My 1959 Cushman Highlander Scooter

 In 1961, when I was 16 and had a driver's license, I purchased a small 1959 Cushman Highlander Scooter that had a blown engine with damaged piston rings. I purchased the scooter for cheap with the engine in parts. With the advice from Clarence Bowman, our true auto expert, I was able to purchase new rings and ignore the divot in the cylinder wall and rebuild the engine. 


All worked out fine. This scooter had a 5 hp engine and used a centrifugal clutch therefore no gears or transmission and had a top speed of 42 mph on level ground. I enjoyed the scooter very much and was able to get to Green Lake or all over. The scooter did not have a second seat but a rider could sit on the back fiberglass cover which was often used. Not much power but it sure did get us around. 


On my longest trip, in about July, I headed up to Arlington to visit my childhood friend whose family had moved there on 10 acres and were growing hay. I took the brand new I5 freeway with little traffic and pushed along at probably 42 mph. (The scooter did not have a speedometer.) It was a long drive to Arlington. I headed back home the same day and had to stop at a gas station just north of Everett to borrow some tools to tighten the screws holding the fiberglass box that covered the rear wheel. I did not hold up traffic as there was little traffic in those days. 


There was a 2-inch pipe in the center of the scooter that may have held the steering handgrips and Cushman used this pipe for the engine muffler. The engine was a kick start, single piston probably a Briggs and Stratton with no battery and seemed reliable. The scooter had a headlight and a taillight and was bright red. 

Pictures of similar scooter - 




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