Cushman Model Decoder

[JCarr]

Most all manufactures have a model decoding that takes the factory model # and break it down to a list of the options.

I've searched and didn't find any thing on here, didn't know if I over looked it or if it was in some obscure location.

[CharleyL]

I only know part of it. The first two digits following the dash indicate the year of manufacture and the second two indicate the month.

Hope this helps.

Charley

[JCarr]

Thanks charley!

Reason I ask is one I'm looking at is kind of grown in with vines and weeds and I couldn't see the back to know if it was pto equip'ed or what came on it factory original.

[JCarr]

Here's a pic of it.

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[CharleyL]

It looks early 80's to early 90's. Many in this age group had the windshield wiper motor mounted in different positions This one has the motor mounted in the same position as my 1987, so I'm thinking that this one might be an 86-87 Is it a 3 or 4 wheel? If 4 wheel, many had a PTO. If it had a large trunk box on the back and has 3 wheels, then it was most likely a former meter maid truckster and would have no PTO. The 2 speed rear would have been in any vehicle that was used off road and these usually had the PTO as well. They made the same models with the same numbers (before the dash) for several years. A 3 wheel police vehicle had one number, a 4 wheel had another model number, etc.

If you buy it expect to have to do major work on the brake system since the DOT 3 brake fluid used in these is alcohol based and it absorbs moisture from the air over time, resulting in the brakes rusting from the inside out. The motor in these is an OMC 22 hp 2 cylinder air cooled (see cooling air intake slot in driver door). It's a very reliable motor when maintained properly, but it will most likely need a tear down an re-build. Parts for them are still available, although getting hard to find and the prices are going up. A complete new short block is available for $1500 and new cylinders complete with valves are available for $300 each. Keep these costs in mind when negotiating the price of this Truckster. I have bought Trucksters in this condition for $200-400.

To see my 1987 truckster look down in this forum to find "Cushman Truckster Saved From The Forest". This is the one that I've been rebuilding to keep for myself. It had 1651 miles on it when I bought it, but was in similar condition to the one that you have pictured. The door hinges were rusted shut requiring me to pry one open just enough to get my arm and a can of WD-40 inside to spray the hinges. A half hour later both doors opened and closed again. The foam rubber head liner had disintegrated all over the inside and spiders had built webs in layers from the roof to the floor. A tree was also growing up through the brake pedal hole in the floor. You will likely need to replace all of the tires, the fan belt, the brake cylinders and the master cylinder. You may also need to replace the master cylinder.

From your picture I can see that it has a home made stake body type bed on it that is falling apart. The 1987 Truckster in my post also had a wooden stake body bed on the rear and I rebuilt it using TREX decking boards planned down to 3/4" thickness to make the fences and treated 2 X 4 material to make the bed floor. It has proven to be very handy and I'm glad that I rebuilt it similar to the way that it was. When they have a home built rear body on them I believe that they may have originally had a piece of machinery mounted on them when the left the factory. The ones that have dump beds seem to retain these through their life.

If you buy it I can help you find sources for replacement parts for it. Cushman designed and built the body so those parts will only be found used, but they used standard automotive and industrial parts for the rest of it and these parts are still available. Unfortunately there is no cross reference or source information for them.

Outboard Motor Corporation owned Cushman during the 80's and this is the reason why they had OMC motors in them. A Cushman scooter that was made during the 80's has a one cylinder motor that uses most of the same parts as the 2 cylinder truckster motor.

How about updating your profile (go to "User CP" in the left end of the top dark blue line and at least tell us what town and state you live in. One of us might be just around the corner and can provide better help than through this forum. Let us know if you get it. I'm hoping that you are close enough to me that we will be able to ride together when you get it going.

Charley

[CharleyL]

The only place that you will find the complete model number including the year and month of manufacture is on the stamped plate that is below and to the left of the steering wheel near the driver door hinges. The six digit model number is also stamped in the black bumper-like member just above the left front wheel and several other places on the chassis, but this location is the easiest to see.

Charley

[JCarr]

Charley this was an USAF buggy early in its life and a guy I go to church with has it now. he has had it for a few years and says it ran great but the starter went out in late 2012 and has sat untouched for a while now.

He's asking $700, says there's not much rust on it and many of the local trucksters are rusted out and still selling for better than $1500. His cousin has one of the flatbed electric trucksters and has several interested buyers at $1000 with no batteries in it. Considering all of them I've looked at I think $700 is a pretty fair price in our area.

As for the Profile update I must apologize I though I had done that! Sorry likey won't get to ride together, I'm in Tulsa OK. But if you want to load up and come visit then we'll ride!

[JCarr]

What did Cushman intend their PTO's for?

What is the turning speed and HP rating of the PTO?

Could small tractor implements be made to work for the Cushman?

[CharleyL]

The Truckster PTOs were used to drive mowers, core harvesters, chemical sprayers, etc. some for agricultural use and some for landscape uses. A Turf Truckster model was available, usually without a cab, that had a 2 speed rear end and the PTO and it also included a hydraulic lifted dump truck type box on the back. Still another version was designed to be a garbage or refuse truck, with a very large plastic container that had a 45 degree slope toward the rear of it. A special hydraulic dump arrangement lifted and tilted this container, hinged at the top rear, to dump it into a garbage truck or other high dumpster type container. I think the PTO max speed is 1800 RPM, but I'm not certain. Since it runs off the siide of the transmission I think you can get the full motor output, but at 1/2 speed, as long as you aren't trying to drive at the same time. Some hydraulic systems are driven by a chain from a sprocket directly behind the PTO output of the transmission and some are driven by a hydraulic pump with a pulley running off a longer alternator fan belt on the front of the motor. Thist should all be in the manuals. The motor max rated speed is 3600, which in my Truckster equals about 35 mph.It has been to about 44 (downhill with a tail wind). Other rear differential gearing will produce less max speeds, but more low end torque. There were at least 4 different types of differentials with different gear ratios, three with fixed ratios plus the 2 speed differential. My Truckster seems to have the lowest differential gear ratio which equals the highest capable speed. I have had no problems with the differential, yet, so haven't determined anything about it, yet. I have a spare, so not worried about it.

For the manuals and spec sheets, go to www.sillylittlecars.com website and select "Manuals" on the header page. Although not a complete list of manuals you should find what you need for this Truckster in .pdf form and ready for download. The Jacobsen Website (they once owned Cushman too) is another source of manuals in .pdf form as well as technical help on the older Trucksters. Textron is the present owner of the Cushman name, and it now appears on many models of EZ Go industrial vehicles. They look like EZ Go, but have the Cushman name.Textron owns EZ Go too, and chose to close the Cushman factory in 2003 shortly after buying them. The original Cushman factory is now a parking lot. It has been leveled. You won't get much help from EZ Go, but the Jacobsen website and people seem more than willing to help with answers to technical questions and manuals, even providing some that aren't listed on their website..

While you are there you should also check out the rest of the website. It is now sort of a club with members all over the country. It was started by a bunch of Cushman Truckster and GO-4 Interceptor owners in the San Francisco area. Now most of the communication between the members is on the Email List (see main website for this also). After you join this list anything that you or any other member posts to this list is automatically sent to all of the other members of the list. We can then respond to the list or directly to the person who posted to the list.

Many Craigslist postings for Trucksters are asking crazy high prices for totally destroyed junk. When it doesn't sell for months they frequently settle for much less. Of course, there are many listed that have been maintained or restored that are truely worth what the owners are asking. Around here most that seem to be posted are in very rough condition and eventually the sellers realize that they can't get high money for them and settle for the first reasonable offer. It's supply and demand and depends a lot on how many are available in any given location. $700 sounds a bit high to me, but it could be worth it if there is very little rust. Just expect to have to put a bunch of money into it to get it back into shape. I have about $2000 in mine now, plus a whole bunch of labor. I just spent $172 to have the local glass shop make and install a new windshield and gasket last week. This is the first time that I've hired someone to work on it. My son and I have done everything else to it.

There are 2 versions of the OMC Truckster motors. 18 hp and 22 hp. They are essentially the same motors with the exception of the cylinders. The 18 hp can be easily recognized by the spark plugs being located on the bottom side of the cylinders. The 22 hp version is easily recognized by the spark plugs located on the top side of the cylinders. The 18 hp were installed in the late 70's and early 80's Trucksters. They began installing the 22 hp motors in about 1982 and continued until they went with water cooled Suzuki motors in the early 90's. I've been told that an 18 hp OMC motor can be converted into a 22 hp motor, but I don't know all of the details. It's obvious that the cylinders need to change and the weights in the timer need to change, but I don't know what, if anything, else. It seems to be too expensive to be worth doing to me.

If you by it, or another one, send me a PM (Personal Message). I have a lot more to tell you once you are an owner.

Charley