Firing up the 1963 CUSHMAN MAILSTER with my nephew!

[@johnhess351]

Great video. Pure Americana.

[@Davett53]

11/2/22-- Fantastic!.....In 1979 I almost bought a brand new 1979 Cushman Mailster. I went to our local Cushman dealer, and back then they were so trusting,....and they let me take a brand new model out for a test drive. The dealership was out in the country, outside of the city of Columbus, Ohio. They dropped the keys into my palm, and I drove the quirky, noisy, 3 wheeled box truck away. With nobody watching me,....I drove the hell out of that buggy! Seriously thinking I would buy one, instead of a compact car, I wanted to make sure it would make an adequate car replacement. I rode through loose gravel lots, up small embankments, through tall and soggy grass. I wanted to make sure it wasn't too easy to tip it over. I drove it up to the top speed which was 45 mph, not for highway use, but adequate for in-town use. The one I drove had an enclosed drivers compartment, with steel paneled sliding doors, & sliding plastic windows. The engine noise was deafening,...which immediately made me not like it. There was no heater-defroster, so winter driving would have been a challenge. No safety features, what-so-ever. Poorly padded simple seat, no seat belts, the crudest wipers. It was selling for about 5 grand,....which was a lot cheaper than a sub-compact car. Overall it didn't measure up as a car substitute . But it was SO fun to take that test drive. I was only 26 at the time, and I looked younger. Back then I wasn't even required to give them my credit card, in case I drove away with it. On my test run, I was well out of sight of the showroom,...swiftly driving up & down unmarked country roads, taking hard turns into unpaved lots, braking hard to see if slid on the gravel. It was very stabile,...but far too crude to be a daily driver.

[@Buckwsr]

Hey Dave, Thanks so much for the reflections and reminiscing! Great story! I agree. I don't think I'd want one of these to be my daily drive....

[@FixEverythingYourself]

Cool project!

[@billmott4808]

In 1968 I was starting my sophomore year in high school. I bought a 1961 Mailster to drive to school. Painted it school bus yellow and was joined by 5 other guys that bought them too. Take off the governor and they will run 55. I know. I got clocked by a cop.

[@Buckwsr]

Great memories! Thanks, Bill.

[@stevenwilber4426]

Don't ever sell it or you will be regretting it

[@billmott4808]

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