Old Clinton Engine???

higeye

higeye

New Member
#1
#1
I was cleaning my garage again and stumbled across an old Clinton engine Model#701-AST I removed from an old scooter I had back in the 1960's. I remember that the scooter was a 1947 turtle-back that I thought was a Cushman. After talking to some Cushman collectors I know I found out that Cushman's motors were never produced by Clinton! I'm wondering now after doing some research that this motor was used on the 1946-7 King Super Cycle which looked exactly like my old scooter. It was also used on the 1st Doodlebugs (1946-7) for about a year and 1/2 until they went to B & S engines. It's all cast iron with an aluminum head, has a stator for 6 volt lighting, and a kick starter. The date casting is 03/19/46. I really want to know what brand scooter mine was and what else this motor was used on!
A LITTLE HELP PLEASE!?!?!? :confused:

pics at: https://picasaweb.google.com/114834351319502904260/ClintonMotor
 
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KB2ROCKET

KB2ROCKET

Active Member
#2
#2
how can you forget you have something like that? :shrug:
.
I was going through my old shed and found a old garlits slingshot dragster "well Ill be I wonder how that got there"
 
higeye

higeye

New Member
#3
#3
KB2ROCKET said:
how can you forget you have something like that? :shrug:
.
I was going through my old shed and found a old garlits slingshot dragster "well Ill be I wonder how that got there"
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I knew it was out there-I just haven't even really looked at it for about 50 years until an old friend saw it and asked me about it! I told him that I had taken out of a 1947 Scooter back in 1960 or so and put an old B&S model N on the scooter for a few years-It ran so much better with the model N than the Clinton. In late 1962 I pulled the model N out of the scooter and put it on a minibike I acquired from a friend without a motor and sold the scooter to another friend without the Clinton motor. When my dad died and I went over to clean out his house & garage and found the Clinton and brought it home where it sat ever since until a few day ago when a friend asked me about it. For over 50+ years I always thought the scooter was a 1947 Cushman and just found out that Cushman never used Clinton motors! After doing some research the only scooter I have found that used Clinton motors at that time that looked just like mine was the King Super Cycle! Also the 1st year and 1/2 Doodlebug used this motor-My scooter was definitely not a Doodlebug!
 
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higeye

higeye

New Member
#7
#7
Still finding original parts for it in garage!

metalhead100 said:
Neato.... reminds me of the kick start washing machine engines we worked on in small engine shop in high school....

Get er running!
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WOW! I remember playing around with my grandmother's old 2 cylinder Maytag motor wondering how I could use it on something-If only it would have had a horizontal shaft! I still have the 2 connecting rods & pistons from it (tiny!) in my tool chest!

The Clinton is still in great shape! Turns over great, changed oil (old oil was clean), great spark, & good compression! I found the muffler & oil bath air cleaner for it yesterday-I'm still looking for the carburetor & original cast iron clutch though. It's out in my garage somewhere! :doah:
 
Dick DeBuse

Dick DeBuse

Active Member
#8
#8
Regal scooter

You probably have a Clinton 701ASL. 700A is basic engine. S = kick start, L = lighting coil, I think the 1 = diffferent air cleaner. Good chance it came out of a Model 200 Regal scooter. Midget Motors bought them out and sold the left over scooters with different engines. Materials to manufacture anything were hard to get in 1946, Doodle Bugs were made with both Briggs and Clinton engines to meet demand. Model A = Briggs, Model B = Clinton. The early 700A Clintons were the first engines Clinton made. They had problems with oil pump push rods rounding off the cam lobe. They were redesigned, and changed to splash lubrication. Good chance your engine died due to this problem. They made other changes as well. This causes problems with parts for rebuilding. For example, they increased the width of the oil ring. Since they didn't change part numbers, you have to measure the ring groove in the piston, and the ring width tomake sure they match.
 
higeye

higeye

New Member
#9
#9
Dick, You Are The Man!!!

Dick DeBuse said:
You probably have a Clinton 701ASL. 700A is basic engine. S = kick start, L = lighting coil, I think the 1 = diffferent air cleaner. Good chance it came out of a Model 200 Regal scooter. Midget Motors bought them out and sold the left over scooters with different engines. Materials to manufacture anything were hard to get in 1946, Doodle Bugs were made with both Briggs and Clinton engines to meet demand. Model A = Briggs, Model B = Clinton. The early 700A Clintons were the first engines Clinton made. They had problems with oil pump push rods rounding off the cam lobe. They were redesigned, and changed to splash lubrication. Good chance your engine died due to this problem. They made other changes as well. This causes problems with parts for rebuilding. For example, they increased the width of the oil ring. Since they didn't change part numbers, you have to measure the ring groove in the piston, and the ring width tomake sure they match.
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Dick, You made my day! You were the one that gave me the correct information to determine what scooter I had and what my motor came from. After looking at your info I finally found out that my scooter was a Model 200 Regal scooter! For over 50 years I thought it was a Cushman Regal. Now I know that I was half right-A Regal anyway. Also I know the old Clinton was right & original for my scooter. Many thanks again to you-This was really eating me up and you answered it for me! :thumbsup:
 
higeye

higeye

New Member
#10
#10
Many Thanks!!

higeye said:
I sent Dick DeBuse an e-mail and an e-mail to the US Scooters built before 1970 site also. Waiting for a response....Maybe one of them can fill me in a little. Thanks for the leads.....I'll let you know what I find out, Ken. :shrug:
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Thanks again to Harleys Papa! You were right-Dick is the man! I found out my old scooter was a Regal Model 200 and my old Clinton was & is the original motor I took out of it 50+ years ago! Thanks so much for turning me on to him and finally solving this for me, Ken. :thumbsup:
 
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KB2ROCKET

KB2ROCKET

Active Member
#12
#12
glad you found the answer to your mystery :)
.
I only wish that I actualy did find a slingshot dragster in my garage but that was just a fantasy :laugh:
 
higeye

higeye

New Member
#14
#14
Keep Looking!

KB2ROCKET said:
glad you found the answer to your mystery :)
.
I only wish that I actualy did find a slingshot dragster in my garage but that was just a fantasy :laugh:
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I retired 2 years ago and started trying to clean out my garage (1100sq.ft.). I'm a borderline hoarder! After 2 years I did manage to get 1/2 of it cleaned up and complete several 50+ year "on hold" projects (my 1960 Schwinn 8-speed Varsity, my Cheeftah mini, my son's Manco mini, etc.). The trouble is every day I find something out there that I almost forgot about and start another project! The beauty of retirement is that I can start & stop as I please and not have to worry about time-A luxury I never had before. You joke about finds, but that really hits home with me! My son, who is 26 now, never saw my 42 year old Corvette covered & buried out there. A year & 1/2 ago I got it out and started going through the brakes and original motor (aluminum-head 454-460hp LS6) and finally completed it. My son was astounded that he didn't know I even had the car and that I could leave the car untouched for over 35 years! My response- No time & kids! :innocent:
 
KB2ROCKET

KB2ROCKET

Active Member
#15
#15
I am also a boarderline hoarder and have old projects everywhere I am 50 years old and have buryed projects the only difference is time give some more years and I will be just like you :thumbsup:
 
higeye

higeye

New Member
#16
#16
KB2ROCKET said:
I am also a boarderline hoarder and have old projects everywhere I am 50 years old and have buryed projects the only difference is time give some more years and I will be just like you :thumbsup:
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The good thing is that when you do retire you will have plenty to keep you busy! I did a little math and figured that I would have to live to 125 to complete 1/2 of my projects-I know that isn't going to happen so I just prioritize my projects now as to what gives me the most satisfaction! :thumbsup:
 
higeye

higeye

New Member
#17
#17
Dick, I just had to tell you this! I was out in the shop today and decided to fill the old Clinton with fresh oil, some ZDDP additive, cut out a new intake gasket from some cork, bolt an old carb I had that fit, hooked a temp gas line to it and WALAAH-It fired up on the second kick!!!!! Runs smooth as a top!!!! I'm going to have my wife take a video of it running, maybe tomorrow, to keep and remember the old Regal and the old Clinton. I'll probably post it on UTUBE and send you the link. You would not believe how it tickled me to see it run again after 50 plus years!!!!! Sounds silly, but it made my whole day! :thumbsup:
 
higeye

higeye

New Member
#18
#18
Dick DeBuse said:
You probably have a Clinton 701ASL. 700A is basic engine. S = kick start, L = lighting coil, I think the 1 = diffferent air cleaner. Good chance it came out of a Model 200 Regal scooter. Midget Motors bought them out and sold the left over scooters with different engines. Materials to manufacture anything were hard to get in 1946, Doodle Bugs were made with both Briggs and Clinton engines to meet demand. Model A = Briggs, Model B = Clinton. The early 700A Clintons were the first engines Clinton made. They had problems with oil pump push rods rounding off the cam lobe. They were redesigned, and changed to splash lubrication. Good chance your engine died due to this problem. They made other changes as well. This causes problems with parts for rebuilding. For example, they increased the width of the oil ring. Since they didn't change part numbers, you have to measure the ring groove in the piston, and the ring width tomake sure they match.
Click to expand...
Dick, You have to see this video my wife took today of the old clinton motor:
1947 Clinton Model 701-ASTL Motor Running - YouTube :thumbsup:
 
R

Rigaman

Member
#20
#20
What year is your LS6 Corvette? 1970? Wow! What a car! Those 454 LS6's are monsters!

Sweet Clinton Engine too! I would have that in my living room on display! Its great to see it run so nicely. I would love to have an engine like that. They are pretty scarce it seems.
 
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