It's an experience, and fun to drive, sometimes. Here is it's history, and what I do with it. A little long, but I wanted to include everything for those interested. This is clearly not interesting reading for everybody, so move on if you feel the desire.
I found my little truck behind a friend's woodworking shop and asked him about it. He said that his dad had been a Cushman Motor Scooter collector/restorer, and had this little truck (called a Cushman Truckster by the manufacturer) to run around the back roads to get to visit with his buddies at the local coffee shop, etc. It had sat unused for about 13 years before I found it, and then talked my friend into selling it to me for $300 (I over paid). It had trees growing up through the clutch and brake pedal holes and layers of spider webs from the roof down inside. The wooden stake fences were rotted and falling off, and all four tires were rotted, flat, and deep in the mud. It took a lot of work and almost $2000 to get it home and into it's present condition. I have automotive paint for the cab that I'll likely spray on it next Spring. The cab is fiberglass, but the gel coat is almost completely worn off from the Sun and Weather. It's 13 years of storage on the edge of a humid pine forest didn't help it much either.
I live in the Central Area of North Carolina. Cushman once manufactured motor scooters and golf carts in the USA in Lincoln, Nebraska and they also made these little industrial trucks. Since they were intended for industrial by design and not originally intended for highway use the general public didn't seem to know that the Cushman company even made the trucks, because there just weren't that many in use where the general public usually is. The Cushman name, for most people, meant "motor scooter" to them.
The turf and agricultural people used these trucks, airports usually had a few, and large industrial companies had maintenance fleets using them with tool boxes, welders, etc. mounted on the back. In the 1970's and 80's the Police bought some three wheeled versions of these for their parking meter maids to be used in larger cities. These 3 wheel police versions are the only ones that have VIN numbers and are licensable for full highway use. They are considered by the the State Motor Vehicle Departments and police to be 3 wheel motorcycles with cabs. The 4 wheel versions were never type accepted for highway use (although, in my opinion, they are much safer to drive on highways than the 3 wheel version at highway speeds).
With the high costs of transportation, many US States have recently legalized the use of golf carts to be used on the highways without the need for insurance or license plates, or even annual vehicle inspections, as long as the driver is a State Licensed Driver over the age of 18. You are required to only use them on highways with posted speed limits of 35 mph or less (some places 25 or less) and to obey all normal traffic laws. Many resort towns have golf carts running around everywhere in town now. Your golf cart also needs lights, signal lights, seat belts, rear view mirrors, and all of the other vehicle safety items when used on the highways. In addition, I have alternating flashing yellow lights front an back, as well as the reflective "Farm/tractor Slow Moving Vehicle" sign on the back (actually two, as one comes off when I remove the stake fences, but it is mostly hidden when the fences are on).
When on the highways with it, I keep as far to the right as possible, run my lights and flashers, even the headlights, and keep an eye on the crazy drivers coming up behind me at 60+ mph in full size vehicles and trucks. I go about my max speed of 30-35 mph while on most highways. (but have been at 48 mph downhill with a tail wind). Above 30 or so, it feels like driving a Go Kart at 70-90, so I avoid doing it as much as possible. It has been as far away from my home as about 23 miles several times, but it is mostly just used on my own property and the streets of my neighborhood.
I think the police aren't sure whether to consider my little truck a "golf cart" or a "farm vehicle", probably because I have the farm vehicle reflector signs on the back. In the USA a farmer can move any of his machinery on the lesser driven highways without license plates or insurance, as long as they have one of these signs on the back and flashing yellow lights all around. In the past 5+ years, no police have ever stopped me while driving it. They sometimes follow for a ways, then pull out and pass me with a smile and a wave.
I get 60-70 miles per gallon with it, usually re-filling the 3 gallon gas tank about 3 about times a year. Since I didn't go far away from home for any reason this year, because of COVID-19, I'm still using gas that I bought for it last Fall. It has sometimes gone to Loews, Walmart, Home Depot, and some of the local fast food restaurants, because I can get to them quite easy on the lesser traveled back roads, so it's convenient to do if I'm already in the little truck and driving it. Although it's fun to go to these places with it because of the attention that the little truck gets, a 3 1/2 ft. square truck bed isn't very efficient when hauling much, even though the full load rating is 1/2 ton, so it mostly just carries me, and whatever small supplies and tools that I need around my 3+ acres and 1,600' of lake shore when I'm tending to my yard chores. Whenever I go to one of these "away form home" places with it, there are usually a few spectators looking at it when I come back out. Usually, the first words that I hear are "What the H*** is that thing?". Then I have to tell them most of what is in this message. Comfy, it is not. It's about like driving a lawn tractor, but in a cab, and along with all the noise and dirt typical of lawn mowing (the 22 hp air cooled motor is located under the driver seat).
I wrecked my knees in 1978 in a fire fighting accident, so I have metal replacement knees now, which aren't as stable on turf and rough ground as my original knees, and very much limit my walking on these rough surfaces. So, whenever I'm going down by the lake, or to some place on the property that needs my attention, I now usually take my little truck to get me there and back. So camera runs to the lake are only one of the uses that I have for this little truck. I also have a fully luxurious Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Dodge pickup truck for most of my travel needs on the highways. Both are cleaner, much quieter, and safer rides than this little truck.
Cushman has been out of business since about 1993. They were bought and sold many times since 1960 before completely closing down. The Cushman name is now owned by the EZGO golf cart and off road vehicle company, but supplying parts for these older Cushman vehicles is something that EZGO wants no part of. Fortunately, several sources of parts still exist, so the normal wear items are still available, if you look hard enough for them. For me, restoring and keeping it going is part need/part hobby, and it sure is handy to have it when I want to go somewhere on my property. It will never be restored to "New" condition, at least by me. I just want to keep it running and safe to use for my needs. It's visual appearance is of much less concern to me.
Charley
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