- Seller: Ed L (Contact)
- Location: Paxinos, Pennsylvania
- Mileage: 0 Shown
- Chassis #: N/A
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: 5 HP Briggs & Stratton
- Transmission: Progressive belt drive
Owned by the seller for almost 40 years, this early 1970s HPE Muskin Dune Cat is a rare little buggy to see today, especially in original condition. We’ve only seen one here on Barn Finds over the years, and it was a restored version with a different engine. This example is original right down to its original Briggs & Stratton 5-hp engine. This one is located in Paxinos, Pennsylvania, and is listed exclusively here on Barn Finds!
We just saw an HPE Muskin Dominator mini bike a couple of weeks ago, and Colton, California-based HPE Muskin (with a Muskin, Pennsylvania plant as well) made all sorts of mini-mobiles for kids of all ages. I’m guessing now, they’re mainly interesting for us old kids trying to relive our youth. A lot of us weren’t lucky enough to have had anything like a Dune Cat, or a Muskin Tri-Cat, or any one of the dozens of catalog mini-bikes the company made for Wards, Pennys, Sears, etc.
I’m assuming the wheels have been repainted and it may be wearing replacement rubber, but we don’t know for sure. If those are original tires, I’d want to replace them before hitting the sand dunes, given the rule of a-decade-is-old-enough for tires before you have to start worrying about them. I believe this would have had knobby tires in the back, or possibly on both the front and rear. As the owner of an oddball vintage three-wheeler, I know that those knobby tires are sometimes unavailable, so you do what you can.
This Dune Cat doesn’t appear to have a padded seat, unless it’s just not shown. There are several nicks, scratches, and maybe a ding or two in the fiberglass shell, but original is original, and I’d leave it as is myself. Not that a 6′-5″ tall person could get their legs around the steering wheel to operate the pedals anyway. Although I’d find a way if I owned this.
I love that this Dune Cat has its original Briggs & Stratton 5-hp four-cycle single-cylinder engine. A lot of them have been modified with Honda or Harbor Freight-type replacement engines, which I’m sure have more power, but make mine original every time. The seller says it’s had a recent tune-up and has always been kept in the garage when not being used. If you want to relive your youth, or give your kids or grandkids a chance to make their own memories, check out this Dune Cat on Barn Finds!
Tok cool 😎. Thanks SG
Aw, but wasn’t that America, everybody had a shot at it. I always think of the engineering, and manufacturing of all these creations. What are people doing these here days? New phone covers? Nothing because everything else is so expensive. Whatever the reason, this ingenuity is what built this country, and I for one miss those days when someone with an idea, okay, and some cash could make it.
This is just another in the long list of things that we could hurt ourselves with, but we didn’t think of it that way. Safety was the last concern, fun above all. Took many a lump testing their limits. It needs some sort of roll bar and a harness, as it was deemed better to stay with the vehicle, than being thrown out. And the reason the author finds and posts these submissions, is because I know he misses it too. Amen, brother!
Grandpa says it is because there is no competition because there are few companies, and they price fix. He says we need to dig up Teddy Roosevelt and do some trust busting! Then the little guy can have a chance, and maybe my generation could have one to.
I love this thing!!! Just seeing the Briggs and Stratton Easy Spin Starting decal brings back a ton of memories. The 60’s and 70’s were the heyday for Go Carts and Mini Bikes and fiberglass bodied go carts like this. I’m with Howard, I miss those days, those fumes!!! Etc. ( Anybody remember the smell of old Leaded Gas?) Maybe I’m the minority on that one. But at least to me gas smelt better back then. Thank you for the write up and the memories Scotty!!! And one more thing…. Whoever buys this, please keep it original. This is just great, and in terrific condition for being original too!!! ~ Dave
I have never had the chance to smell leaded gas, Grandpa said it was a nice smell. I also know that is was horrible for the air and health, esp in our big cities. Back in the 20s, when they started using it, maybe they should have used water injection for the knocking. Problem solved, but I imagine there was plenty of cash to be made in the lead biz.
Hi Andy, not sure it was the lead that gave it its smell, but distinctive none the less. Nitro, even more so, and don’t forget diesel fumes. I took a neighbor to Colorado Springs airport yesterday, about 106 miles, all 2 ( or 3) lane, half was up the Big Horn Sheep canyon. Apparently, there is a lot of construction going on, and the dump trucks almost outnumbered the cars, and all spewing fumes at every stop light. Being local, I doubt they use DEF, as most were older trucks. I realize the irony of me saying that, being one of those guys for years, but a truck is your worst enemy on the road, when not in a truck, that is. The air in the “Front Range”, everything east of the mountains, has some of the worst air in the country. Coming from mountain air, I felt sick, and was glad to get home.
Southern Cal is about the best example of air pollution in the past. You’ll notice, many TV shows and movies from the 60s/70s show how bad it was. California has made remarkable improvements to the air quality. One of the worst offenders? Right here. I read, an older lawn mower engine puts out more pollution in an hour at full throttle, than 6 modern cars going 60 mph for the same time.
Today’s fuel has a significant amount of additives not found in previous generations, primarily for ‘cleaner’ emissions. That’s why the smell is different.
will owner do a Trade Deal
Awesome
How about Ethel gas at 26 cents a gallon, damn I am old.