to gravitate to the "Orphan" cars.. currently looking for one but have nothing now..As for the Cushman, It pulls just fine. Remember I'm using a TAV unit so the gearing in it really helps. Sport King Eric put a Predator 212 into a Cushman Highlander with a stage 1 or 2 kit and it did really well. He said it pulled well in traffic, and I know exactly where was riding it which is a bustling area. Link to his build below;
https://oldminibikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/cushman-higlander.168455/
 

Oldsalt

Well-Known Member
#30
LOL... yes, I have owned several Studes in my life, some Ramblers and Nash cars too..I seem to gravitate to the "Orphan" cars.. currently looking for one but have nothing now..As for the Cushman, It pulls just fine. Remember I'm using a TAV unit so the gearing in it really helps. Sport King Eric put a Predator 212 into a Cushman Highlander with a stage 1 or 2 kit and it did really well. He said it pulled well in traffic, and I know exactly where was riding it which is a bustling area. Link to his build below;
https://oldminibikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/cushman-higlander.168455/
Good to hear that the performance a 212 cc produces is more than adequate. I have set my mind on a couple of things; 1. Electric start. If a model 50 Cushman didn't have a full body then getting to the start rope would not be an issue. I'm sure I could start anyway, it but a bit more loot to get the engine seems OK. 2. Something a lot more than 3 Amps charging coil. As Honda will supply a 10 Amp unit so that all the rest of the elec. system [lights], not just the ignition, can be hooked up to the battery, that's the brand I'm looking at [about three times the price of a Predator]. I have to say that getting the critical dimensions, not just to rube stuff in the Honda dealer brochure was like dealing with the Pentagon. I guess the Japanese never forgot rotten world war II and are getting back at us. WORSE is getting the real dimensions from Comet regarding the driven pulley dimension from the engine out.......WIDTH. They show where the silly plastic guard is but that is not much of a help. The engine AND driven pulley dimensions determine if it is a bit under 16 inches [the width of the body]. Still negotiating with the factory outlet to get them to admit that they have that written down somewhere and that possibly I don't need to post a bond and sigh security papers before disclosure. Maybe soon I'll get enough info to be able to say that a Honda 270 cc will work as I would like to have the extra displacement if it can be done with a slightly wider engine.
 

Oldsalt

Well-Known Member
#31
Pulled the trigger on buying a Honda GX 200 cc engine. All larger displacement engines would be too wide to fit inside the body. Has electric start and a built-in alternator. I changed the headlight and tail bulbs to 12 volt LEDs. Voltage draw will not be very great if driven at night. Could have got by with a C.H. Ina engine for about 1/3 the loot but couldn't see myself buying an article that the seller refuse to provide BASIC dimensions. But Honda FINIALLY gave me the real dimensions of their engine that size so I could CONFIRM 100_0078.JPG it would not be too wide, with the Comet clutch mounted, to fit inside a 16 inch wide 1947 Cushman body. Cost: $954. Ordered the TAV 2 clutch [$190] and a length of 1 lnch dia. flex exhaust pipe [$24]. Went to the bike shop and dropped approx. $150 on a 24 Ah battery. [It will be located in the 'luggage compartment' behind the seat]. I've bought good cars for that kind of money so this whole thing has gotten to be pretty silly. 100_0825.JPG
 
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